Wax and gum family: freeze, scrape, melt
How to get crayon through the dryer out
One crayon in a pocket can dot a whole load and the dryer drum.
Do this first
Don't run the dryer again
Fresh stain
- Don't run the dryer again
- Stop using the dryer and follow the dryer manufacturer's drum-cleaning directions. Do not use a flammable solvent in the drum.
- Spray each garment's spots with WD-40, work in dish soap
- Wash hot with oxygen bleach, air dry
Dried or old
- Repeat the WD-40 and dish soap round on what's left
- Fabric care
- Wipe the drum clean of oil before using it again.
- Time
- 1 to 2 h
- How to tell
- Look: coloured waxy dots everywhere; Feel: waxy; Smell: crayon
Where this fix comes from
- Household folk practice, checked against the guides above
- American Cleaning Institute, Stain Removal Chart
We check every fix against these published guides. We do not run a test lab of our own.
Before you start
- Test on a hidden seam first.
- Never mix cleaners.
- Keep it out of the dryer until the stain is gone.