Gentle cleaners for crayon, marker, glue and slime
Many school-year messes come off with four things you already own: dish soap, baking soda, white vinegar and rubbing alcohol. Dish soap and warm water handle food and drinks. Baking soda paste lifts crayon. Rubbing alcohol takes off permanent marker. White vinegar loosens slime and dried-on glue. Test on a hidden spot first, and rinse with plain water after.
What goes in a school-mess cleaning kit?
- A spray bottle of warm water with a few drops of dish soap, labeled
- A box of baking soda
- A bottle of white vinegar
- Rubbing alcohol and cotton pads
- A stack of microfiber cloths
- An old toothbrush
- A plastic scraper or an old gift card
Label every spray bottle you fill yourself, and keep the rubbing alcohol and vinegar up high, away from small kids. Gentle doesn't mean drinkable.
How do you get crayon off walls and tables?
Walls: warm the marks with a hair dryer for a few seconds to soften the wax. Wipe with a soft cloth and a drop of dish soap. For what's left, rub gently with a paste of baking soda and water on a damp cloth, then wipe clean. Go easy on flat paint; it scuffs if you scrub hard.
Tables and hard plastic: the same baking soda paste, then a damp cloth.
A melamine foam sponge works on crayon too, but it's a very fine abrasive. It can dull glossy paint and take the finish off wood. Test it somewhere hidden first.
What about markers?
Washable marker comes off many surfaces with warm soapy water. On skin, soap and water. On clothes, rinse it from the back of the fabric under cold water before washing.
Permanent marker on sealed wood, laminate or plastic: dab rubbing alcohol on a cotton pad and work in small circles. Wipe with soapy water after. On a whiteboard, write over the permanent marker with a dry-erase marker, then wipe both off together.
Dry-erase marker on a table or wall: rubbing alcohol on a cloth.
How do you clean up glue?
White school glue dissolves in warm water. Lay a warm, wet cloth on it for a few minutes, then wipe. On clothes, soak in warm water before washing.
Glue stick on a table: a warm, soapy cloth. Dried glue stick flakes off with a plastic scraper.
Hot glue on a hard surface: rubbing alcohol around the edges loosens it, then peel.
How do you get slime out of clothes, carpet and couches?
- Harden it. Hold an ice cube on it, or put the clothing in the freezer for 20 minutes.
- Scrape off everything you can with a plastic scraper or a dull knife.
- Soak what's left with white vinegar and let it sit for a few minutes. Work it loose with the toothbrush.
- Rinse with warm water. Blot carpet and upholstery with a dry cloth.
- Wash clothing as usual and check it before it goes in the dryer. Heat sets whatever's left.
Test vinegar on a hidden spot of colored carpet or upholstery first.
What about juice, milk and sports drink spills?
Blot, don't rub. Then clean with warm soapy water and rinse with plain water so the sugar doesn't leave a sticky patch. On carpet, blot with clean water after the soap, then press a dry towel into it.
Milk on carpet or in a car seat needs cleaning right away, before it dries. Once it sours, the smell sticks around.
How do you deal with mud and grass from cleats?
Let the mud dry. Wet mud smears into carpet and grout; dry mud knocks off. Bang the cleats together outside, then brush the soles with a stiff brush. Wipe the uppers with a soapy cloth.
Dried mud on carpet: break it up and vacuum, then clean any stain with soapy water and blot. A boot tray by the door for cleats and rain boots keeps a lot of it off the floor in the first place.
How do you clean lunchboxes and water bottles?
Lunchboxes: empty and wipe them every day with a soapy cloth. Once a week, wash them inside and out with dish soap and warm water. For a smell that won't go, sprinkle baking soda inside, leave it overnight, then rinse. Dry them open.
Water bottles: take them apart, including the straw and the lid seal. Wash every piece with a bottle brush and soapy water. For a musty smell, soak in warm water with a spoonful of baking soda, then rinse. Dry them in pieces, not assembled.
What shouldn't you mix?
- Bleach and vinegar
- Bleach and ammonia
- Vinegar and hydrogen peroxide in the same bottle
Vinegar and baking soda together aren't dangerous, but they cancel each other out into salty water. Use them one at a time.
Vinegar also isn't for everything. Keep it off marble, granite and other natural stone, which it etches.
To keep the clutter side under control, see our 10-minute school-day reset routine and the kid's bedroom clean-up checklist.
What does a house cleaning cover?
The daily spills are yours. The weekly grime is where a regular cleaning helps.
On a Standard House Cleaning, RoutineCare, the kitchen countertops, table and chairs and the outside of the appliances are wiped, floors are vacuumed and mopped, and the bathrooms are cleaned.
It can be booked one time, weekly, every other week, every 4 weeks or twice a year.
See what's covered at House Cleaning, or set it on a schedule with Recurring House Cleaning.
FAQ
What gets crayon off a painted wall? Warm the marks for a few seconds with a hair dryer, then wipe with a soft cloth and a drop of dish soap. Whatever's left usually comes off with a baking soda paste on a damp cloth, rubbed gently and wiped clean.
How do you get slime out of clothes or carpet? Harden it with an ice cube, scrape off as much as you can, then soak what's left with white vinegar for a few minutes and work it loose. Rinse with warm water and wash the clothing as usual, checking it before it goes in the dryer.
Is it safe to mix vinegar and baking soda? It's safe, but it mostly cancels itself out into salty water. Use them one at a time. The mixes to avoid are bleach with vinegar, bleach with ammonia, and vinegar with hydrogen peroxide in the same bottle.
What removes permanent marker from a table? Rubbing alcohol on a cotton pad lifts it from sealed wood, laminate and plastic. Test a hidden spot first, work in small circles, and wipe the area with soapy water afterward.
Book a house cleaning
Book online at tinascleanteam.com/book-now, or call or text (609) 831-4455, Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM.
