How to Clean Slime

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: March 12, 2020 Tested

Slime is tons of fun for kids to play with, but it can also stain carpets, walls, clothing, and furniture. If you have a slime stain situation on your hands, the usual cleaning methods may not work. You will need to use some special techniques to get the slime stains out, but don’t worry! These cleaning techniques are easy to use!

Part 1

Part 1 of 4:

Getting Slime Out of Carpet

1
Pick out as much slime as possible from the carpet fibers. Use your fingers to grasp and pick up bits of slime out of the carpet. Removing as much slime as possible before cleaning the carpet will make it easier to clean the stain.
- Keep in mind that the slime may have bonded with the fibers of the carpet, so you might not be able to get all of it up with your fingers.
2
Mix 6 fl oz (180 mL) of white vinegar and 3 fl oz (89 mL) of water. Vinegar is more effective at removing slime stains than water alone or even other carpet cleaning products. Pour the vinegar and water into a bowl, and stir to combine them.^{[1]
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- Another option is to put the solution into a clean spray bottle and spray it onto the stained area.
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3
Apply the solution of vinegar and warm water to the slime. Pour the solution over the slime stain to saturate it. You may need a little or a lot depending on the size of the stain.^{[2]
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- For example, if the stain is over a large area of the carpet, you might need the whole batch of solution. If the stain is only about 1 in (2.5 cm) wide, then you may only need 2 fluid ounces (59 mL) of the solution.
4
Use a soft-bristled brush to get the slime out of the carpet. Rub the carpet with the brush to work the vinegar and water solution into the carpet. If you pull up any extra bits of slime with the brush, pull or rinse them off the brush before continuing. Then, continue rubbing the stain with the brush.^{[3]
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- You can use a carpet brush or a clean dish brush to do this.
5
Blot the area with a clean dry towel. When all of the slime is off of the carpet and the stain is partially lifted, begin blotting the area with a clean, dry towel. Press on the towel with your hand or step on it to blot the carpet.^{[4]
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- Keep blotting the area until the carpet feels mostly dry.
6
Repeat until the stains are gone. Repeat the process as many times as needed to get the stain out of your carpet. After you have removed the stain, let your carpet air dry for a few hours and then run your vacuum over the area to reinvigorate it.^{[5]
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- The stain may not be visible again until after the carpet dries, so make sure to check it.

Part 2

Part 2 of 4:

Washing Slime Out of Clothing

1
Scrape any stuck-on slime off of the clothing. You can use your fingers to remove bits of stuck on slime, or carefully scrape it off with the back of a butter knife. Just make sure to get as much of the slime off of the clothing as possible before you begin washing it.^{[6]
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- If the slime is really stuck on, stick an ice cube on it for a few minutes and then try to remove the slime. Making the slime cold should make it easier to remove.
2
Spray or pour on a stain removal pre-treatment product. Spray a stain removal product directly onto the stain, or pour a bit of detergent directly onto the stain. Either way, this will help to loosen the stain.^{[7]
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- Make sure that the stain remover or detergent completely covers the stain.
3
Put the items into a large bucket and fill it with hot water. Place your pre-treated clothing into a clean, empty 2 to 3 US gal (7.6 to 11.4 L) sized bucket. Then, place the bucket under a faucet, such as in your bathtub or sink. Run the water until the bucket is filled almost to the top.^{[8]
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- If you do not have a bucket, then you can place the items in a clean plugged tub or sink.
4
Soak the clothing for 30 minutes. Leave the clothing in the bucket to soak for 30 minutes. You don't need to agitate the items or do anything else during this time.^{[9]
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- Make sure to place the bucket somewhere out of the reach of children and pets.
5
Put the clothing into the washing machine. After 30 minutes have passed, take the items out of the bucket of water and wring out the excess water over the bucket. Then, place the items right into your washing machine and wash them as you normally would.^{[10]
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- Make sure to follow any special instructions for the items if they have them. For example, if the item requires a delicate cycle, then select this option on your washer.
6
Air dry the items. After the items are clean, remove them from the washer and hang them up to dry. Don’t put them in the dryer just in case you need to wash them again. Machine drying the items may set in the stains.^{[11]
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- Hang the items somewhere that is well-ventilated. You may also want to turn on a fan and direct it towards the items to speed the drying process.
7
Repeat the process as needed. If the stains are still visible, repeat the process. Keep repeating this process until the stains are completely gone.^{[12]
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- This could take a few times depending on the severity of the stain.

Part 3

Part 3 of 4:

Removing Slime from Furniture

1
Remove the excess slime from the furniture. Use your fingers or the back of a butter knife to get the slime off of a piece of furniture. Press the back of the butter knife against the furniture and move it in 1 direction to scrape up the slime. Discard any slime you remove.
- If the slime is really stuck on, then you can chill it with an ice cube or ice pack, and then try to pull off the slime bits.
- Don't use the serrated part of a knife or even a sharp, flat-edged knife on your furniture or you may damage it.
2
Pour some distilled water onto a clean cloth. Distilled water is less likely to discolor furniture because it does not have the same minerals that tap water does. Pour enough distilled water onto a clean washcloth to get it wet, and then wring out the excess water.^{[13]
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- If water alone is not strong enough to remove the stain, you can try blotting with a 50/50 solution of water and vinegar. However, make sure to test this on a discreet place on the furniture first since the vinegar may discolor certain types of fabric.
3
Blot any visible stains with the damp cloth. Place the damp cloth onto the stained area and press on it with your hand. After pressing it once, pick it up. Then, turn it over or find a clean section of the cloth on the same side, and press the clean section of the cloth onto the stain again.^{[14]
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- Keep doing this until you have removed the stain completely.

Part 4

Part 4 of 4:

Cleaning Slime Stains on Walls

1
Remove any remaining slime with your fingers or a credit card. If there is still a blob of slime sticking to your wall, make sure to remove it before attempting to clean the slime stain. Otherwise, you may end up spreading the stain to other parts of the wall when you are trying to clean it.
- If you cannot pull the slime off with your fingers, use an old credit card to scrape the slime off of the wall. Push the credit card against the wall just above the slime and move the card downwards while still pressing the card against the wall.
2
Make a paste of baking soda, water, and vinegar. Since slime stains on a wall can be especially stubborn, it is best to create a paste of baking soda, water, and vinegar to remove it. Mix together 4 tbs of baking soda, 1 tbs of water, and 1 tbs of vinegar. This should form a thick paste that you can apply to the stain on the wall.
- If the paste is too thick to spread, add 1 to 2 teaspoons of water to thin it. If the paste is too thin, add 1 to 2 tablespoons (14.8 to 29.6 ml) of baking soda to thicken it.
3
Place a paper towel on the floor below the stain on the wall. Place a paper towel under the spot on the wall where you will be placing the paste. This will help to protect the floor below the stain in case any of the paste drips down.
- You can also use old newspapers to protect the floor.
4
Put on rubber gloves and use your fingers to apply the paste. Don’t handle the paste with your bare hands since it may irritate your skin. Put on a pair of rubber gloves and then begin caking the paste onto the stain with your fingers
- Make sure to coat the stain evenly to ensure that the paste will have the maximum effect.
5
Let the paste dry for 2 hours and brush it off with a paper towel. The paste should be dry after about 2 hours, but it might take more or less time depending on the amount of paste you apply. Once the paste is dry, you can use a dry paper towel to gently brush the paste off onto the paper towel that you placed on the ground.
- Throw away the paper towel with the baking soda paste when you are done.
- Repeat this as many times as needed to remove the stain on the wall.