How to clean plasticine from clothes

In a family with small children, the question of how to remove plasticine from clothes is extremely acute. After all, this viscous multi-colored substance attracts babies like a magnet. And even if the child does not have artistic talents, and in the future he will not become a great sculptor, the child is still not averse to spending time with plasticine.

What is plasticine?

Probably, few parents thought about this question. Modern plasticine is made from many different components, the amount of which is determined by the following characteristics: safety, appearance, softness, and so on. It is worth noting that plasticine, available 15-20 years ago, and its current “relative” are two big differences.

Previously, the production used mainly animal lard, supplemented with chemical components. Today, there are many different combinations, but most often in the composition of modern plasticine there is beeswax, clay powder of a fine fraction, coloring pigments, petroleum jelly, thanks to which plasticine does not dry out, as well as animal lard in small quantities and ceresin, a substance that is used in cosmetic industry to impart viscosity and soften the composition.

Today, in addition to plasticine, another composition is available - modeling dough. In consistency and its qualities, it is very similar to modern plasticine, with the only difference that the dough contains more petroleum jelly and glycerin.

Modern plasticine is absolutely safe for children. So parents can safely leave their children alone with this soft, pleasant to the touch material.

How to eliminate plasticine stains at home

So how do you remove plasticine from your clothes? An important rule: things that have plasticine stains should never be washed immediately without first removing the dirt. This can lead to the fact that the clothes will be hopelessly damaged. Moreover, if a thing with the remains of plasticine is immediately placed in the washing machine, then you risk ruining not only other things, but also the equipment.

The operation to rescue a plasticine-stained thing takes place in three stages:

1. We remove the remnants of plasticine from the fabric;
2. We wash off a colored greasy spot;
3. We erase the thing.

Let's take a closer look at the first two stages: removing the remains of plasticine and getting rid of greasy and colored spots. Since the subsequent wash takes place in the usual mode, suitable for the garment. If you are removing stains from a white blouse or T-shirt, you can add bleach during the wash - it will only enhance the effect.If after washing a barely noticeable stain still remains, soak the white thing with bleach or treat the contaminated area with hydrogen peroxide.

To avoid unpleasant surprises, first try the action of the product on an inconspicuous area, and then proceed to remove the stain.

We clean off the plasticine

In order to remove plasticine from the surface, use a sculpting spatula, blunt edges of scissors or a knife. Of course, the stiffer the mass, the easier it is to remove it from the surface of the garment. But if the plasticine is soft and viscous, this creates additional problems.

Then folk wisdom will help you:

1. Put the thing, with the remains of plasticine, in a plastic bag.
2. Place in the freezer and wait for the clay to harden. Usually it is 60-90 minutes, but it all depends on the thickness of the plasticine layer.
3. Remove the item from the freezer and try again using a sculpting spatula, knife or scissors to remove the clay. This time, the mass should move freely from the fabric.

If you don't feel like placing an item in the freezer, use ice cubes in a plastic bag (as long as the bag does not leak). And hold until the ice starts to melt. You can also put ice in a bowl and place the bowl on the contaminated area. Finally, a chip cooling aerosol or an injury pain reliever spray will do.

After the plasticine mass freezes, it will need to be quickly broken into pieces and cleaned with a stiff-bristled brush. Do not touch the plasticine with your hands, otherwise it will heat up from the heat and only penetrate deeper into the fibers.

Someone prefers to use the heating of the plasticine mass instead of radical cooling. And this is also an effective way to get rid of the remains of the sculpting mass on clothes. The thing is that under the influence of heat, plasticine melts and is absorbed into the paper. For the "procedure" you will need to put one paper napkin under the plasticine stain, and the second - on top of it, and walk with a not very hot iron.

Important: check that the steam mode is turned off, otherwise, after such processing with steam, it will be impossible to save the item. It will be necessary to iron the contaminated area several times, changing the napkins as they become dirty.

After the layer of plasticine is removed, a stain remains on the clothes. Typically, this is a bold color outline that is not easily displayed. What to do?

Removing stains

Since there is fat in the composition of plasticine, an alkaline composition will be required in order to "dissolve" it. For example, the following products will help to deal with the stain: laundry soap, baking soda, and dishwashing detergent.

Laundry soap

The procedure is as follows: prepare a solution to remove the stain. To do this, grind about 1/3 of a piece of laundry soap and dissolve in warm water. We put the soiled thing there, we will additionally soap the stain with soap and leave to soak for about 30 minutes. After that, we clean the contaminated area with a toothbrush and then send it to the washing machine.

