Finding a crayon in the washing machine is bad enough. Finding out it melted and stained an entire load of white laundry is even worse.

That’s exactly what happened to one woman after her younger brother accidentally left a crayon in his pocket. Somehow, the crayon made it through the wash and left colorful stains on clothes that were especially important to her.

Instead of throwing everything away, she eventually decided to tackle the stains using something she already had at home: Dawn dish soap and a toothbrush.

One Forgotten Crayon Ruined an Entire Load of White Laundry

According to the woman, her younger brother left a crayon in his pocket, and it somehow got lodged in the washer or dryer. Unfortunately, it didn’t come loose until she washed a load of her white clothing.

The result was an entire load covered in crayon stains, including several sentimental pieces or items that were difficult to replace. Some of the clothes had even been altered to fit her, making the thought of losing them especially upsetting.

She admitted that she cried when she first discovered the damage.

Instead of dealing with the stains immediately, she set the clothes aside and avoided the problem for months.

Eventually, she decided it was time to see whether anything could be saved.

Dawn Dish Soap and a Toothbrush Helped Remove the Stains

The woman spent about two hours working on the stained clothing, using Dawn dish soap and a toothbrush to scrub each individual spot.

Many items were made of ribbed fabric, which made the process more time-consuming because the crayon had settled into the textured material.

After scrubbing, she rinsed off the dish soap and sprayed the clothes with an Oxi stain remover. She then washed everything using bleach and the washing machine’s “Whitest Whites” setting, which she later confirmed used hot water.

When the cycle finished, the stains were completely gone.

The process took patience, but it saved clothes she’d been worried were permanently ruined.

Why Dish Soap Can Help With Crayon Stains

Crayons are made primarily from wax and pigments, which can make their stains particularly stubborn once they’ve melted into fabric. Dish soap breaks down grease and oily residue, making it a useful option for treating some waxy stains.

Working a small amount into the affected area with a soft toothbrush can help loosen residue trapped in the fabric. However, scrubbing too aggressively can damage delicate materials.

Remember, the woman didn’t use dish soap alone. Her cleaning process also included stain remover, bleach, and a hot-water wash.

Anyone trying a similar method should check the clothing’s care label first. Hot water and chlorine bleach can damage certain fabrics, and you should use bleach only on items labeled safe for it.

For colored clothing or delicate materials, you may need a different approach.

The Clothes Were Worth Saving

What made the experience especially meaningful was that many of the pieces had sentimental value, were difficult to replace, or had been personally altered to fit her. And after months of avoiding the stained laundry, finally seeing everything come out clean was a huge relief.

She said she was incredibly proud of the results and happy that she hadn’t given up on the clothes.