Flecks of glitter tend to show up even months after you think you've completely cleaned up a glitter spill. Tackle those tricky, tiny specks using everything from card stock and a paintbrush, on up to a vacuum cleaner, damp cloth or masking tape.
Large Spills
Not all glitter that falls to the floor has to end up in the trash. If a vial of glitter hits the floor and spills over a small area, for example, you may be able to salvage some of it.
Things You Will Need
-
Angle a piece of card stock or thick paper near the bulk of the glitter spill. Hold it at a slight angle to make a ramp with one edge completely against the floor, carpet or rug.
-
Push a second piece of card stock along the other side of the pile, using it like a broom to push glitter up the ramp.
-
Deposit the glitter, as you collect it, into an empty container or atop a sheet of paper. Continue using the ramp and sweeping process until you've retrieved as much glitter as possible.
-
Sweep some of the remaining glitter up your card stock ramp using a soft-bristled paintbrush or makeup brush, depositing as much glitter as you can into the container or atop a sheet of paper.
-
Pour the retrieved glitter back into its own container by folding part of a sheet of paper to make a V shape. Place the fold above the glitter container's opening and pour the captured glitter down the paper channel, back into the container.
Vacuum Method
A vacuum cleaner with a hose attachment, such as a small shop vac, comes in handy for grabbing the glitter that sticks to the floor or embeds itself between carpet fibers. Use the hose without any attachments, or add a crevice tool to channel the suction power into a smaller area.
Damp Cloth for Clingy Glitter
Remove glitter that clings to tile, vinyl, wood or laminate flooring by wetting a paper towel or cloth, dabbing and wiping the glitter up. The moisture helps release glitter that sticks to the floor due to static electricity.
Tape to the Rescue
Use a tape-based lint roller to remove even the most stubborn stray bits of glitter from any type of flooring. If you don't have a lint roller handy, wrap masking tape or packaging tape around your fingers, so the sticky side faces out; packaging tape is a bit stickier than glitter. Pat your tape-wrapped hand over the glitter to pick it up.
The Drip Cap
- Flecks of glitter tend to show up even months after you think you've completely cleaned up a glitter spill.
- Sweep some of the remaining glitter up your card stock ramp using a soft-bristled paintbrush or makeup brush, depositing as much glitter as you can into the container or atop a sheet of paper.
- Place the fold above the glitter container's opening and pour the captured glitter down the paper channel, back into the container.
- A vacuum cleaner with a hose attachment, such as a small shop vac, comes in handy for grabbing the glitter that sticks to the floor or embeds itself between carpet fibers.