Laundry soap is suitable for removing plasticine marks from any fabric, but it is better not to use it for washing dark or bright items. And it is not recommended to rub delicate fabrics too much, so as not to damage the structure of the canvas.

Soda

First, the item is soaked in warm water with the addition of laundry soap or washing powder. After that, a thick slurry is applied to the contaminated area from a mixture of soda and a small amount of water. Rub lightly with a brush and leave for about 30 minutes. After that, the stain is brushed again and washed as usual. Soda is very effective when combined with laundry soap. This tandem gives the best results.

Alcohol

Ammonium or isopropyl alcohol is very effective in combating plasticine stains. The latter is part of the liquid for cleaning windows. But you can use it only if you need to remove a stain from a dense natural fabric, for example, denim. You will hopelessly ruin a synthetic thing.

Algorithm of actions: alcohol is abundantly applied to the contaminated area, left for 30 minutes. After that, scrub thoroughly, and then wash the thing in the correct wash cycle.

Vegetable oil and dishwashing detergent

Another way to remove plasticine stains is with vegetable oil. Here, as they say, they knock out a wedge with a wedge. The oil is applied to a cotton pad and rubbed off the stain, moving from the edges to the center. Most likely, you will not get by with one cotton pad, get ready to repeat the procedure several times until the stain disappears. After that, wash your clothes in water with the addition of laundry soap or dishwashing detergent - they will cope with greasy stains better than washing powder.

Kerosene

Today this remedy is undeservedly forgotten, but only a couple of decades ago it was used in almost all spheres of life, up to medicine. And kerosene copes with stains, as they say, with a bang.

A piece of soft cloth is moistened in kerosene and the stains remaining from the plasticine are wiped off. The main thing is that after using kerosene, rinse the item well in running water, and then wash it separately from other wardrobe items with powder and conditioner to get rid of the unpleasant odor.

Important: Before scrubbing the stain, test the kerosene on an inconspicuous area of ​​clothing.

Industrial stain removers

Today, a huge assortment of all kinds of tools is offered to remove plasticine stains. Choose the one that suits you and follow the instructions exactly. Most often, manufacturers recommend applying the product to the stain, leaving it for 15-20 minutes, and then washing the thing with the addition of powder and stain remover.

Almost all industrial preparations are corrosive, therefore, when using them, it is important to wear rubber gloves so as not to damage the skin of your hands.

How to remove plasticine from carpet

Unfortunately, this question also arises in families with small children. In general, the technology is not very different from the process of removing plasticine from clothing. You can use different means.

1. Laundry soap. The soap is crushed, poured with boiling water and whipped until foam forms. The remains of plasticine are removed from the carpet, as far as possible.Then, with a sponge, apply soapy foam to the stained area, rub it lightly and leave for 10-15 minutes. After that, wash off with warm water.
2. Cleaning paste. You can easily prepare this composition at home. You will need: table salt, cleaning agent, table vinegar. After removing large pieces of plasticine, paste is applied to the contaminated area and left to dry completely. After that, remove the cleaning paste and rinse with warm water.
3. Freezing. A bowl (or bag) of ice is placed on the stain. Leave for 20-30 minutes, peel off with a hard blunt object, rinse.
4. Heat. After removing large pieces of plasticine, put a paper napkin on the stain and pass it with a not very hot iron. The procedure is repeated several times, and the napkins are changed as they become dirty. Do not forget to turn off the steam mode, otherwise you risk ruining the carpet with your own hands!
5. Chemical compositions. Alcohol, gasoline, acetone will provide you with invaluable service in the fight against old plasticine stains. The main thing is that these strong products do not spoil the carpet, therefore, just like in the case of clothes, before you start cleaning, check the effect of the product on an inconspicuous area. If during testing the color of the pile has not changed, you can start cleaning in a visible place. In addition, do not forget about industrial stain removers. Such funds are effective and safe to use.

So, the sculpting process will be even more fun for both children and adults, if you do not have to worry about the safety of clothes, carpets and wallpapers. As you can see, even with improvised means it is quite possible to get rid of plasticine stains. However, if possible, provide your child with a comfortable home hobby area, free of fleecy carpets, and take care of work clothes for your toddler.

Video: how easy it is to wash plasticine from clothes