Parents of young children know what a big deal slime can be. When there is nothing scheduled for the day—no distractions ahead—and there is a long afternoon that needs to be filled, an hour full of slime can be a total lifesaver.
The kids will have fun. It is somewhat educational (there is definitely some chemistry involved in mixing the slime the right way!), and when the kids are yelling at each other and chasing each other around the house for the bulk of the day; anything that gets the kids sitting still for an hour is absolutely worth its weight in gold.
The problem, of course, is that slime isn’t gold. It’s slime. And as a result, it is slimy and has a proclivity to get just about everywhere.
As careful as you may attempt to be, there is a massive chance that this will include the carpet.
Knowing how to get slime out of the carpet can come in very handy as you are trying to keep your home clean as well as your kids happy after a fun afternoon with slime.
What to know about slime
There are all different sorts of slime available out there. The best type of slime to use will depend on the kind of experience that you are looking for with your kids.
Some of the primary types of slime include:
Homemade slime
- Edible Slime: This is often made out of jello products, and the thing that makes this type of slime extra special is that it is entirely edible, which means that if a little bit gets in your kids’ mouths while they are playing it isn’t the end of the world. This is an especially good type of slime to use when you are looking to entertain young children who are going to have a hard time keeping their hands out of their mouths. The downside to edible slime, of course, is it will often stain worse than other types of slime.
- Homemade Slime: There are a lot of recipes online for making slime out of baby oil and corn starch, and some of these recipes will work pretty well. You can use food coloring to make the slime different colors, or you can use beads and glitter to help make the slime fun and festive without making it more likely to stain your countertops or carpets.
- Store-bought Slime: There are a lot of different store-bought options for slime, from the play dough variety that comes in several different textures to the type that comes with glitter in various fun containers. Store-bought slime is a bit easier to control, and it doesn’t always stain as much as the homemade types.
How to get wet slime out of carpet easily?
All three of these types of slime can provide a fun-filled break in the afternoon from the chaos that often comes from a whole day at home with the kids. But when it comes to cleaning up afterward, you need to keep in mind that different strategies and tools may be required depending on the type of slime.
When slime gets into the carpet, acting fast is vital to extracting any slime residue entirely and easily.
In most cases, when the slime falls onto the carpet, you can use a wet cloth or a damp paper towel and quickly get the slime off the carpet before it dries.
Firmly patting should help to get any of the remaining moisture and residue out of the carpet, and depending on the length of your carpet and the color scheme, there may not be much else that you need to do to ensure that it stays clean.
How do you remove dried slime?
However, sometimes you don’t notice right away where slime goes, and the result will be finding crusted, dried slime on your carpet the next morning. When this happens, there are methods that you need to follow to get the dried slime out of your carpet.
Method 1: Using warm water and a damp towel
Adding more moisture to the slime may be the most helpful first step. Sometimes it’s as simple as combining a bit of water to the dried slime.
Try using a wet cloth or damp paper towel and see if it works.
Bring a cup of water so you’ll have something to soak the towel in if it dries. Use the damp cloth to pat continuously to get the slime out. Warm water will often be more helpful than cold water.
Method 2: Warm water and vinegar
If water on its own doesn’t seem to be doing the trick, then add a little bit of white vinegar to the mix and let that work together to see if it helps get the dried slime out of the carpet.
Combine 2/3 cups of vinegar and 1/3 cup of water into a spray bottle then mix well. Mist the slime enough to make it damp, not soaking wet.
Vinegar may be enough to re-activate some of the slimy-ness to remove it from the carpet without much hassle.
Use a scraper or a blunt knife to peel out the dry slime out from the carpet.
Vacuum the area to remove any slime remains and to fluff the carpet.
Method 3: Using carpet cleaning products
Traditional carpet cleaners like Goo Gone can help get slime out of carpet too, but you need to be careful when using chemicals like these to make sure that they don’t stain your carpet. Read the instructions on the bottle for guidelines.
Method 4: Scrub with a brush.
Once you’re able to saturate the dry slime, using a firm scrub brush will help remove the slime residue out of the carpet.
Brush in a single direction, helping to push the particles up and out of the carpet. Make sure not to scrub too forcefully or in a circular motion as this could push the slime deeper into the matting and cause a stain to grow more intense.
Once all components of the slime are no longer visible, pat dry with a paper towel.
How do you get slime out of carpet without vinegar?
In case you don’t want to use vinegar, try these alternatives that can be as effective. Before applying it on slime, please test on a small area first to check if there are adverse effects on the carpet.
- Isopropyl alcohol: Pour alcohol onto the slime to saturate the slime then use a brush to scrub. Remember, don’t push too hard or go in a circular motion but rub in a single direction with enough pressure to dislodge the slime.
- WD40: Wear gloves to protect your hands from the oily residue. Mist just enough WD40 on the slime. Wait around 15 minutes for it to dislodge the slime from the carpet fibers, then use a paper towel to remove it and discard it in a garbage bin.
I would discourage the use of WD40 since you’ll remove the oily residue using a carpet cleaning product or grease-cutting dish soap, which is an extra step.
How to get slime out of carpet with baking soda?
Another option for removing slime is using baking soda. The first step is scrapping excess slime using a blunt knife. If the slime sticks on the fibers, mist some warm water to help displace it.
After the slime comes out, sprinkle baking soda on the stain. Pour white vinegar on the stain or mist using a spray bottle. You should see the mixture react. Leave it on the area for at least five minutes.
Get a clean towel to blot the area dry. Repeat the previous steps if stains are still visible. If not, fill a spray bottle with water then mist the area to remove any vinegar and baking soda residue. Dry with a clean towel.
Using a wet/dry vacuum can shorten the drying time. Vacuum with a stick or upright vacuum to remove excess baking soda residue and restore the fluffiness of the carpet.
