# Experienced Parents: How Do You Get Silly-Putty Out of Hair? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 25, 2002, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experienced-parents-how-do-you-get-silly-putty-out-of-hair/99938 "2002-03-25T02:36:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sdimbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sdimbert/32/20204_2.png) [@sdimbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sdimbert)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2002, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experienced-parents-how-do-you-get-silly-putty-out-of-hair/99938/1 "2002-03-25T02:36:40Z")
Can someone please help us with this? The Crayola website says that you use WD40 to get Silly Putty and clay out of carpet… but they don’t say anything about hair. **jdimbert** thinks that she heard advice to use lighter fluid, but I’d like some corroboration before we go there. Can anyone help? ---
**Author:** ![barker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/919ad9/32.png) [@barker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barker)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2002, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experienced-parents-how-do-you-get-silly-putty-out-of-hair/99938/2 "2002-03-25T02:47:33Z")
White Vinegar should get it out. Should dissolve the stuff. I would not use lighter fluid ---
**Author:** ![robinh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b77776/32.png) [@robinh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robinh)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2002, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experienced-parents-how-do-you-get-silly-putty-out-of-hair/99938/3 "2002-03-25T03:18:33Z")
Peanut butter is supposed to work for gum. It might work here, too. Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cynic)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2002, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experienced-parents-how-do-you-get-silly-putty-out-of-hair/99938/4 "2002-03-25T03:35:03Z")
I’m no parent, but if the silly putty is not stuck too close to the scalp the easiest thing to do would be to apply ice. As the silly putty’s temperature is reduced it will become less sticky. You could probably peel it right off. If that doesn’t work I’d use WD-40. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2002, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experienced-parents-how-do-you-get-silly-putty-out-of-hair/99938/5 "2002-03-25T04:38:12Z")
I have no idea how to get it out of hair, but I WOULD advise you to take a picture of this before you try anything else. Just for blackmail purposes. Trust me, it’ll come in handy someday. ---
**Author:** ![reprise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ea666f/32.png) [@reprise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/reprise)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2002, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experienced-parents-how-do-you-get-silly-putty-out-of-hair/99938/6 "2002-03-25T04:51:35Z")
Apparently there’s a toll-free number on the Silly Putty container, but it’s only staffed during business hour. Personally, I’d try the WD-40, and just make sure you wash it out really well. ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2002, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experienced-parents-how-do-you-get-silly-putty-out-of-hair/99938/7 "2002-03-25T04:52:49Z")
First answer is the correct one. If any of the silly putty sticks to a child’s clothes or hair use white vinegar to remove it. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2002, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experienced-parents-how-do-you-get-silly-putty-out-of-hair/99938/8 "2002-03-25T04:55:27Z")
Er, guys? I would not use WD-40 or lighter fluid on a child’s hair. :rolleyes: Use vinegar. White vinegar is supposed to work a little better than cider vinegar. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2002, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experienced-parents-how-do-you-get-silly-putty-out-of-hair/99938/9 "2002-03-25T04:59:23Z")
Kniz, presumably you found the same website I did, putting “silly putty remove hair” into Google, but upon further perusal, I see that the “Silly Putty” it’s talking about is homemade, with Elmer’s glue and starch. [http://www.atozkidsstuff.com/artrecipes.html](http://www.atozkidsstuff.com/artrecipes.html) So if the vinegar doesn’t work, I’d try baby oil. But not petroleum distillates. Please. 😃