Slime is a popular toy, especially among children, but it can make a mess on clothing that is tricky to remove. With some simple techniques and household products, you can get slime out of clothing in just a few steps.

Why Slime Sticks to Fabric

Slime is designed to be sticky and stretchy so it adheres to hands and doesn’t splatter. This stickiness comes from the main ingredients in basic slime recipes:

Glue – Most slime recipes call for white school glue, which is a polyvinyl acetate adhesive. This sticky formulation is what gives slime its tackiness.
Borax – This laundry booster contains sodium tetraborate, which cross-links the polymer chains in glue and causes the slime to firm up. Borax sticks to fabric and makes removing slime difficult.
Additional thickeners – Other common slime ingredients like cornstarch, sta-flo liquid starch, or contact lens solution contain polymers that add stretch and cause slime to stubbornly cling to clothing.

So slime is engineered to be gummy and stubborn to wash off due to all the adhesives, thickeners, and polymers in it. But with some clever tricks, you can break down those interactions and get clothing slime-free.

Pre-Treating Stains

As soon as you notice slime on clothing, take action to pretreat it before washing:

Remove Excess Slime

Pick off any globs of slime you can. This prevents smearing it further into the fabric.
Use a dull knife or spatula to scrape off excess slime. Take care not to snag or damage the clothing.
For smaller amounts of slime, rub it off with a dry paper towel.

Apply Stain Remover

Spray stain remover like Shout or OxiClean directly onto slime stains.
Liquid dish soap also works to break down slime. Let it soak for 15 minutes.
Cover the stain with borax and let sit for 30 minutes to dissolve sticky polymers.

Cold Water Rinse

Rinse the slime stain under cold running water while gently rubbing with your fingers.
Cold water prevents slime from setting further into fabric. Hot water can actually bake on borax.

Letting stains soak with household cleaners before washing gives the chemicals time to penetrate and loosen the slime.

Washing Machine Steps

With excess slime removed, avoid making the stain worse in the washing machine with these tips:

Wash Promptly

Machine wash slime-stained items immediately after pretreating. Don’t let stains dry and set in.
Check clothing tags and wash in cold water to prevent residual heat-set borax from bonding slime to fabric.

Extra Rinse Cycle

Run clothes through an extra rinse cycle to clear away all cleaning solution residues.
Borax can leave a whitish haze on dark clothing if not rinsed thoroughly.

Wash Apart

Keep slime-stained clothes isolated in the washing machine.
Wash apart from other laundry to prevent transferring sticky residue.

Gentle Detergent

Use a gentle, enzymatic detergent like Persil, as harsh formulas can set stains.
Liquid detergents tend to work better than powder on slimy messes.

No Fabric Softener

Avoid fabric softener, as it can seal in sticky residues rather than washing clean.

Check Lint Trap

Slime often balls up and sticks in the lint trap – remove lint before drying clothes.

Drying Strategies

Proper drying is key to avoiding a permanent slime stain:

Air Dry

Line dry clothing outside or flat dry on a rack indoors.
Heat from the dryer can bake on any lingering slime or borax.

Low Heat

If you must machine dry, use the lowest heat setting or air fluff cycle.
High heat further bonds the stain into fibers.

Dryer Sheets

Throw a couple of dryer sheets in the machine to help reduce static cling and residue.
Dryer sheets contain cationic softeners that act as fabric conditioners.

Immediately Remove

Take clothes out as soon as the cycle finishes so slime doesn’t re-adhere to fabric.
Letting slime-stained clothes sit hot gives the stain time to attach to fibers.

Stubborn Slime Stain Solutions

For really stubborn dried-on slime stains, try these extra steps:

Dishwasher Detergent Treatment

Mix powder dishwasher detergent with hot water until dissolved.
Soak the slime stain for 30 minutes before washing.
Dishwasher detergent is formulated to remove stuck-on food gunk.

Isopropyl Alcohol

Use a cotton pad to rub isopropyl alcohol directly onto the stain.
The alcohol will help dissolve the polymers in stubborn slime residue.

Hairspray

Spray leftover slime stains with heavy duty hairspray containing alcohol.
Let sit 10 minutes, then launder as usual. The alcohol will break down polymers.

Borax Soak

Make a concentrated borax solution – 1⁄2 cup borax per 1 quart warm water.
Soak stained clothing to allow borax to dissolve residual from the slime.
Rinse thoroughly after soaking before washing.

With repeated treatment using these removal methods, even dried and set-in slime stains can be conquered.

