Crayon Stain Removal Guide
How To Remove Crayon From Various Surfaces

Below you will learn tips and techniques for crayon stain removal from all types of areas of your home, including your clothes, upholstery, carpet, walls, dryer, wood, and more, with step by step instructions.

Figuring out how to remove crayon stains is something near and dear to my heart, because I have three kids and that means removing crayon marks from items in my own home is something I have dealt with many times.

It seems like they always grab that crayon and start coloring all over something as soon as you have you back turned, for just a second, doesn't it?

Well, when that happens don't panic.

This has happened to lots of other parents before you, so here are some tried and true instructions for removing crayon from unwanted areas of your home.

Crayon Stain Removal From Clothing And Fabric

How you remove crayon stains and marks from clothing partially depends on how much clothing is affected (the entire load versus one shirt, for example), and also whether it is melted crayon or a crayon mark on the fabric.

Sometimes you get crayon marks on an entire load of clothes because someone accidentally left a crayon in a pocket, and the crayon marks on all the clothing in the load as it gets washed.

If you catch the problem after the washing machine you take one set of steps for crayon stain removal, but if you don't catch it until after the whole load has gone in the dryer (and melted everywhere) you take a different set of steps.

A: Removing Crayon Marks From Clothing

Step 1: Wash the clothing using hot water, your normal laundry detergent, and add one cup of baking soda to the wash.

If that gets out the stains you are done. If not, continue on to step 2.

Hint: Make sure the stain is gone after washing, but before you place in the dryer or you may set the stain.

Step 2: If the stain remains the next step for crayon stain removal is to launder again in hot water, this time with chlorine bleach, if the fabric will allow it, or color bleach if not.

Hint: If you must use a color or oxygen bleach instead of chlorine bleach, before laundering first presoak the stained items in hot water and oxygen bleach or laundry detergent for at least half an hour (or longer).

Please note that these instructions above for crayon stain removal of crayon marks from clothing also work for removing crayon marks when your child colors on their own clothing.

B: Melted Crayon Removal From Clothing

Step 1: Scrape off the excess crayon with a dull knife.

Hint: If the crayon is still soft, and has not yet hardened, place the clothing in the freezer which will harden the crayon wax and make it easy to scrape off.

If you scrape while the crayon is still soft you run the risk of smearing the stain further, making it harder to remove.

Step 2: To remove the rest of the crayon wax remaining on the fabric place the stained area between clean paper towels and press the cloth with a warm iron. This will transfer the now warm crayon from the cloth to the paper towel.

Hint: You need to switch out the paper towels quite often when doing this step. Do not get stingy with the paper towels because if you just move the paper towel over to a clean section, for example, you run the risk of spreading the crayon stain to new areas of the garment.

Further, make sure your iron is NOT on the steam setting for this crayon stain removal process. The steam will only dampen the paper towels or brown paper being used, and hamper the process of transferring the crayon wax from the fabric to the other surface.

Step 3: Now that the crayon wax is removed, if you still have a stain pretreat the crayon stain with a laundry stain remover.

Step 4: Launder the clothing in the hottest water the fabric will allow to get out the stain, and either chlorine bleach if the fabric will allow it, or color bleach if not.

Hint: Make sure the stain is gone after washing, but before you place in the dryer or you may set the stain. Repeat if necessary.

How To Remove Crayon Stain On Upholstery

Step 1: Scrape off the excess crayon with a dull knife.

Hint: If the crayon is still soft, and has not yet hardened, you can make it brittle, and thus easier to remove, by putting some ice into a plastic bag and placing this on the soft crayon wax.

Be careful if you use the baggy of ice that the baggy does not get a lot of condensation on it, which can wet the upholstery and make it more difficult for effective crayon stain removal.

Step 2: For the crayon wax stain still remaining after you have scraped off the wax take a clean white cloth and sponge the stain with a dry cleaning solvent.

Hint: First, be sure to test this solvent on an inconspicuous area of the upholstery to make sure it is safe.

Step 3: Next, blot at the stain until the solvent is absorbed.

Step 4: Repeat steps 2-3 until the stains are removed from the upholstery.

You can get more information on how to clean upholstery here.

Removing Crayon Stains From Carpet

The instructions for crayon stain removal from carpet is the same as for upholstery.

However, you can also use a warm iron to try to remove additional crayon wax after you have scraped off as much as possible.

