How to Remove Greasy Stains From Sticky Hand Toys
Jolie Kerr is a cleaning expert, advice columnist, and New York Times bestselling author of My Boyfriend Is Boiling In My Purse … And Other Things You Can’t Ask Martha About . Her flagship column, Ask a Pure Man, debuted in 2011. Here at Offspring we’re launching a new iteration of it, with a focus on parenting and all the mess it brings.
It’s not every day that a question I’ve never been asked before comes across on my transom. But recently the same thing happened, and this was followed by the disclosure of the Secret of the Pure Man. Join me on this journey, won’t you?
I had a few ideas based on what I assumed was a regular stain on the wall that needed to be removed. It quickly became clear to me that this was no ordinary stain on the wall! Because all my usual products and methods have failed because of this sticky hand stain. Here’s what didn’t work:
- Magic eraser
- Cornstarch paste
- Pine Salt
- Plain green
There has also been a noticeable lack of information online on how to successfully remove Sticky Hand stains from walls and ceilings. That meant it was time for me to go through the mirror and figure out exactly what those fancy hands were made of, to see if any of the ingredients had caught the wire in my filing cabinet brain.
A trip on a wire led by exploration! Because I discovered that one of the main ingredients in Sticky Hands is gelatin, and I know from my past work with Jell-O dry shots – this work contains a lot – that dissolves gelatin. At this point, I thought it was worth the try. If that didn’t work, well, a lot of other things didn’t work, and pineapple juice is not a huge investment.
Reader, it works. IT WORKED! Finally a victory !!!
Technique note if you also find a sticky hand stain on the wall or ceiling:
- When tested, both pineapple juice and fresh pineapple performed equally well;
- If you are using juice, apply it to a rag and rub the stain gently, remembering that it may take several passes to completely remove the stain;
- If you are using fresh pineapple, cut a piece large enough for you to hold comfortably as you rub the stain;
- Wipe the affected area with a clean, damp cloth and a little dish soap to remove the juice.
That’s all. We finally know what works for removing sticky hand stains, and boy, hello this is some weird and adorable answer ever!