How to Avoid Future Slime Stains

While staining is part of the fun with slime play, you can take some precautions to reduce stains:

Have kids play with slime at a table over a plastic mat rather than clothing.
Use disposable gloves to keep slime off hands and clothes.
Rinse hands immediately after playing with slime to remove residue.
Use old clothes and aprons specifically for slime play.
Consider making washable slime recipes using glue and saline solution rather than borax.
Play with slime outside on driveways or patios where stains won’t matter.
Stick to store-bought no-borax slime which is less sticky.
Supervise young kids during slime play and provide clean up assistance.

With vigilance and immediate treatment, you can get slime stains out of kids’ clothes and avoid becoming a permanent sticky mess!

Frequently Asked Questions About Removing Slime From Clothing

Removing slime from clothing can be tricky, but it doesn’t have to be an impossible task. Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about getting slime out of kids’ clothes and laundry.

What household products work best to remove slime?

Dish soap is highly effective at dissolving and removing slime due to containing degreasing agents. Spray it directly on the stain and scrub.
Rubbing alcohol breaks down the polymers in stubborn dried slime residue. Use it sparingly to treat set-in stains.
Borax helps deactivate the adhesives in slime. Make a borax paste and let it sit on the stain before washing.
Baking soda is a mild abrasive that can be sprinkled on slime to absorb and lift it away.

Should I use hot or cold water to rinse slime?

Always use cold water when rinsing slime off fabric. Hot water can set the stain and make it harder to remove by bonding the borax and polymers to the fibers. Cold water rinses away residue without letting it attach deeper.

Can the dryer set and ruin a slime stain?

Yes, the heat of the dryer can bake on any lingering slimy residues or borax left behind after washing. It essentially melts the slime into the fabric permanently. Either air dry stained items or use the lowest heat setting.

How do I get dried slime out of car upholstery or furniture?

For slime that has dried on thicker fabrics, use a dull knife to gently scrape off what you can first. Then make a solution of warm water, dish soap, and vinegar and sponge it onto the remaining stain. Blot with paper towels and repeat until it lifts out.

What’s the best way to wash slime out of hair or off skin?

Getting slime out of hair requires working olive oil, coconut oil, or conditioner into the affected strands. Let it soak then rinse thoroughly with cold water while massaging the areas with shampoo. Use vegetable oil and sugar scrub to remove slime from skin.

Should I treat a slime stain differently if it’s on a delicate or silk fabric?

Yes, gently dab extra sticky stains on silks or delicates using a soft cloth soaked in diluted vinegar water or isopropyl alcohol. Do not rub. Then spot clean the area gently with a mild detergent like Woolite before rinsing and drying flat.

How can I get slime out of colored clothes without bleaching them?

Avoid using chlorine bleach when treating slime on colored fabrics, as it can remove the dye along with the stain. Instead pretreat with borax or dish soap, wash with cold water on a gentle cycle using an oxygen bleach detergent, and air dry the clothing.

Tips for Making Slime Play Less Messy

Kids love slime, but the cleanup from sticky fingers and stained clothes can be tiresome. Use these tips to make playing with slime less messy:

Cover Play Surfaces

Spread out a plastic tablecloth before starting slime play.
Old shower curtains and vinyl fabric also make great protective covers.

Wear Aprons or Old Clothes

Have kids wear aprons or old t-shirts and pants they can get messy.
Change back into clean clothes as soon as slime play is finished.

Contain the Mess

Play with slime in a plastic bin or tub to catch spills and drips.
Taking it outside on a patio or driveway contains the slime zone.

Avoid Excess Dyes

Food coloring and liquid watercolors can bleed onto hands and staining clothes.
Glitter, beads, and foam pieces create less mess when mixed in.

Use Less Stickier Recipes

Opt for air-dry clay slime, jelly slime, or fluffy slime rather than extra-sticky varieties using borax.
Store-bought slime is also less adhesive and staining in fabric.

Help Kids Clean Up

Have kids do the scrubbing when washing up hands and cleaning slime-covered surfaces.
Getting them involved teaches responsibility and not to make huge messes.

Wash Immediately

As soon as slime gets on clothing, pretreat it and toss it in the laundry.
Don’t let stains dry and set before attempting to wash.

With the right precautions, kids can play freely with slime and parents don’t have to stress about the cleanup afterwards. Prep the play zone, supervise play, and promptly treat any slime spills.

Conclusion

Slime stains don’t have to be permanent, and getting slime out of clothes is very doable with some tried and true techniques. By pretreating stains immediately, using proper washing and drying methods, and breaking out secret stain-fighting ingredients like borax and alcohol for tough messes, you can banish slime from fabric. With vigilance and prompt treatment, parents can check slimy clothing off the endless to-do list and let kids have their creative fun. Just be prepared with the right removal tactics, designated slime supplies, and ground rules for play, and the delight of oozing, squishing homemade slime doesn’t have to create lasting laundry woes.

How to Get Slime Out of Clothing in a Few Simple Steps