To do this, follow these steps:

Step 1: After scraping off as much crayon wax as possible from the carpet cover the stained area with a clean white cloth.

Step 2: Use the tip of the warm iron to press on the cloth, where the stain is, to transfer the crayon wax from the carpet to the cloth.

Step 3: Replace or move the cloth frequently, being careful not to spread the stain further if you choose to move the cloth around.

CAUTION: Before using the iron on your carpet for this crayon stain removal process test it, with the cloth, in an inconspicuous area. Some carpets made with man-made fibers can melt even at low temperatures, meaning you would do more harm then good trying to get the crayon out using this method in such a situation.

Removing Crayon Marks From Walls

If you get crayon on your walls there are many ways to remove the stains and marks, although they all take a bit of elbow grease. Plus, certain methods work better than others, depending on what type of wall you have, such as if it is painted, not painted, wall papered, etc.

I've collected many tips for fixing this most common of problems, and some of the solutions that have been suggested include WD-40, Goo Gone, Magic Eraser, toothpaste, a paste of baking soda and water, and more. You can check out all the tips for crayon removal from walls here. Several of the tips even have videos included.

Further, there are some special instructions for removing crayon from concrete and brick since they are porous surfaces. Here is the article on how to remove crayon on concrete and brick.

Getting Rid Of Melted Crayon In Your Dryer

If you've ever accidentally washed and then dried a crayon that was in your child's pocket you know that it melts all over the clothing in the dryer, and also gets all over the inside of the dryer itself.

See above for tips and tricks to get out crayon marks and melted crayon off clothing.

However, in this situation you also need to clean up your dryer or you will get new crayon marks all over additional loads when you place them in the dryer.

That is because the crayon will reheat again with the next load, melt again, and transfer onto additional clothing.

There are several ways to remove crayon marks from inside your dryer, including using a paste of powdered dishwasher detergent and water, Goo Gone, or Bon Ami to clean your dryer drum. Here are the instructions for these methods for how to remove crayon in dryer, including a video.

Another method for removing crayon from the dryer is to wipe the dryer drum with a cloth sprayed with WD-40.

After using any of these products you need to wash off the cleaning solution from the dryer drum with soapy water and a rag.

In addition, you also need to run a load of rags or old towels in your dryer for a full load to make sure you have gotten all the crayon marks off before you put in good clothes again.

Removing Crayon From Wood Floors And Furniture

Many people also need to know about crayon stain removal for wood items in their home, since kids just don't seem to understand how difficult wood can be to clean and keep from harm.

If this has happened to you, check out my tips for crayon removal from wood floors and furniture for instructions.

Recommended Crayon Stain Removers

Perhaps you don't want to make your own stain remover, but instead want to use something designed for crayon stain removal.

Here are some articles and reviews on this site which discuss various products that are designed to remove these stains. Please note that they are all not suitable for all surfaces, so make sure to choose one that will work on the surface your crayon stains are on:

Amodex Ink & Stain Remover {Taylor's Review}

Goo Gone

WD-40 {For Multiple Surfaces}

Magic Eraser {For Walls & Other Hard Surfaces}

Mineral Spirits {For Wood Floors & Furniture}

Carbona Stain Devil #3 For Clothing

Bon Ami {For Removing From Dryer}

Goof Off Remover {For Stone}

Rubbing Alcohol + Woolite Oxy Deep {For Carpet}

Lestoil For Removing From Walls Without Scrubbing

Toothpaste For Walls

You can also share your own stain remover reviews here for other removers that work on crayon, or any other stain.

Submit Your Own Stain Removal Tip For Crayons

Do you have your own crayon stain removal tip to share? If so, submit your tip for how to remove crayon stains here, or read other tips already submitted.

Get Even More Stain And Spot Removal Help Here

Are you a stain magnet like me? If so, check out the A to Z Stain Removal Guide which gives directions for how to remove over 100 types of stains from all kinds of surfaces.

Third photo Stain Removal 101 copyright, fourth photo by laffy4k, fifth photo by IngaMun, and sixth photo by chrisdlugosz

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CAUTION: This website is provided for informational purposes only. It is provided as is, without warranties or guarantees. Some stains and messes just won't come out, and are permanent. Further, some cleaning methods can harm your item, so if what you want to clean or launder is sentimental or expensive call a professional. See disclaimer of liability for more information.