Kids love to create crafts. And the gloomy indoor days of winter are just right for adding some sparkle and shine to their projects. But glue and glitter, finger paints, and markers, and all their other favorite art supplies can be stains just waiting to happen. Here are some hints to keep the mess away, courtesy of Nancy Bock, Vice President of NewsFlash Consumer Education at the American Cleaning Institute.

 

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Choose Wisely: Stock your craft closet with washable paints and markers and water-based craft glue. If any of the color mediums get on clothes, simply pretreat the stain with a prewash stain remover and toss the soiled items in the wash.

 

Glue Spills: On washable fabrics, scrape off the excess glue. Pretreat with a prewash stain remover and launder, using the hottest water that’s safe for the fabric. For carpets or upholstery, scrape off the excess glue. Then use a carpet or upholstery cleaner, following the manufacturer’s instructions. If the glue is not water-based craft glue, contact the glue manufacturer for stain removal recommendations.

 

Glitter Fallout: Depending on where the glitter lands, the two best ways of capturing errant sparkles are vacuuming them up or blotting them up using the sticky side of masking tape. If you own a hand-held vacuum, keep it nearby for instant glitter control.

 

About ACI

The American Cleaning Institute℠ (ACI - formerly The Soap and Detergent Association) is the Home of the U.S. Cleaning Products Industry® and represents the $30 billion U.S. cleaning products market.  ACI  members include the formulators of soaps, detergents, and general cleaning products used in household, commercial, industrial and institutional settings; companies that supply ingredients and finished packaging for these products; and oleochemical producers.  ACI and its members are dedicated to improving health and the quality of life through sustainable cleaning products and practices.