My nephew visited for a weekend. He is three. I left him alone in the living room for approximately ninety seconds while I made coffee. When I came back, there was a red crayon mural on my white wall that stretched from the baseboard to about waist height.

I tried a wet paper towel first. It smeared red into pink streaks that looked worse than the original drawing. Do not do that.

What actually removes crayon

Crayon is wax mixed with pigment. Water does nothing to wax — it just pushes the pigment around. You need something that dissolves wax or lifts it mechanically. Here is what works, ranked from gentlest to most aggressive.

Method 1: Baking soda paste

Mix baking soda with enough water to make a thick paste — about the consistency of toothpaste. Rub it onto the crayon marks with a soft cloth or an old toothbrush using small circular motions. The baking soda is mildly abrasive and scrubs the wax off without damaging most paint finishes.

Wipe with a clean damp cloth. Repeat if needed. This took off about eighty percent of my nephew’s mural.

Method 2: Toothpaste (white, not gel)

Plain white toothpaste — not the gel kind with stripes — contains the same mild abrasives as baking soda paste but in a form that is easier to apply. Rub it on with your finger or a cloth, let it sit for a minute, then scrub gently.

Wipe clean with a damp cloth.

Method 3: WD-40

Spray WD-40 onto a cloth — not directly onto the wall — and rub the crayon marks. The solvent in WD-40 dissolves wax. This works almost instantly on stubborn marks that resist the baking soda method.

After using WD-40, wash the wall with warm soapy water to remove the oily residue. Then dry with a clean towel. You will need to repaint if you skip the soap-and-water step because paint will not stick to an oily wall.

Method 4: Magic Eraser

Wet a Magic Eraser and squeeze out the excess water. Rub lightly. Magic Erasers work by micro-abrasion — they are essentially ultra-fine sandpaper. On flat or matte paint, they can leave a shiny spot if you rub too hard, so test in an inconspicuous area first.

This removed the last stubborn red streaks that survived baking soda and toothpaste.

What not to use

Avoid nail polish remover or acetone. They will take the paint off along with the crayon. Avoid abrasive scrub pads. They scratch the paint. Avoid heat guns — they melt the wax deeper into the paint instead of removing it.

My wall is crayon-free now. My nephew is still welcome. I just hide the crayons before he arrives.