How to Get Slime Out of Your Kid's Clothes

Slime. It's become a hallmark of childhood in recent years. But it's also the bane of parents everywhere. Why? Because when it gets stuck on clothing or other household surfaces, it can be impossible to remove. That's thanks to the main ingredient in slime, which of course, is glue. So what's a parent to do when the inevitable happens—your kid comes to you with a mass of stuck-on slime on their clothing?

We've consulted with a trusted cleaning expert to bring you the help you need when it comes to how to get slime out of clothes, starting with the basics so you can tackle the mess in the best way possible.

What Is Slime Made Of?

Since slime first rose to popularity thanks to YouTube influencers, it's been morphed into countless different types. If you have kids who are slime enthusiasts, you might find slime made of everything from makeup to laundry supplies and even sticky candy. Regardless, most slimes contain some sort of glue, which is bad news when it gets stuck to, well, anything really. What's more, slime often contains other hard-to-remove substances like glitter and food dye.

How to Get Slime Out of Clothing

If you're stuck with a slime disaster, the first thing you'll want to check is whether it's wet or dry. That will determine the method you'll use if you're wondering how to get slime out of clothes. Keep reading for our comprehensive guide to removing slime of all types.

Wet Slime

Natalie Barrett, a supervisor at Nifty Cleaning Services, says the best way to remove wet slime from clothing is to eliminate the excess slime before it dries out. "It's definitely easier to remove slime from clothing when it's wet," she says. Once you've wiped off as much wet slime as you can, apply vinegar to the stained area and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. Then take a soft toothbrush and scrub the area with circular motions. Once you're done, rinse using hot water. Wash the clothing as usual in the washing machine and dry.

If you've followed the above process and you're noticing a colored stain left behind, the slime you removed likely contained some sort of dye. Barrett suggests using an advanced laundry stain remover applied liberally over the stain. Rub the affected area, then let it sit for 10-15 minutes before laundering. "If the garment is white, you can use a diluted solution of bleach and water to remove the stain, but it's wise to test this in a small area first," says Barrett.

Dry Slime

Any parent who's tried to remove dried glue from any surface knows how difficult it can be. Barrett's suggests this method for how to get dry slime out of clothes:

• Scrape the excess slime from the material using a butter knife or similar tool.
• Press an ice cube onto the leftover stuck-on slime (You can use a heavy item like a book to keep the ice on the slime, or put the garment in the freezer for 3-4 hours.)
• Peel the hardened slime from the garment
• Wash and dry as usual.

Fluffy Slime

"The only difference between normal slime and fluffy slime is the shaving cream in fluffy slime," says Barrett. Sadly, it's also quite difficult to remove from clothing, so don't let its happy, fluffy appearance fool you! Here's how to get fluffy slime out of clothes:

• Scrape off as much of the fluffy slime as you can.
• Apply vinegar on the stained area.
• Let it sit for 10 minutes.
• Use a soft toothbrush to scrub off whatever slime is left.
• Launder as usual ONLY if there's no slime left. Heat-drying a garment with slime still stuck to the fabric will cause it to be nearly impossible to remove, so it's critical you remove all the slime before laundering!

Glitter Slime

Glitter. Some love it, most hate it. And some say it's downright hazardous to the environment. Nevertheless, glitter often turns up in the slime your kids play with, so it's helpful to know how to get glitter slime out of clothing.

Barrett suggests following the above-listed steps for how to get wet slime out of clothes (or, if it's a set-in stain, follow the directions for how to get dry slime out of clothes), then remove any left-behind glitter by applying masking tape to the garment to gently lift the glitter out.