First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Pick off large wet or dry pieces by hand before anything else.
- For putty or modeling clay, chill it with ice cubes so it hardens, then scrape it off.
- Dried putty stays fairly pliable and can often be pulled off the fabric.
Slime, putty and dough can turn into a stubborn mark once they're worked into fabric, but they're much easier to lift when you act early. Putty and dough call for different steps, and putty that has dried may still pull off in one piece, so identify which one you have first. Whether the fabric is delicate, dry-clean only or washable also decides how hard you can push.
Getting slime out of clothes usually means scraping, then loosening what's left with a prewash stain remover. Putty on clothes can smear if you rub it, so press gently and lift the bits away. Dried slime or playdough out of clothes takes more patience, so work in small rounds and check the care label first.
7 items
What you'll need
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- Ice cubesChill putty or modeling clay so it hardens and scrapes off.
- Dull knife or spoonScrapes hardened putty or clay off the fabric.
- Rubbing alcoholBlots putty residue off the fabric. (opens Amazon)
- Cotton balls (opens Amazon)
- Liquid dish soapRubbed into putty or modeling clay stains. (opens Amazon)
- Liquid laundry detergentPretreats dough before the wash. (opens Amazon)
- Prewash sprayLoosens what's left before the cycle. (opens Amazon)
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6 steps
How to get slime and putty out of clothes
Step 1 of 6
Lift off as much as you can
Pick off dough pieces by hand, working from the edges inward so the mass doesn't spread. For putty or modeling clay, hold ice cubes against it until it hardens, then scrape it off with a dull knife or spoon.
Tip. Scrape gently so you don't push the residue deeper into the weave.
Step 2 of 6
Blot putty residue with alcohol
Soak a cotton ball in rubbing alcohol and blot the putty residue, switching to a clean part of the ball as it picks material up. Keep blotting until the cotton comes away clean, then move on. Dough residue skips this step and goes straight to the detergent.
Careful. Test rubbing alcohol on a hidden spot first.
Step 3 of 62-3 minutes
Work in dish soap or detergent
For putty or modeling clay, rub a little liquid dish soap into the stain with your fingers. For dough, pretreat with liquid laundry detergent, rub it in, and let it sit for 2-3 minutes before moving on.
Tip. Work it in with your fingertips rather than a brush.
Step 4 of 610-15 minutes
Prewash and soak ground-in dough
Spray the area with a prewash product. For dough that has ground in, fill the washer, let the item soak for 10-15 minutes, then finish the wash cycle.
Step 5 of 6
Wash by the care label
Wash the item following its care label, and pick the water temperature and cycle that label allows for the fabric. If you're unsure, use the cooler setting and a gentle cycle.
Step 6 of 6
Check before anything goes in the dryer
Hold the item in daylight and look at the spot closely before doing anything else. If any mark is left, don't dry it; rewash it and repeat the treatment that fits the stain.
Tip. A faint mark is easy to miss indoors.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for slime and putty
Keep a plain liquid laundry detergent, a prewash spray, rubbing alcohol and a bottle of liquid dish soap on hand. Those four product types cover every step described above.
Goo Gone Goo & Adhesive Remover Spray Gel
Goo Gone Original Adhesive Remover
How we picked these: each product is made for this type of stain, its maker doesn't warn against using it on this fabric, and its directions fit the steps above.
Finished the steps? How does it look?
Nice work. Let it dry completely and check it again in good light before using any heat. Here is what done looks like:
How to tell it's really gone →A faint mark usually needs one more round, not a stronger product.
See what to do for what you're seeing →If the stain was already dried or set, the method changes.
Old, dried or set-in stains →When to call a professional →Pick what it is on
Slime and Putty on every material
Carpet & rugs1
Walls1
Skin & hair1
Furniture & upholstery1
Bedding & linens1
Floors1
Metal & glass1
Shoes & accessories1
No match. Try the main search for anything else.
How to tell it's working
The stain is lifting when the putty comes away on the cotton ball and the dough breaks apart under the detergent. Look for a clean spot in daylight after the wash, since a faint mark can still be there.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your fabric
Whites and white shirts
White cotton and linen take the most, including chlorine bleach, but dilute it first. Undiluted bleach can weaken fabric so it tears or wears out sooner.
Use bleach last, after everything is rinsed out, and don't soak longer than the recommended amount. Overdoing it can leave yellow stains that can't be removed.
Colors and denim
Colored clothes and denim take warm water, and hot water only when the label allows it. Chlorine and oxygen bleach are safe only on colorfast fabric, so skip them unless a hidden seam shows the dye holds. Denim follows the same steps, kept to the warm setting.
Look closely at the spot in daylight before deciding it's clean, since a faint mark is easy to miss on black and dark denim.
Silk, wool and delicates
Wool, silk, mohair and spandex can't take chlorine bleach, and wool and silk also rule out enzyme detergent. Silk and velvet can't take dish soap either, so for dough on these fabrics, skip the detergent and take the item to a dry cleaner.
