How to Get Silly Putty Out of Clothes? 7 Methods

It’s all fun and games with silly putty until it stains your or your children’s clothes! Here are several methods to get silly putty out of clothes.

The majority of your children’s spills and messes might be easy for you to clean up, but it might be difficult to remove Silly Putty from clothes and fabric. A Silly Putty stain requires unique handling due to its oily and gooey nature.

In light of this, why is it difficult to remove Silly Putty from clothing and fabric? Think about the components and the operation of Silly Putty. The silicone oil in the formula leaves stains that resemble grease, and the sticky, stretchy goo adheres to fibers.

Don’t worry though, I’ll show you how to quickly and easily remove Silly Putty from carpets, fabrics, and clothing.

Silly Putty can usually be removed as long as it doesn’t dry up. First, you’ll want to scrape as much of the putty off as possible, then use ice, rubbing alcohol, or a cleaning agent designed to remove sticky substances. Dish soap can then be used to remove the stain.

To avoid having an unsightly stain on your clothing, carpet, or upholstery, I’ll explain exactly how to remove Silly Putty in this guide.

Before You Start

Prior to removing any stain, you might want to keep the following in mind.

The Test

There are many different products and cleaning agents used to remove stains. Before continuing, it would be a good idea to test each one in a discreet location.

The Cleaning Agents

Again, different cleaning agents are used to removing stains. When removing a difficult stain, it can be beneficial to experiment with a number of cleaning products and techniques. But you would need to exercise caution.

For instance, never combine vinegar and bleach as it will result in a toxic gas. It is best to avoid mixing two chemicals if you are unsure of how they will interact without first conducting some research.

The Block

When dealing with stains, you want to do everything in your power to keep the issue localized.

Use your palm to prevent the stain from spreading to the garment’s reverse side. To use some cardboard or old rags, though, would be preferable. You’ll have more flexibility and less chance of forgetting to prevent the stain from reaching the other side this way.

How to Get Silly Putty Out of Clothes?

When it comes to laundry problems, no one solution will work for everybody. Because of this, we’ve provided you with a list of seven different approaches.

Hand Sanitizer

Hand sanitizer is a good first choice to get Silly Putty out of fabric. Since ethanol makes up about 65 percent of these sanitizing solutions, they have sufficient strength to dissolve most stains without being overly harsh. Hand sanitizer dissolves Silly Putty quickly and then evaporates, making it easy to scrub away the stain.

Because hand sanitizer might also include fragrance and other ingredients like aloe vera, it might stain some fabrics, especially if you leave it on for too long. Before applying the hand sanitizer to the Silly Putty stain, test it in an inconspicuous area.

If it’s safe to proceed, pour just enough hand sanitizer on the stain to cover it. After using hand sanitizer, scrape as soon as possible because the alcohol quickly dissolves the stain. If the stain doesn’t come out, move on to your ice and liquid dish soap.

Rubbing Alcohol

Rubbing alcohol’s consistency is thinner than hand sanitizer, so be careful not to overdo it—you might end up spreading the Silly Putty stain as it dissolves. Avoid drizzling rubbing alcohol straight on the stain.

As an alternative, dab the stain with cotton balls that have been soaked in rubbing alcohol. When the Silly Putty starts to crumble, scrape it off and, if necessary, follow up with ice and dish soap.

Although rubbing alcohol appears clear and pure, it sometimes contains additional components like dyes that can damage fabrics. Before beginning to work on the Silly Putty stain, spot-test a small area.

Although rubbing alcohol can act as a mild bleach, it should be safe on most types of fabrics if you work quickly. As soon as possible, wash your clothes, and use dish soap to get rid of any alcohol stains on your furniture and other fabrics.

White Vinegar

White vinegar is a natural way to get rid of stains from surfaces, fabrics, and carpets. You can use it as a safe and reliable cleaner and disinfectant throughout the house, including on Silly Putty.

Given that vinegar is gentler than most stain removers and has the ability to lift stains, it is a perfect solution. White vinegar typically won’t stain fabrics, but because it’s acidic, never use it at full strength for cleaning or stain removal. Be careful not to oversoak upholstery and other fabrics when mixing them with water.

Mix 1 part white vinegar and 2 parts water, dampen a cloth with the stain remover and rub the stain gently. As it dissolves, scrape the goo away and carefully remove it from the fabric. Use baking soda to lightly scrub the area, dab it dry, and vacuum up the remainder to get rid of the lingering vinegar smell on fabrics that you can’t wash.

