How to Clean Crayon out of a Dryer

Co-authored by Eduardo Peralta

Last Updated: May 24, 2025

It’s terrible to open your dryer and find colored stains all over your clothes. If a crayon has melted inside of the dryer, the color will continue to run for some time unless you get it out promptly. Use a credit card or spatula to scrape off large pieces of crayon. Next, run the dryer for about 10-15 minutes to soften the crayon. Finally, you can use one of a variety of cleaning products to get rid of the stains in your dryer.^{[1]
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Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Using Powdered Cleanser

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Dampen your rag or sponge with hot water. Use a powdered cleanser like Comet, Ajax, Bon Ami, or Bar Keeper’s Friend. Scrub at the crayon stains in your dryer. Rub hard to work the crayon out.
Sprinkle your powdered cleanser onto a dampened toothbrush. Scrub with the toothbrush in any cracks and corners where the crayon might have wedged itself. Add more cleanser to the head of your toothbrush as needed to really scrub at the crayon.

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Dip a clean sponge or rag into water. Use this to wipe off the loose crayon wax. Wipe any chunks of crayon off of the sponge or rag and wet it again. Now use it to wipe off any powdered cleanser still in your dryer.
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Repeat this process until all the crayon wax is gone. Be sure that you have rinsed all the powdered cleanser out of the dryer before you start the process again. You might need to begin by running the dryer for another 15 minutes. This will loosen any stubborn crayon wax. Scrub and rinse.
- Test your dryer's cleanliness on some old clothes or white rags to check that there are no stains left.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Working with WD-40

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Spray an old rag with WD-40. Don’t spray the WD-40 directly in the dryer because it is flammable. Scrub at the crayon stains with the rag. Continue wiping until the marks lift off.
- Avoid using this method in a dryer with a pilot light.
- Try a microfiber cloth to help remove the crayon more easily.^{[2]
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- If you don't have any WD40, try a degreaser.^{[3]
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Discard the rag with the WD-40. Get some paper towels wet and soapy. Use these to remove any oily residue in your dryer.^{[4]
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After you wipe out the oil, unplug your dryer. Dip a sponge or clean rag into a bucket of warm soapy water. Wash the entire inside of your dryer. Focus on wiping down the areas where you rubbed most with the WD-40. Use a clean rag to wipe the inside of the dryer.^{[5]
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Finish cleaning your dryer with a load of clean, wet rags. This will also collect any stray crayon pieces. Check the drum of the dryer for any streaks of crayon after you run the load. If you see more crayon, repeat the WD-40 cleaning process.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Cleaning with Other Solutions

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Look for this at hardware stores and some pharmacies. Spray the citrus-based cleaner directly on heavy crayon marks. Wipe over the marks with a rag or paper towel. Let it dry, then wipe off the areas you’ve cleaned with a dry rag or paper towel.
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Pour some Cerama Bryte directly onto a dry paper towel. Scrub the crayon marks with the coated paper towel. Use a toothbrush coated with a bit of Cerama Bryte to get into any cracks where the crayon might have wedged itself. Once all crayon is removed, wipe the dryer clean with warm, damp cloths.
- Load the dryer with old towels and let run for 15 minutes.
Put a few drops of olive oil on the corner of a clean rag. Wipe at the stains with the olive oil. Repeat this process, applying olive oil to clean sections of the rag until you’ve rubbed over all of the stains. Dip a fresh, damp rag into water that has been combined with a few drops of liquid dish detergent. Use this rag to clean the areas of your dryer that you rubbed with oil.^{[7]
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How can I get crayon out of clothes?

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Apply some WD40 to the area, then blot it.

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Tips

A hair dryer placed directly on the crayon wax can be as effective and more targeted than heating up the whole dryer.

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Hot water will make cleaning easier so make the water as hot as you can.

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Now that your dryer is clean again, remember to always check pockets for items you don't want to put through the washer or dryer.

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Warnings

Don't use good clothes to test whether you have removed all of the crayon out of the dryer.

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Take care when working with a heated dryer.

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Always wear gloves and eye protection when you're working with a solution like WD40.^{[8]
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