Crayon away without fear of staining

CRAYON stains are more fun to draw with than to get rid of. Learn a few tips on removing crayon marks here.

Most crayon marks end up on:

– Walls, because a young child thinks they make a great canvas

– Furniture, because Junior coloured off the page and onto the sofa

– Books for adults, because your kid thinks they need livening up

– Clothes, because little hands like stuffing things into pockets

You probably can’t do much about the books without damaging the paper even further, but the furnishings and fabrics can perhaps be rescued. If your child has coloured the wallpaper, use a damp cloth dipped into a bit of baking soda to gently rub the marks off. Walls covered with waterproof paint can be cleaned this way too, and can even be washed and scrubbed a little harder.

A leather sofa with crayon marks on it can probably be quite easily wiped clean with a damp cloth.

If the sofa is fabric-covered, scrape off excess crayon with a spatula or blunt knife. Next, apply commercial stain removers such as WD-40. Test on an inconspicuous part of the sofa first to see that the fabric can take the treatment without being damaged, then apply the stain remover according to the directions.

For clothes, commercial stain removers should also do the trick. If you’re using one that is designed to be sprayed onto the stains, rest the clothing item on an old, uncoloured towel as the crayon could dissolve onto whatever the remover and fabric touch. Keep sponging up the excess liquid and stains. Then rub liquid detergent into the marks and wash in hot water.

Dry-cleaners should also be able to help you remove most crayon marks from clothes. — The Straits Times/Asia News Network