Gak was one of the most iconic toys of the late 90s. It was the go-to cheap present and became iconic as a main representation of the Nickelodeon TV station. Oh, and with that fame came its notoriety as one of the hardest to clean up substances known to man. So, how did parents of the 90s get it done? And how can you save your carpet?
Heat the gak with a hairdryer and pull out as much as you can with your hands. Pour a cap full of laundry detergent, add it to a bucket of water, and stir the mixture. Scrub the stain with the solution until it lightens and disappears, let it dry, and vacuum the carpet.
Obviously, some things have changed in the world of parenting, but cleaning up after kids’ stains is not one of them. It happens to the best of families, and if you’re in this situation, you are going to need to know what to do.
How To Get Gak Out Of Carpet
The basic gist of removing gak from a carpet is that you’re going to have to pull it off. The sticky and tacky texture of gak is your best weapon against it staying in your carpet. Here’s the full play-by-play when it comes to removing gak from your carpet:
- Remove the gak by hand if it hasn’t melted into the carpet. If it’s just been thrown down, pick it up while it’s still in one piece. Tada, problem solved. If it’s not in one piece, continue over to step two.
- If it has melted and dried into your carpet, then grab a hairdryer and heat it up. You can also use a space heater to soften it up. Some people have also used a warm compress of water to loosen it up.
- Once it’s heating, pull up as much of the gak as you can. Yes, I know it’s gross. either way, this is the only way to make sure that you get it out of your carpet. Keep pulling it as long as you can without going crazy.
- Get a bucket and fill it with water, then add a capful of laundry detergent. I personally would advise using a scented detergent if you have a sensitive sense of smell. (I don’t like gak’s scent!)
- Stir the mixture up with a stiff-bristle brush, then use the brush to scrub away at the gak-stained area. It’s okay to get aggressive with the scrubbing. You will be able to pick up or just otherwise remove the gak using the scrubbing.
- Let the carpet air dry and inspect the results. Assuming that you didn’t have your kids actively rub the gak into your carpet, then you should see most of the gak gone by now.
- If you still have a stain left over, repeat steps 4 through 6 until it disappears. Sadly, it can take multiple passes if you have a particularly rough stain.
- To restore the texture of your carpet after you’ve removed the gak, grab your vacuum. Vacuum the area to help it dry and “fluff” back up into place.
What Other Cleaning Solutions Can You Use To Remove Gak From Carpeting?
If you don’t want to use your laundry detergent on your carpet, there are other options you can use. Some of the more popular options include:
- Dish Soap and Water. A tablespoonful or two in two cups of water can help provide the traction change that you need in order to remove the gak easily.
- Warm Water. Gak is now made to be water-soluble, much to parents’ applause. This means that if you really have a lot of gak to clean up, just throwing warm water on the stain and using a wet vacuum on the area will work.
- Vinegar And Water. If you don’t have real gak and just have random slime that melted onto your carpeting, you can make do with a vinegar and water mix. Mix it to 50/50 proportions, then use a rag to blot away the slime.
When Should You Call A Professional To Get Rid Of Gak On Carpet?
Truth be told, there’s really no reason to call professionals in if gak is involved. This is a product that was literally designed to be cleanable using common household supplies. If you have a silk carpet or just don’t like the idea of pulling slimy stuff out of the carpet, then you may want to call a professional.
With that said, the only real-time that you should call a pro for this type of stain is if you can’t be bothered with it. Otherwise, it makes little sense to call considering that it’s a true DIY project. It’s a waste of money to call the pros in.
When Does Gak Stain A Carpet?
For the most part, gak won’t harm carpeting or clothing. It’s meant to be a slime that people are able to play around with and throw around. In order for it to actually stain your carpet, it would have to be melted into your carpet. Parents who had kids leave gak in the car know this fact all too well.
How Bad Can Gak Stains Be?
Gak stains can be pretty bad, especially if your gak is a bright color. There is a distinct chance that the coloring that makes gak could leech into your carpet fibers, causing a permanent color change. However, most gak stains are fixable on both upholstery and carpeting. It just takes a little patience.
Because the actual Gak brand is made to be parent-friendly, this stuff is meant to be easy to clean. The bigger issue is “off-brand” gak that might be filled with additives that make it harder to clean. To make sure your stuff is good to go, stick to the original Nickelodeon Gak.
How Do You Prevent Gak Stains?
The best way to prevent gak stains is to make sure your kids play with it on a solid surface like a table or a tile floor. Once your kids are done playing, make sure that they store it in the Splat container that comes with it. If you lost the container, just shove the gak in a Tupperware box.
If you were hoping to use gak as a car toy, think again. Most gak stains happen when kids were playing with gak in a hot car, then left their gak on the seat. This is strictly a “house only” type of toy, and even then, you have to make sure your kids aren’t stain-prone. Tell your kids to avoid throwing gak on the walls and carpet, since it can stain.
Related Questions
How do you remove gak that has dried on your furniture or walls?
Grab a putty knife and start scraping away at the gak. Do this gently, since you don’t want to lift up paint. Once you’ve scraped away the majority of the slime, mix a baking soda, vinegar, and water paste in a small bowl. Apply the paste to the stain, and let it dry. Then use a sponge to wipe away the remainder of the slime.
How do you remove gak from clothing?
This depends on the clothing item, but most clothes will react well to being soaked in a mixture of vinegar and water. Once it’s soaked in, you can usually just throw the gak-laden clothing item into the wash with a capful of laundry detergent. Since gak is water-soluble, a regular throw in the wash should be able to take care of the matter.
Is it okay to let your kids play with gak?
Gak is meant to be a kid’s toy and is non-toxic. However, many parents are just not that interested in cleaning up the stains and slime that it leaves behind. It’s up to you to decide whether you want to deal with the many cleaning sessions associated with gak. However, if your kids are willing to clean up after themselves, there’s no reason why you should tell them they can’t play with it.