Clean Crayon out of a Dryer

Did you recently open your dryer and find colored stains all over your clothes? If a crayon has melted inside of the dryer, the color will continue to run for some time unless you get it out promptly. This article provides various methods to help you get the dryer clean and ready for use again.

Steps

  1. Scrape off what you can from the dryer before using one of the following cleansing methods. Use a credit card or a spatula to scrape off large pieces of the crayon and remove by hand.[1] Check around the drum for the areas impacted by the crayon so that you know where to focus your cleaning efforts.

Powdered cleanser

Find a suitable scrubbing powdered cleanser. Suitable cleansers include Comet, Ajax, or Bon Ami.[2]

  1. Run the dryer for 15 minutes. This will heat up the crayon and help to loosen it.
  2. Dip an old toothbrush into water. Sprinkle the powdered cleanser onto the dampened toothbrush.
  3. Scrub the crayon marks lightly with the toothbrush coated with powdered cleanser. Be sure to get the toothbrush into any cracks and corners where the crayon might have wedged itself.
  4. Use a wet sponge or cleaning cloth to wipe off the loose crayon wax, and to rinse out the powdered cleanser.
  5. Repeat this process until all the crayon wax is gone. You might need to run the dryer for another 15 minutes to loosen any stubborn crayon wax but only when you have removed all the powdered cleanser.
  6. Test your dryer's cleanliness on some old clothes or white rags to check that there are no stains left.

WD-40

This method uses a flammable product. As such, this method is not a good choice for a dryer with a pilot light (a gas dryer). In addition, the WD-40 should not ever be sprayed directly in the dryer; only onto the cloth used for wiping.[3]
  1. Find a suitable cleaning cloth. Dampen it and then spray WD-40.
  2. Wipe over the marks inside the dryer. Continue wiping until the marks lift off.
  3. Wash the WD-40 out of the cloth. Use the cleaned cloth dipped in soapy water and wrung out to wipe the dryer drum clean. If you can feel any WD-40 residue, apply more detergent to remove.
  4. Fill the dryer with clean, dry rags. These will collect any remaining crayon pieces and particles.

Citrus based cleaner

Citrus based cleaners are commercial products usually available from hardware stores, and some pharmacies. On the whole, these are environmentally friendly products but check the label for details.

  1. Spray the citrus based cleaner on heavy crayon marks or direct onto a damp cloth or paper towel for lighter marks.
  2. Wipe over the marks.
  3. Allow the cleaned areas to dry. Then wipe over with dry paper towels.

Ceramabryte (ceramic cooktop cleaner)

  1. Pour some Cerama Bryte direct onto a dry paper towel.
  2. Scrub the crayon marks with the coated paper towel. Use a toothbrush coated with a bit of Cerama Bryte to get into any cracks where the crayon might have wedged itself.
  3. Once all crayon is removed, wipe the dryer clean with warm, damp cloths.
  4. Load dryer with "old" towels and let run for 15 minutes. Your dryer should be as good as new again!

Tips

  • A hair dryer placed directly on the crayon wax can be as effective and more targeted than heating up the whole dryer.
  • Hot water will make cleaning easier so make the water as hot as you can.
  • Now that your dryer is clean again, remember to always check pockets for items you don't want to put through the washer or dryer.

Warnings

  • Don't use good clothes to test whether you have removed all of the crayon out of the dryer.
  • Take care when working with a heated dryer.

Things You'll Need

Powdered cleanser method:

  • Toothbrush
  • Powdered cleanser
  • Bowl of hot water
  • Sponge

WD-40 method:

  • WD-40
  • Cleaning cloths
  • Dry rags

Citrus cleanser method:

  • Citrus cleanser (available from hardware store)
  • Cleaning cloths
  • Paper towels

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ How to do things, How to remove crayon from the dryer, http://www.howtodothings.com/home-garden/how-to-remove-crayon-from-the-dryer
  2. ↑ Thrifty.com, Cleaning crayon out of a dryer, http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf690227.tip.html
  3. ↑ About.co, How to clean crayon stains from a clothes dryer drum, http://homeparents.about.com/cs/householdtips/ht/crayon_dryer.htm
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