If you’re a parent, you probably already know that HUGE messes come with the territory — messes that’ll leave you asking yourself, “How is that even possible?!”

If you’re up to your eyeballs in kid and pet messes, the tips below will help you clean up the chaos with ease and confidence.

Cleaning up Slime

Did homemade slime make its way into your home and end up somewhere it shouldn’t be? The key to breaking down this sticky mess is white vinegar. Vinegar releases the slime from the surface it’s stuck to. Use your fingers or a scrub brush to work it in, remove the slime, then wash the surface as normal.

 

Cleaning up Putty

It’s all fun and games until Silly Putty gets stuck in your expensive living room carpet. If putty ends up where it shouldn’t be, apply rubbing alcohol or Goo Gone right away. These cleaners break it down and make it easier to remove. Work the cleaner into the putty with your fingers or a scrub brush, and it should begin to release.

 

Sticker Residue on Clothes

 

Got a sticker-happy kid who always seems to sneak their sticker-covered clothing into the dirty clothes hamper?  Duct tape to the rescue! Press the tape, sticky side down, on the shirt, then remove over and over to pull off the sticker residue. Goo Gone is another alternative — just spray on the shirt and let sit for a few minutes to break down the residue, then wash as normal.

 

 

Pee and Poop Accidents

When kids and pets are involved, accidents are bound to happen.  To keep the inevitable from permanently damaging your fabrics, keep an enzyme cleaner on hand. First, remove the excess YUCK, then spray the contaminated area with an enzyme cleaner that breaks down the molecules in the soil. Some excellent brands include Nature’s Miracle, Kids n Pets, and Biokleen Bac-Out.

 

 

Pee and poo smell in clothes that won’t go away

 

 

Sometimes washing isn’t enough to get the smell out of clothes, especially if the mess was left for a while. To attack the smell, soak the clothes in hot water and Biz or hot water and borax for a few hours, then wash as normal.

 

Crayon on clothes

If you’ve ever washed a child’s crayon with a load of clothing, you won’t soon forget that sinking feeling you get when you pull your favorite top out of the dryer and discover it’s been decorated with purple streaks. If this happens to you, all is not lost.

Immediately throw the load back into the wash and fill it up with hot water to melt the crayon off. If the damage is done, treat the stained areas with De-Solv-It, WD-40, or Carbona Stain Devils for Ink, Marker, and Crayon. Then wash as normal.

 

 

Dry Erase Marker on Clothes

Did your child get a little too creative with the dry erase marker? Pretreat the stain with Murphy’s Oil Soap or Amodex, then wash as normal.

 

Acrylic Paint on Clothes

 

 

It never fails, you always forget to send the kid to preschool in play clothes on painting day. If your little artist came home with paint smudges on their nice clothes, pick up a bottle of Carbona Stain Devils for Paint to pre-treat the stain, then simply wash as normal.

 

 

Gum in Clothing

Gum tends to end up in places where it shouldn’t be. If the gum has made its way onto clothing, try freezing the item in the freezer, then picking the gum off. Another option is to pretreat with Carbona Stain Devils for Gum.

 

 

Crayon on Hard Surfaces

If your little Picasso decided he needed a bigger canvas, and the wall was the right size, use a blow dryer to heat up the crayon, then wipe with a damp, soapy cloth. Other options include WD-40 or a magic eraser — just be sure to use a little elbow grease! Last, you can try ZEP foaming Wall Cleaner. With any of these methods, test in an inconspicuous spot first to make sure it won’t damage your wall.

 

 

Sharpie Marks on Surfaces

 

 

If a Sharpie is cramping your wall or floor’s style, try cleaning with rubbing alcohol or going over it with a dry erase marker, then erasing. (Yup, it really works!)

 

 

Crayon/Sharpie/Marker/Ink in the Dryer Drum

This can cause a major laundry catastrophe if not discovered and handled quickly. First, unplug the dryer. If a crayon is a culprit, apply WD-40, then wipe with a cloth to remove the stain. For a sharpie, marker, or ink mess, apply to rubbing alcohol to a cloth and scrub. In both cases, be sure to remove any residue with a damp cloth.

 

 

 

Any cleaning questions we didn’t answer? Comment below and we will get you some answers!