Thursday, February 02, 2006

Eraser Head

This day has not started out well. Two words: Crayons. Clothes dryer. I guess that's three words, but you get my drift. Daughter's brand spankin' new fuschia pink Burton snow board pants---covered in a blue/green/black melted wax mess. I am proud of myself, I didn't scream, cry, or throw anything. I did however, call the man at work who talked me off the ledge and googled "melted crayon on clothes" and told me everything anyone could ever need to know to take crayon stains out of your dryer drum and your clothing.

So bookmark this post in case you ever find yourself in this situation. If you have children, or plan to, odds are you will be.

Tip #1 was to use toothpaste---smear it liberally all over the inside of the dryer, run it for a while, then wipe it with a wet cloth. So here I am, crouched on the floor of my basement squeezing Crest Extra Whitening Gel into my hands and rubbing it all over my dryer. There was something unnatural about it. I wasn't impressed with the results, so maybe it only works with good old fashioned paste. My hands got a nice exfolliative treatment from the whitening crystals and peppermint though.

Tip #2 Mr.Clean's Magic Eraser. If you haven't tried these yet, OMG- they rock. They worked better in combination with the toothpaste.

Tip #3, WD-40. Between that and the mint with my head inside the drum I thought I was going to asphyxiate. Then I was afraid the thing would blow up from the petroleum if I ran the thing.

So after scrubbing the stoopid thing three times, it was relatively Crayola-free. At this point, I go out to the grocery store to buy 20 Mule Borax, which was the supposed remedy for taking the crayon of the clothes. (I am supposed to be at work at 10, btw. I haven't even showered and it's 9:45.)

I soaked the clothes, got ready for work, then ran the cycle.

To Be Continued!

Sillies! I had to leave for work, I don't know if they came clean yet!

ETA: Don't even ask me about what's left of my acrylic nails!

14 comments:

Leesa said...

Wow. I am impressed. I would have thought about using heat - and it would have made the mess even worse, I am sure.

hello jamie: said...

Gina Gina Gina... don't you check pockets when you put them IN?

Even *I* do that, and I only wash *my* clothes.

Tsk, tsk.

Gina said...

Oh pooh. They are just now at the age that I have to do that, and I am not used to it yet. Bite me. Hard. ;P

Kelly said...

What a mess! Sorry chica. I agree with the magic earasers it really is magic!

Bee said...

I always tend to forget my movie ticket stubs. That sucketh.

Hee - > I now have a pic! =D

Gina said...

Bee! You're on blogger! Whee!

Anonymous said...

Why couldn't this wait until after you went to work? Hell, I would have left it for a few days before dealing with it.

And when directions call for tootpaste, they usually mean the white kind, not the gel. The white kind with baking soda is great for cleaning jewelry.

Anonymous said...

And for clothes, I thought the remedy was a warm iron and a brown paper bag - the bag absorbs the wax as it warms.

Brain Diva said...

I feel for you, my dear. This sucketh very much. You worked your elbow grease, that's for sure!

I'm your woman though if you ever drop a highlighter marker or an ink pen on fabric (seeing as I have done that a few times.) LOL

Gina said...

Jobee, it couldn't wait because there was still loads of laundry to be done, ie:wet clothes waiting to dry before I could even think of re-washing her pants, and D isn't home until after 7:30, has to put kids to bed, etc... they needed the gear to go back up to ME tomorrow. I have to pack it.

They are on their third washing. We'll see.

hello jamie: said...

I've done that brown paper bag thing and I agree - it is MAGIC!

Especially to get candle wax out of the carpet.

Not that I've ever done that. *wink*

Gina said...

release the bone???? Is that some new code phrase for shagging or smoking pot?

:p

Anonymous said...

I thought you would remember that - "Wilma release the bone" or translation Loosen UP

Come back to NY man!

By the way - Didn't you warn Mommy to look in pockets before washing or drying??!!

krysten said...

here's another fun one...GUM and your dryer. thanks hubby, for that fun combo!

;-)