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Get Rid Of Glitter

Kids and adults alike love working with glitter. It’s just plain fun and can add excitement to holiday crafts, artwork and even science fair projects. The problem with glitter, however, is that one wag of a dog’s tail or breeze from an oscillating fan can send it everywhere, making it look like a troupe of fairies exploded in your home. To top it all off, glitter is notoriously difficult to remove.

Don’t let fear of clean up keep you from adding a little sparkle to your daily life. Learn a few tricks that can help you figure out how to remove glitter from various surfaces.

How to Remove Glitter with a Lint Roller

You probably already know that lint rollers are like magic wands when it comes to removing pet hair. They work great on glitter, too, regardless of whether you’re trying to clean your couch, carpet or countertop. Simply run the roller over glitter-bombed areas, peeling off layers of the adhesive paper as needed. The roller should pick up a good deal of your sparkling mess, making it easier for you to follow up with the vacuum cleaner or a damp cloth.

Have a mess, but don’t have a lint roller handy? You can use duct tape or masking tape to get rid of glitter, too. Wrap the tape around your hand, sticky side out, and dab up the offending pieces of shimmer in your home.

Getting Rid of Glitter with the Vacuum Cleaner

Vacuuming should always be a part of the process when you’re trying to figure out how to get glitter off the floor, hard surfaces or even furniture. Make sure the area you’ll be vacuuming isn’t wet or covered with glue before you get to work. Naturally, you’ll need to use a handheld model or a vacuum cleaner attachment for furniture or tabletops.

Removing Glitter with a Damp Cloth

Once you’ve picked up the majority of glitter that’s been spilled with your lint roller or vacuum, you can use a microfiber cloth to deal with any straggling sparkles. Lightly dampen the cloth and pat it on shimmery surfaces until all the glitter pieces have been removed. And don’t forget to clean your microfiber cloth after you’re finished getting rid of glitter. Otherwise, you could add some unintentional shine to your kitchen countertops.

Note: Before using a damp cloth on an upholstered sofa or couch, you’ll need to check the cleaning instructions. Some fabric furniture can be ruined if you clean it with water.

How to Prevent Glitter Spills

Glitter can be frustratingly difficult to clean, even with the help of the above tips. Save yourself the trouble by doing what you can to prevent glitter spills in the first place:
  • Make it a rule that glitter can only be used in craft rooms or outside to limit the amount of shimmer distributed throughout your home.
  • Have children immediately change clothes and wash their hands after working with glitter.
  • Lay kraft paper on tabletops where you’ll be getting glittery to keep the shimmer contained and easily dispose of messes afterward.
Now that you know how to get rid of glitter, you might be wondering how to remove some of the other messes that can result from your kids expressing their creativity. Learn how to clean crayon from walls, then take a look at these tips on keeping your house tidy with children.