If you’re struggling to remove Silly Putty from clothing, wash the items as usual and add a half cup of vinegar to the washer for an extra cleaning boost and brighter whites.

Freezing

Our first approach might work if you don’t like the way silly putty feels or smells.

With this technique, you want to freeze the silly putty. Put the disputed clothing in the freezer or cover it with ice to freeze the silly putty. Of course, you can also place some ice in a cooler with the silly putty-stained clothing. Allow the clothing piece and the silly putty to freeze for a few hours or even overnight.

After a while, remove the clothing and begin to peel the silly putty off. For this process, you can use a blunt knife or something comparable, but we advise using your fingernails instead. Less chance of the clothing being harmed and more control for you.

Repeat until all the silly putty is out, then wash. Try one of the following strategies in place of this one if it doesn’t work.

Vodka

Vodka functions similarly to alcohol and vinegar.

When it comes to laundry-related issues, vodka is an excellent ally. It could assist you not only with odor issues but also with some stains. If you have a laundry room, think about keeping a bottle there!

You don’t have to choose the priciest ones. Cheap ones would function. The flavored ones, however, you might want to avoid! Flavored vodkas might have dyes and unnecessary sugar that won’t help with your laundry concerns.

WD-40

Wonderfully effective at removing stains, rusty bolts, and squeaky doors, WD-40 also breaks down greasy stains. It might be time for more drastic measures if you’ve tried all of the stain removal methods for Silly Putty listed above but the stain is still present.

WD-40 should only be used in well-ventilated areas. Because WD-40 is made of petroleum, it can stain clothing if not used carefully. Don’t use it on delicates like silk or satin and be careful not to soak padding and other materials below upholstered furniture.

Spray just enough WD-40 on the Silly Putty stain to cover it. Spray both surfaces of the stain if at all possible.

Let the WD-40 work on the stain for five minutes. Remove the dissolved Silly Putty with a scraper, then use dish soap, water, and a soft scrubber to remove the remaining stain and any WD-40 residue. Wash the treated clothing right away, and wipe the residue from the upholstery with a damp cloth to get rid of the potent chemical smell of WD-40.

Dish Soap

If silly putty still won’t come off your clothes after a few tries, combine dish soap with one of the other methods mentioned above. Use an old rag or toothbrush to rub the affected area after liberally applying the solution.

Dish soap might best be partnered with WD-40 since it could leave some grease behind, and dish soap is good for oil and grease! Dawn is a popular dish soap to use when dealing with laundry issues. If you don’t have it, try to look for something as mild.

Does Silly Putty Stick to Clothes?

Soft surfaces like carpets, clothing and fabrics will all be adhered to by Silly Putty. This is a result of the adhesives and bonding substances used to keep Silly Putty flexible and assembled.

Silly Putty doesn’t stick to hard surfaces such as glass, tile, and even wood because they have an even and uniform texture. Although they may appear to have a uniform texture on the surface, soft surfaces like fabrics frequently don’t.

Despite the fact that Silly Putty will adhere to your clothing, uniformly textured clothing will make it simpler to remove. Because of the distinctive texture of fleece, it will be more difficult to remove Silly Putty from clothing, for instance. This is also the reason why Silly Putty is so challenging to remove from the carpet.

Will Sticky Putty Come Out of Clothes After Washing?

If you wash clothes that have Silly Putty on them, you may be able to get the Silly Putty out after washing them. It will be much more challenging to remove if you dry the clothing. This is due to the fact that if Silly Putty dries out, it will further bond to the fibers of clothing, making removal more difficult and potentially damaging the fabric.

After washing but before drying (while it’s still wet), if you try to remove the Silly Putty, you might be successful. But don’t count on washing your clothes a lot to get Silly Putty out of them. To even have a chance of getting the stain out, you will need to treat it.

Summary: Get Silly Putty Out of Clothes!

How to get silly putty out of clothes? Silly putty can be removed, despite being a challenging type of stain. Maybe you’ll need to use a little bit of elbow grease, but it’s easy! You can use sanitizer, alcohol, vinegar, and other common products.

Share this article with a friend who needs to get rid of Silly Putty, and then let them know what worked for you in the comments. Thanks for reading!

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