How to Get Playdough Out of Carpet

How to Get Playdough Out of Carpet?

Dealing with playdough all over your brand new carpet? When you are a parent, it’s a common occurrence and though it might be your first time, be ready because it will happen again. However, you have nothing to worry about. Though it may seem like an impossible task, getting playdough out of carpet is no big deal if you know how to proceed.

Getting playdough out of the carpet the right way, meaning that you can no longer see any playdough traces and that your carpet remains intact, is a skill you might want to learn. Kids are careless, and playdough is one of their favorite things to play with if you want them to have a meaningful childhood. It is like an open invitation for playdough to get stuck all over the place, including carpets.

How to get playdough out of carpet

Let it dry

After you’ve discovered a playdough stain on your carpet, it is necessary to be patient and allow it to dry completely, which it could take a couple of days.

Break up the dry playdough

Once the playdough is dried, use a stiff brush, dull knife, or the edge of a metal spoon to break it up. If you find a stiff enough toothbrush, that might work, but you can use a bristle brush as well.

Vacuum the playdough pieces

Now that you have scraped off the dried playdough and there are little pieces on the floor, you can bring out the vacuum. Soft playdough and vacuums don’t mix well. It is recommended that you use the hose or a brush attachment of the vacuum cleaner to reduce further the risk of pressing any bits into the carpet.

Repeat until necessary

Continue to break up or scrape off some more playdough and vacuum to pick up the little pieces left behind. You will need to do this until all the dried playdough has been broken up and removed.

Proceed to blot the stained area

Most likely, the once stuck playdough will leave discoloration on your carpet. So now, you need to deal with the wet part.

1. Mix soap and cold water
2. Blot the area with a damp cloth but not soaking wet to prevent extra moisture.
3. Pat the area dry with a white cloth

Treating difficult playdough stains

There will be times that even if you did everything right, stubborn playdough wouldn’t get out of the carpet. Then you can try the following methods.

Rubbing alcohol

Tools:
Rubbing alcohol
Clean, white dishcloth

Steps:

1. Damp your dishcloth with rubbing alcohol
2. Blot the stain on the carpet
3. Check your cloth to see if it absorbed any color from the stain
4. Rinse the area afterward

Recommended Product

Medline LTY-1209 GoodSense Isopropyl Rubbing Alcohol

MAGID’s isopropyl 70% rubbing alcohol can disinfect and clean skin and many other uses. Many professionals choose to rub alcohol to disinfect and sterilize equipment.

Vinegar

Tools:

• White vinegar
• water
• Clean, white dishcloth

Steps:

1. Dilute one part vinegar with four parts of cool water
2. Damp your dishcloth with the mixture
3. Blot the stain on the carpet
4. Check your cloth to see if it absorbed any color from the stain
5. Rinse the area afterward

Recommended Product

Harris Cleaning Vinegar

Safe on most household surfaces, including glass, stainless steel, ceramic and more. Orange essential oils give off a nice scent that neutralizes smelly odors.

Hydrogen peroxide

Tools:

• Hydrogen peroxide
• Paper towel

Steps:

1. Apply a small amount of hydrogen peroxide to stain
2. Blot the area with a paper towel
3. Blotting gently until the residue is removed

Recommended Product

Dealmed Hydrogen Peroxide

Although commonly used throughout the medical field at doctor’s offices and medical facilities, this hydrogen peroxide cleaner is the perfect addition to any classroom and at-home first aid kit.

Common Questions About How to Get Playdough out of Carpet

Why shouldn’t you apply hot water to playdough?

While your instinct may be to apply hot water and soap to playdough stains immediately, you must avoid it at all costs. Applying heat will only cause the playdough to melt further into your carpet.

Why should you prevent people from stepping on playdough stains?

Keep people from accidentally stepping on the playdough as it dries; if it were to happen, it would only push the playdough further into the carpet and make it more difficult to remove.

Is hardened playdough difficult to remove?

It’s counterintuitive to leave it dry because you probably feel like harder playdough is harder to remove. It’s quite the opposite. It would help if you allowed it to dry completely before attempting to get it out from your carpet.

Is it ok to freeze playdough?

It is wonderful; in fact, this is a great alternative to allowing it to dry naturally if you are short on time. Freezing the playdough with cold air will create the same hardening effect as allowing it to dry with less time.

How to dry the carpet?

The good idea is to cover the spot with paper towels and add pressure to dry the carpet. You can use a hairdryer to quickly dry the spot; a fan also works well.

Tips on How To Get Playdough Out Of Carpet

• If the playdough stain is located in a high-traffic area of your home, try covering it with a box while you wait for it to be scorched. This way, you’ll avoid someone stepping on it.
• Before you attempt to remove the playdough, let it dry completely. It is much easier to remove that way.
• When using a knife or brush to remove playdough, make sure to use a circular motion, as it could force the playdough further into the carpet. Keep in mind you should only use a dull knife; a sharper blade could damage the fibers of your carpet.
• Make sure your brush it’s new/clean, so you don’t create new stains on the carpet.
• Alternate scraping and vacuuming until as much of the playdough are removed as possible. There’s no specific order required.
• When you first find playdough stuck on your carpet, it is a good idea to use a soft piece to blot up the small bits lying around. Keep in mind, playdough sticks to playdough, so dab it in the area where it was dropped.
• Never use hot water to remove playdough from your carpets.
• Do not rub alcohol directly on the carpet as it could damage the adhesive on the carpet’s backing.
• Always test the alcohol on your carpet in an inconspicuous spot to ensure that it doesn’t damage your carpet.
• Hydrogen peroxide could bleach carpets with color or patterns, so it is best to use white carpets.
• When drying your carpet, consider placing a heavy book on top of the towels for a couple of hours to help them soak up the water.