Dirty Laundry

Who knew getting out stains could be so much fun! Join Magician, Ryan Oakes as he performs a little laundry magic! Watch as Ryan magically removes stains from cloth dinner napkins, with a mere wave of his hand! Wow!

Six white handkerchiefs
Two paper bags
Scissors
Paint or markers

SOMETIMES WE USE MATERIALS THAT REQUIRE ADULT SUPERVISION…LIKE SCISSORS SO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE FRIENDS AND FAMILY AROUND WHENEVER YOU DO MAGIC TRICKS!

1. To prepare, take three of your six handkerchiefs and make them “dirty.” Use markers, paints, or even real food to make different kinds of stains on each of the three. Make sure to keep your remaining three clean.
2. Next, find two paper lunch bags that are the same size. Using a pair of scissors, cut off about two to three inches from the top of one of the bags.
3. Take the larger, uncut bag, open it up and insert the three clean handkerchiefs into the bottom. Fold them into an accordion fold to make them easy to retrieve from the bag later.
4. Take the shorter, cut bag and open it up inside the larger one. Push it down inside and line up the top rims so that a quarter inch of the smaller bag sticks out of the larger one on all sides. Roll over the rims of both bags together to create a folded rim. Now only one edge will appear and your audience will think you only have one bag. Place your three dirty handkerchiefs into the bag.
5. Now you’re ready to perform the trick. Open up your bag and show the audience your dirty handkerchiefs. Be sure to show them the inside of the bag to reveal the empty bag. If you’ve folded and inserted everything correctly, they’ll never know that there’s a secret compartment of clean handkerchiefs underneath.
6. Place your dirty handkerchiefs back inside the bag. Close up the top, bunch it with your fist, and lightly blow some air into it to inflate it.
7. Squeeze the top of the bag with your thumb and index finger to keep the air in and clap your other hand into the bottom to pop the bag. This should rip the outer bag and expose the clean handkerchiefs that have been hidden inside all along.
8. Turn the rip in the bag towards yourself and pull out all three clean handkerchiefs to show your audience. Crumble up the bag tightly and toss it aside so they’ll never know that the dirty ones are still inside.