Here are a few kid-smart solutions, courtesy of First magazine:
- Right off the bat, if your pint-size Picasso creates a crayon masterpiece on your living room wall, try this: Mix 2 tablespoons of baking soda with 1 teaspoon of water until it’s the consistency of toothpaste. Then, using a damp white cloth, gently rub the paste in a circular motion until the marks disappear. The soap-like compounds in baking soda will dissolve the color, and the mild abrasives will buff away greasy crayon wax without damaging the wall.
- Here’s the secret to reviving dried-out magic markers: Pour a half-inch of acetone nail-polish remover into a paper cup, and soak the uncapped markers for 30 seconds. Then, set them aside to dry for 5 minutes. It restores moisture and draws ink into the tips, without diluting the color and the markers will be better than new!
- And finally, erase ground-in dirt, grime and ink from your child’s favorite doll with peanut butter. I kid you not! Just smooth a thin layer of peanut butter on the doll’s plastic face, arms and legs with a dry cloth. Leave it for 5 minutes, and wipe away with a damp, soapy paper towel. Why does it work? The oil in the peanut butter seeps into the porous plastic, and absorbs the embedded dirt that scrubbing just won’t get rid of.
To recap, get rid of crayon wall drawings with a baking soda paste, revive magic markers in 1/2 an inch of nail polish remover, and clean plastic dolls with peanut butter. And your child will think you can do magic!
1 Comment User Comments
Add a commentRainbowRay
May 8, 2012
11:58 am
Good to know! Thanks for the tip CHFI! Also I would like to add one to your listeners out there. In order to avoid getting all those messes on walls, couches, tables and the like, in your home why not designate one area solely for the purpose of “coloring” and nothing else. I’ve seen in books and magazines places in homes that are made exclusively for that purpose (consisting of a giant chalkboard or easel) and located within an easily visable viewing area. When I saw those pictures, I thought to myself, “what a great idea!” Not only are they out the way and (start ‘em while they’re young), they learn to color in one designated area; over time they’ll learn that “that designated place” is a place to color and draw all they want and no need to have them color all over your kitchen, living room or dining room walls, tables or furniture.
If you can find a place in your home that can be used as a “designated drawing and coloring” area do it; cleaning solutions suggestions are great because this may not work all the time, but won’t you be glad when it does and save all that trouble of cleaning. Got this idea from a book or magazine. I love the idea and would love to use it in the future! What do you think hon? Good idea?
“Knowledge is Power”–RainbowRay
LOVE
RainbowRay