Don't rub or brush the stain, since rubbing damages silk and agitation makes wool felt and shrink. Putty residue can still be blotted with rubbing alcohol, but only with light dabs.
Dry-clean-only items
If the label says dry clean only, keep the item out of the washer, even on a gentle cycle. Heirloom textiles follow the same rule, and chlorine bleach is too harsh for them.
Blot putty with rubbing alcohol on a hidden spot, then take the item to a dry cleaner and mention the stain when you drop it off. Don't iron it before that, since heat can set the mark.
Fluffy and kids' clothes
Fluffy fabrics trap slime in the loops, so lift off every piece before any liquid touches the fabric. Work slowly from the edges inward so the stain doesn't spread.
Kids' clothes get the same treatment, but check the care label on each item, since many are synthetic and can't take hot water or the dryer. Synthetic fabrics also shrink and melt at high heat, so keep them away from the iron too.
Old, dried or set-in stains
An old stain takes more patience than a fresh one, so run the steps above again before reaching for anything stronger. Wash it once more after the pretreat, because a second pass often lifts what the first left behind.
Dried putty is easier than it looks, since it stays fairly pliable and can often be pulled off the fabric. If some is left, sponge amyl acetate or non-oily acetone nail-polish remover on it until no more comes out, then flush with water, after checking the fabric type. Dab it onto a white cloth rather than pouring it on, and keep amyl acetate off plastics and furniture finishes.
If dough was ground into the fabric, repeat the liquid detergent pretreat and wash again rather than drying it. Use solvents only in a ventilated room, away from open flame, and wear rubber gloves. If a faint mark survives a wash and a dry, a dry cleaner can often do more than another round at home.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on slime and putty?
Most of the common remedies don't suit putty, and each skipped one has a reason. Ice and dish soap are the two that appear in the steps above.
Works2Skip4
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't rub wet dough into fabric
Rubbing pushes the dough into the weave, where it's much harder to lift. Pick the pieces off first, then pretreat.
Don't reach for bar soap
Bar soap sets many stains, so it can make a fresh mark permanent. Stick to liquid dish soap or liquid laundry detergent for the pretreat.
Don't use acetone on acetate fabric
Acetone and nail-polish remover dissolve acetate, triacetate and modacrylic fabrics. Check the fabric's label before using any solvent, and skip it on those fabrics.
Don't dry it while any stain remains
Heat sets many stains and can make them impossible to remove. Check the spot, rewash if needed, and use the dryer only once the mark is gone.
Troubleshooting
If the stain is still there
Pick what you're seeing:
Putty smears instead of lifting
It is too warm. Hold ice on it longer until it is firm, then scrape again.
An oily mark remains after washing
Don't dry the item. Repeat the rubbing alcohol and dish soap treatment, then wash again.
Dough color remains in the fibers
Re-treat with liquid laundry detergent, presoak, and wash again.
Putty is on carpet, not clothes
For clay on carpet, the Carpet and Rug Institute uses solvent, then detergent solution, then vinegar solution, then warm water, each on a white cloth.
When to call a professional
If a stain survives the washer and the solvent treatments, take the item to a dry cleaner rather than pushing harder at home. This matters most for silk, wool and anything labeled dry clean only.
Questions
Does slime, Play-Doh, or putty stain clothes?
Yes, all three can leave a mark once they're rubbed into the fabric. Putty is the easiest to lift while it sits on the surface, and dough is hardest once it's ground in. Lift off what you can first, before anything else.
Do cloud, fluffy, glitter, or kinetic slime types come out the same way?
Not necessarily, so don't assume they all behave alike; test a hidden spot first. Lift off as much as you can first, then decide between the putty and dough steps based on how the residue behaves.
Will slime, Silly Putty, or Play-Doh come out in the wash?
Often yes, but only after the right pretreat. Putty needs its alcohol blot first, and ground-in dough needs a soak. Check the spot before drying, and rewash if anything is left.
Is rubbing alcohol safe on wool and silk?
It can be used on putty residue, but only with light dabs, never rubbing. Silk and velvet should not get dish soap, and dough on wool or silk is best left to a dry cleaner.
What's the fastest way to get slime out?
Lift off the bulk right away, then do one pretreat and one wash instead of repeating treatments. Holding off on the dryer until the spot is clear keeps you from needing a second round.
What about Blu Tack on clothes?
Blu Tack has no treatment that has been proven, so lift off what you can first. Check a hidden spot before trying any liquid, and stop if the fabric reacts.
Can I iron a slime stain out?
No, heat sets many stains and can make them impossible to remove. Treat the spot with the set-in options first, and keep the iron off until the spot is completely gone.
Related
How we know this
Every method, amount and warning here comes from university extension services, industry bodies and product makers. We read them, check every step for unsafe combinations and changed amounts, and write it up so you can follow it.