Silly Putty is an integral, albeit very messy, part of childhood. And for good reason: Kids can squish it and press it and throw it and mold it — and do it over and over again. But note the aforementioned “messy” descriptor: The stuff is sticky, and you should fully expect to find it everywhere it’s not supposed to be, like your carpet, couch and coat.
How to remove Silly Putty from carpets
The folks at Crayola, the brand that bought Silly Putty in 1977, have some easy pro tips on getting the gunk good and gone from your carpets.
- Scrape off as much of the putty as you possibly can.
- The stuff that’s obstinate and won’t come off? Grab ice cubes, use the cubes to chill the putty, and it comes off much easier.
- Then, saturate a cotton bail in nail polish remover (yes, regular old nail polish remover) and blot the stained area.
- Repeat as needed until it’s gone.
How to remove Silly Putty from fabric on furniture
Of course, the magic of Silly Putty is that it sticks to everything. And that includes fabric couches. Thankfully, the cleaning service Maids.com has some pretty failsafe ways of getting it out.
- Get a butter knife and use it remove any excess Silly Putty from your couch or easy chair.
- Put ice on the remaining Putty to freeze it; this makes it shrink and peel away from the fabric fibers. Once the chunk of Silly Putty is gone, you’ll see a greasy stain. Do not panic.
- Mix dishwashing soap and water and use a microfiber cloth to gently wipe away the oily remains.
But wait. There’s also Silly Putty on your pants? Of course there is.
How to remove Silly Putty from clothes
Chances are, after this pandemic, you’re stocked up on hand sanitizer. Make sure it contains 65% ethanol, which is strong enough to break down the Silly Putty that's stuck on your clothing. Essentially, it dissolves it. Brilliant.
- Do a patch test first to make sure the sanitizer won’t stain your clothes.
- If you get the all clear, pour exactly enough sanitizer to cover the Silly Putty.
- The alcohol in the sanitizer will break it down, so scrape it off immediately. Do not let it sit.
- Wash your clothes as you would normally do.
FAQs
Spray just enough WD-40 on the Silly Putty stain to cover it. If possible, spray both sides of the stain. Let the WD-40 work on the stain for five minutes. Scrape away the dissolved Silly Putty and gently scrub out the rest of the stain, and the WD-40 residue, with dish soap and water.
Will alcohol remove Silly Putty? ›
Does alcohol dissolve silly putty? Yes, alcohol dissolves silly putty as it evaporates. Why does vinegar remove stains? Vinegar is an effective stain remover because it's an acid, and acids are great stain removers.
How to get Silly Putty off of plastic? ›
If the surface is white or otherwise colorfast, apply bleach spray or rubbing alcohol to surface. Otherwise, use the clearest soap available. Use soap/bleach to wipe surface. Rinse.
Will vinegar remove Silly Putty? ›
Vinegar is another effective cleaning solution for a variety of different stains, including silly putty. For this method, you'll start by diluting the vinegar in a small bowl or jar. Mix one part white vinegar with two parts water. Next, dip a clean cloth in the mixture and gently wipe and scrape away the silly putty.
Does vinegar dissolve putty? ›
Mix 1 part white vinegar and 2 parts water, dampen a cloth with the stain remover, and rub the stain gently. Scrape the goo away and gently pull it out of the fabric as it dissolves.
Can you soften Silly Putty? ›
Mix 1 to 2 US tbsp (15 to 30 mL) of water into your putty. Lay your putty on a flat surface, like a table or desk. Pour a few spoonfuls of water into the putty, then begin molding and kneading it with your fingers to see if it feels any softer or more pliable.
Does hand sanitizer melt putty? ›
Hand sanitizers containing alcohol are often helpful. Silly Putty will dissolve when in contact with an alcohol; after the alcohol evaporates, the material will not exhibit its original properties. If Silly Putty is submerged in warm or hot water, it will become softer and thus "melt" much faster.
How do you remove wet putty? ›
Dampen paper towels with warm water and apply liquid dish soap. Use the soapy towel, work over the area in a circular motion to loosen and remove as much putty as possible. Spray residue stain with All Purpose cleaner and wipe with paper towels.
Does water ruin putty? ›
The putty could fail over time if the surface is wet or unclean, and it may not adhere adequately.
How to get Silly Putty out of silicone? ›
Apply WD-40 on the affected area, spraying a generous amount and covering all of the Silly Putty that is stuck to the silicone. Let the WD-40 sit for 10 to 15 minutes. If WD-40 is unavailable, use Goof Off in a similar fashion. Wear gloves to avoid skin contact.
Scrape excess Silly Putty® with dull-edge knife or metal spoon. Respray with WD-40 and wipe off stain with cotton balls. If any stain remains, saturate a cotton ball with rubbing alcohol, blot the stain and rinse. Wipe any remaining residue and remaining stain with a damp sponge or cloth moistened with Clean-n-Brite.
Why doesn t silly putty dry out? ›
SILLY PUTTY is made primarily from silicone and color pigments. Silicone is an oil-based product and by nature will not dry out. If Silly Putty is left out of the container over a period of several years, it may harden due to other ingredients contained in the putty.
How to get hardened silly putty out of carpet? ›
For a quick fix, soak a cotton ball with nail polish remover or rubbing alcohol and blot the area repeatedly. Or, place a bag of ice on the stain for 2-3 hours and then break up the hardened putty with a knife.
What happens if you heat up Silly Putty? ›
—When Silly Putty is microwaved in a drinking glass for about 3 minutes, it becomes very sticky. However, when cooled the putty returns to the same state it was in before.
What does borax do to Silly Putty? ›
By adding the borax solution to the glue mixture, you start a chemical reaction. The glue molecules and the borax molecules react with each other to create a stretchy, bouncy new substance.
What dilutes putty? ›
Both Iso and Enamel thinner are incompatible with Squadron putty, as is denatured alcohol. You can thin it with nicely with a liquid cement such as Testors "pink" label (more expensive, but faster drying) or general purpose lacquer thinner (cheaper, but slower drying and more at risk of melting the plastic underneath).
Will Silly Putty shatter? ›
Alternatively, if you take the ball of putty and throw it onto the floor it will reveal its elastic properties and bounce whilst if you take the ball of putty and hit with a hammer the force will cause the putty to shatter.
