How to Remove Silly Putty from (Almost) Any Surface

Ever gotten this sometimes overly-sticky substance on something? Follow these steps to remove it in just minutes!

Depending on what this potentially dangerous substance is stuck to, steps will vary slightly.

If stuck to hands:

1. Get in front of a sink. Use the hand with the most putty to remove it from the other hand in quick motions.
   
   
2. Activate the stopper on the sink, if possible.
   
   
3. Turn on the cold water. Rinse hands as well as possible.
   
   
4. Switch off cold water. Turn on the hot. Rinse hands until water is too hot to leave hands in stream.
   
   
5. Let the sink fill with hot/warm water. Do not fill sink completely; about halfway will do.
   
   
6. Use cold/lukewarm water to remove any remaining putty from hands, as best as possible. The cold water ought to make the hot water in the sink lukewarm.
   
   
7. Rinse hands in sink.
   
   
8. Use a towel to remove remaining putty from hands: Place a section of the towel around a finger; firmly grasp towel and finger with other hand. Pull off of finger to remove.
   
   
9. Use soap and/or bleach to clean the sink of stuck-on putty.
   
   

For surfaces themselves:

1. If the surface is white or otherwise colorfast, apply bleach spray or rubbing alcohol to surface. Otherwise, use the clearest soap available.
   
   
2. Use soap/bleach to wipe surface. Rinse.
   
   
3. Reapply cleanser to surface. Scrub with sponge/cloth. Rinse.
   
   
4. Repeat as needed.
   
   

• It helps to use the soap with the least colour to prevent staining/colourisation of the surface being cleaned.
• You can prevent getting silly putty stuck on things by ensuring that it is not too moist or squishy. If it is, store it in a cool, dry place and check it each day until it feels less squishy or soft.
• Be creative! (isn't that ironic for an article about silly putty?) Try other household cleaners, like Comet or Ajax. These powdered cleansers can be left on the affected spot (useful on counter tops) and then rinsed with water to aid in removal.
• If silly putty is acutely stuck to a surface, you can scrape it off (after cleaning as shown above) with your fingernail or other tool.

• Make sure not to get these cleansers on yourself. If you do, rinse them off as best you can.
• If you are young, make sure that your parents allow you to use what you may.
• These steps do not usually work with fabrics. Try using special colour bleach in the washer to remove putty from fabrics.

• (Optional) Bleach spray
• Liquid soap
• Sponge/Cloth
• Hands
• Water