How to get putty out of clothes

How to remove putty from clothes

1. 1

   Chill the putty hard

   Hold a bag of ice cubes on the putty for several minutes, or put a small garment in the freezer in a bag. Don't try to pull warm putty off.

   Why: Cold silicone putty acts like a solid and snaps away in pieces. Warm putty stretches and leaves a thin film deeper in the weave.

2. 2

   Scrape off as much as you can

   Lift the hardened putty with a dull knife or the edge of a metal spoon, working from the edges in. Re-chill whenever it starts to soften.

   Why: Every piece removed mechanically is one less for the solvent to dissolve, and keeps the stain from spreading.

3. 3

   Blot with rubbing alcohol

   Saturate a cotton ball with rubbing alcohol and blot the stained area, switching to a fresh cotton ball as color transfers. Test it on an inside seam first.

   Why: Alcohol helps release the silicone film and the dye in colored putty. It can also fade some fabric dyes, which the test catches.

4. 4

   Rub in dish soap

   Work a few drops of liquid dish soap into both sides of the stain with your fingers and leave it for a few minutes.

   Why: Putty contains oily ingredients that leave a greasy mark. Dish soap emulsifies that oil so the wash can carry it away.

5. 5

   Wash and check before drying

   Wash as usual at the temperature on the care label. Check the spot before the dryer, and if any film or color remains, repeat the alcohol and dish soap and wash again.

   Why: Dryer heat softens leftover putty and spreads it, which makes the next attempt harder.

6. 6

   Air-dry until it's gone

   Hang the garment to dry and look at it in daylight. Only use the dryer once the stain is completely gone.

   Why: A dark, slightly shiny patch on dry fabric means oily residue is still there, and heat would set it.

Why putty is so hard to get out of fabric

Silly putty and similar thinking putties are silicone polymer (dimethylsiloxane cross-linked with boric acid) with silica filler, a castor-oil ingredient and color. That gives them their odd behavior: they tear like a solid if you pull fast but flow like a very thick liquid over time. Left on a shirt, putty slowly creeps into the gaps between yarns.

The result is a two-part stain: the putty itself, and an oily colored film where it flowed. Cold handles the first part, by making the putty rigid enough to scrape. Alcohol, dish soap and a wash handle the second. It's grouped with other adhesive and polymer stains, but unlike glue, it never actually hardens on its own.

By situation

Putty that went through the washer or dryer

Crayola's guidance for heat-set putty on fabric is the same as for fresh: chill, scrape what you can, blot with rubbing alcohol, rub in dish soap and wash again. Expect to repeat it. Check the rest of the load and the dryer drum for stray bits.

Using nail polish remover instead

The University of Georgia's fabric method sponges the stain with a non-oily nail polish remover that contains acetone, repeating until no more comes out, then sprays on a prewash product and launders. It's a stronger solvent than alcohol and a good next step if alcohol stalls.

Acetate, triacetate or modacrylic

Don't use acetone-based nail polish remover on these fibers: it dissolves them. Check the fiber content on the care label, and stick to rubbing alcohol diluted with two parts water, after a test.

Colored putty left a tint

If the film is gone but a color tint remains, an oxygen bleach soak can help on colorfast fabrics. Follow the product's directions and test first.

Silk, wool and dry-clean-only clothes

Scrape off what you can after chilling and take the item to a dry cleaner, telling them it's silicone putty. Alcohol and acetone can damage these fabrics or their dyes.

What not to do

• Don't put a putty-covered garment in the washer or dryer first. Heat and agitation spread the putty and push it further into the fibers.
• Don't pull at warm putty. It stretches and leaves more residue behind. Chill it first.
• Don't rub the stain with a cloth. Rubbing smears the soft polymer and its oily film over a larger area.
• Don't use acetone on acetate fabrics. Acetone dissolves acetate and triacetate fibers.

Other methods that work

Acetone nail polish remover

The University of Georgia uses a non-oily acetone remover on fabric, followed by a prewash spray and laundering.

Caution: Test on a seam, never on acetate, triacetate or modacrylic, and ventilate.

Petroleum-based lubricant spray

A popular tip: petroleum solvents loosen silicone putty. No stain guide recommends it, so it's a traditional method with weak evidence.

Caution: It leaves its own oil stain, which then needs dish soap and a wash. Flammable.

Prewash stain remover

After the solvent step, spraying a laundry prewash product on the area before washing helps with any remaining oily film.

Caution: Follow the product label and test on colors.

Stain still there?

A dark, greasy-looking patch remains after washing

That's the oily film. Don't dry it. Rub in more dish soap or a prewash product, let it sit a few minutes, and wash again.

Tiny flecks of putty are stuck deep in the weave

Re-chill the area and scrape again with the edge of a spoon, then blot with alcohol on a fresh cotton ball.

The alcohol faded the fabric color

Stop using it on that garment. Switch to dish soap and repeated washes, which are gentler on dyes.

Safety

• Rubbing alcohol and nail polish remover are flammable. Use them in a ventilated room away from flames.
• Keep putty and solvents away from small children while you work.

Never mix cleaning products; see chemicals you must never combine.

Questions

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• Putty stains: the complete guide
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