Super Stains! How to Eliminate 9 Common Kid Spots and Spills

No one needs to tell you that kids are messy. They track home dirt and stains almost every day, which is why they laundry pile never seems to go down. So just how do you clean those tough-to-treat stains that are just part of living with a kiddo — beyond the baby poo and spit-up days. Juice, paint, and food spills, muddy boots, rogue stickers, crayon marks, and, yes, even Cheetos (or in my family's case, barbecue Popchips) fingers are just part of living with a little one, but we have a handy-dandy guide on how to beat nine common kid stains. Read on to prepare yourself to battle your kids' spills, smudges, and spots.

01
Peanut Butter
Flickr user jeepersmedia

Peanut Butter

From clothing: Remove as much of the peanut butter by scraping off the excess with a dull butter knife or spoon. Using your favorite stain remover, pretreat the stain for about an hour, then wash on the hottest possible setting with color-safe bleach and laundry detergent (preferably one with enzymes like Tide or Arm & Hammer), which are great for breaking up food stains. Allow to air-dry.

If that doesn't work, a combo of one tablespoon dishwashing liquid, one tablespoon white vinegar, and two cups water works well on many food stains. Apply the mixture directly to the stain, then use an old toothbrush or small brush and gently scrub the stain with the mixture before washing and drying in the process listed above.

From carpet: Scrape any excess peanut butter with a dull knife or spoon, then gently sponge the stain with a carpet-cleaning solvent like Resolve. Let soak for five minutes; blot or rub gently with a clean, damp cloth or sponge; and repeat if necessary.

02
Crayons
Flickr user aidanmorgan

Crayons

From clothing: Place the item stain-side down on a stack of paper towels. Spray with WD-40 or another grease-stain cleaner. Let sit for five minutes, then flip it over and spray again. Rinse the WD-40, then apply liquid dish soap to the stain. Rinse, then machine-wash after applying a spray stain remover if any stain is left.

From carpet: Gently scrape the crayon up from the carpet with a dull knife (try covering the area in a plastic bag full of ice to harden the crayon), then vacuum. If that doesn't work, use a simple dish soap and water mixture or a store-bought stain remover, or you can try isopropyl rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, or baking soda and water (for the last three, treat an inconspicuous area of your carpet first to make sure it doesn't discolor your carpet). Let your mixture soak in, blot it gently, rinse with clean water, and let dry.

03
Cheetos
Flickr user jronaldlee

Cheetos

Try to work on Cheetos stains as quickly as possible, as they can be a bear to remove after they soak in. Rinse the stain in cold water, then apply a heavy-duty stain remover like Stain Solver or OxiClean and let sit for at least 15 minutes before machine-washing. Presto . . . no more orange!

04
Juice
Flickr user sfllaw

Juice

From clothing: Act as quickly as possible using a cleaning solution of either one teaspoon detergent, one teaspoon white vinegar, and a quart water; a quarter-cup baking soda with two cups cold water; or one part white vinegar with three parts water. Blot onto the stain with a clean cloth, and repeat until the stain disappears. Wash in cold water, and air-dry.

From carpet: To remove tough juice stains from carpet or rugs (or stains from milk, soda, wine, or Kool-Aid), create your own cleaning solution by mixing one teaspoon clear liquid dishwashing detergent into one cup lukewarm water. Spray onto the stain, then blot with a clean, dry cloth. If that doesn't work, follow up with a solution of one part white vinegar, one part water. Blot, then use your cleaning solution again. Rinse with water, and repeat until stain is removed.

05
Play Dough
Flickr user Valentina Yachichurova

Play Dough

From clothing: If the item is bleach-safe, soak the stain in color-safe bleach for about 15 minutes. Wash normally, and allow to air-dry. If the stain remains, repeat the process, allowing the stain to soak for up to 30 minutes before laundering.

From carpet: Vacuum as much of the play dough as you can, or use a stiff brush to brush it up if it's dry. If there's still some left, dampen a cloth with hot water, put it on top of the play dough, and let it sit for an hour to soften it. Soft play dough is often easier to remove. You can also try sticking more play dough onto the bits stuck to the carpet. The new play dough might pull up the old from the carpet.

06
Mud and Dirt
Flickr user soapylovedeb

Mud and Dirt

Tracked-in mud and dirt is a problem every mom eventually deals with. How to get it up? Vacuum any dry dirt to remove as much as possible, then dip a white cloth into a solution of water with a bit of clear dishwashing detergent. Blot repeatedly, until all the dirt is removed, then use another cloth with just water to rinse. Repeat the process as necessary.

07
Chalk
Flickr user John Morgan

Chalk

From clothing: Shake out any loose chalk, then put the item stain-side down on a stack of paper towels. Blot the back with a cloth dipped in rubbing alcohol. Rinse with clean water, then rub liquid dish detergent into the stain and let sit for at least 15 minutes before machine-washing.

From carpet: Vacuum up as much chalk residue as possible. Then mix a tablespoon liquid dishwashing detergent with two cups warm water, and use a clean white cloth to blot the stain until it disappears. Sponge with cold water, and blot dry.

08
Paint
Flickr user Jim Pennucci

Paint

From clothing: Wipe off paint residue with a paper towel, then sponge on a solution of laundry detergent and warm water. Once the paint has softened, remove as much as you can with a dull knife. Rinse and repeat until the stain is mostly gone. Machine-wash normally.

From carpet: Try to keep the paint stain damp for best stain removal. If dried, use a hard-bristled brush to remove as much paint as possible, then add a paint and varnish remover and gently scrape away the paint as it softens. Sponge the stain with a mixture of water and liquid dishwashing detergent. Blot, then apply a solution of one part white vinegar to 10 parts water. Sponge with water, and blot dry. Repeat the steps as necessary.

09
Gum, Stickers, and Glue
Flickr user emma.kate

Gum, Stickers, and Glue

Remove as much as possible with a dull knife or a spoon. (Rub an ice cube over gum first to freeze it.) Apply a lubricant, like glycerin, to loosen any remaining residue, then scrape it off and rinse with clean water. Apply liquid dish soap (add water to create a carpet-cleaning solution) to remove any leftover stain. For clothing, machine-wash normally. For carpet, sponge with clean water, then blot dry.