How to Get Kneaded Eraser Out of Carpet (5 Tested Methods)
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What feels like heaven in your fidgety fingers can easily turn to hell if it ends on your carpet. Yes, it molds and stretches and mashes – deeper and deeper into the fibers! So, how to get kneaded eraser out of carpet?
A couple of bounces on your carpet can get it really stuck. But don’t take out your scissors just yet. With some ice or laundry detergent, you can easily get those pesky grains out.
In fact, I’ll give you 5 different methods here. And all of them work! Better yet, all but 2 only require items you already have around the house!
How to Get Kneaded Eraser Out of Carpet?
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Raid your house for some ice, hand sanitizer, or laundry detergent. The method you choose will depend on how much fell into the carpet or the type of carpet.
If you have a small carpet that can be taken outside, you can use a brush to get most of the kneaded eraser out.
Method #1: From Soft to Solid
Think about this. The reason why the smudge on your carpet is so difficult to lift is precisely because it’s kneaded.
So to lift it, you need to make it non-kneadable. In other words, make it hard, not soft! Just like you would have done with bubble gum.
- Shove 5-10 ice cubes into a Ziploc bag and seal it well. Put the bag over the stain.
- Go and see an episode of your favorite TV show. I’m serious! Hardening the splodge will take at least 1 hour.
- Take an icing spatula and hit the crust to smash it to smithereens. What to do with them? Either remove them by hand or vacuum them! Just make sure to do it quickly, before they soften up again.
Method #2: Bubbles to the Rescue
Laundry detergent has ingredients that go well beyond just cleaning your clothes. You can also use them for stains and cleaning your carpet.
All you need here is a microfiber cloth and a few dollops of liquid laundry detergent mixed with some water.
The procedure is simple: dip the cloth, dab the stain well, and leave it to sit for half an hour. If the gum hasn’t begun to give up, repeat the process.
Eventually, it should dissolve enough to let you just soak it up with another clean cloth.
Method #3: Enter Hand Sanitizer
Actually, rubbing alcohol is the original kneaded eraser nemesis. But I figured there’s gotta be a bottle of hand sanitizer in your every pocket these days!
The procedure is similar as in method #2. Pour a few drops of hand sanitizer or alcohol onto a cloth. Dab at the eraser to harden it. Pick up the pieces by hand.
Only, you have to be more careful here.The thing is, these substances can end up bleaching out your carpet if you leave them for too long.
Method #4: Goo (It) Gone
If you’re not in the CIY (Clean-It-Yourself) mood, you can always go and buy some Goo Gone.
This spray is super efficient in removing all things sticky, gooey, stretchy and even greasy. The procedure is very simple too: spray it onto a cloth, pat onto the stain. Rinse (literally!) and repeat until the stain is no more.
Method #5: Steam It Out
Steam cleaners are versatile and powerful little aides and my right-hand man in cleaning. They work similarly to vacuum cleaners.
But instead of sucking up dirt, they gush out hot steam that can penetrate and basically dissolve the dirt. That’s why a steam cleaner can remove stains that a vacuum cleaner cannot.
⚠️ However, if you do opt for steam, do NOT pour laundry detergent into the tank. No matter what you heard or read online!
The thing is, hot steam can lift fumes from the detergent and lead them straight into your lungs. Even if not, the detergent can leave build-up in the tank, and eventually break the engine.
If you really want to use detergent, you can mix some with water and lightly mist it on your carpet. Then use your steam cleaner as normal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will a kneaded eraser dry out?
Yes, with time, kneaded eraser will dry out – especially if it erases charcoal or similar materials. However, you can bring it back to its former glory by stretching it and kneading it back together. Do it several times and you’ll see that the eraser will become lighter.
Can you wash kneaded erasers?
You cannot exactly put an eraser under running water, as this may just ruin it forever!
However, when the drawing materials such as charcoal or graphite build in the eraser, you have to clean them out. You can clean it by constantly kneading the eraser with clean hands.
Should I mix my household chemicals to get rid of kneaded eraser from my carpet?
Generally, you should never mix your household products together as the chemicals may make a dangerous combined product.
For example, ammonia and bleach can produce toxic fumes. To make stronger solutions, you should dilute them in water.