Ultra Clean Washable Crayons: What's Inside the Box

The first type of Washable Crayons from CRAYOLA that I have personally seen is from 1958, there was were a couple boxes before that. I do not know if they used the same formula and ideas for later washable crayon boxes, but it is quite possible. The patent for washable crayons was published in 1999, about the same time as they published the patent for washable markers. According to the patent there are certain additives mixed with the crayons that cause them to fleck less, and they become more washable. Numerous products have been made with these "washable" crayons, but mostly geared at the very young artists.  In 2011 Crayola added washiblity to their mainstream 24 count box and then added it to many other lines in 2013.  They added Ultra-Clean and ColorMAX (both trademark) to the name, and supposedly these crayons are even brighter than normal crayons.

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How are the crayons so washable and how were they tested? In the patent it says, "The crayons obtained had excellent washability. Crayon marks were made on various surfaces by applying 5 hand strokes on top of each other. The crayon marks were easily washed off painted tile boards having two coats of flat white paint thereon. A wet paper towel was employed to wipe off the marks. The marks wiped off completely as determined visually. The crayon marks were similarly washed off wallpaper. Crayon marks on fabrics, 100% cotton and 50/50 cotton/polyester, were washed off in a clothes washing machine using TIDE.TM. powder detergent with a hot water wash. The fabrics were dried under the normal drying setting. The marks were removed completely, as determined visually. No residual stain was observed on all substrates tested above."

Collecting Information
Boxes: 24 Washable Crayons-the CRAYOLA makers (1958),  48 Ultra-Clean Washable ColorMAX Crayons (2013), 16 Ultra-Clean Washable Large Crayons ColorMAX (2014), 24 Ultra-Clean Washable Crayons ColorMAX (2014)
Year: 1958, 2011, 2013-2014
Other Boxes: 8 Ultra-Clean Washable Large Crayons ColorMAX (2014)
What's inside the box: 
24 Washable Crayons-the CRAYOLA makers (1958), midnight blue, pine green, red violet, indian red, blue green, olive green, peach, gray, white, maize, burnt sienna, yellow orange, green, carnation pink, orange red, orange, red, yellow green, violet, blue violet, blue, brown, black, yellow
48 Ultra-Clean Washable ColorMAX Crayons (2013), coming soon
16 Ultra-Clean Washable Large Crayons ColorMAX (2014), blue, carnation pink, yellow, red, blue green, green, blue violet, red violet, brown, red orange, yellow green, white, black, violet (purple), yellow orange, orange
24 Ultra-Clean Washable Crayons ColorMAX (2014), black, blue violet, red orange, blue, blue green, timberwolf, green, red, carnation pink, yellow, apricot, robin's egg blue, red violet, sea green, goldenrod, brown, yellow orange, white, yellow green, orange, violet (purple), indigo, green yellow, violet red.
Purchase information: Estate sale, JoAnn Fabrics, Target
Where to buy: Estate sale, eBay, Amazon, Anywhere that sells Crayola on newer boxes
Patents: US Patent: 6039797, "Washable marking composition", David C. Fistner, Binney & Smith Inc.
This box is from 1958. I picked it up from a friend's estate sale.

1958 24 Washable Crayons-the CRAYOLA makers 

midnight blue, pine green, red violet, indian red, blue green, olive green, peach, gray, white, maize, burnt sienna, yellow orange, green, carnation pink, orange red, orange, red, yellow green, violet, blue violet, blue, brown, black, yellow

48 Ultra-Clean Washable ColorMAX Crayons (2013)

16 Ultra-Clean Washable Large Crayons ColorMAX (2014)

blue, carnation pink, yellow, red, blue green, green, blue violet, red violet, brown, red orange, yellow green, white, black, violet (purple), yellow orange, orange

The packaging was a little misleading on the 24 Ultra-Clean Washable Crayons ColorMAX box in 2014.  It said 4 new colors inside.  There were not acutal new colors in side, but 4 colors new to the 24 color box inside, timberwolf, sea green, robin's egg blue and goldenrod.

24 Ultra-Clean Washable Crayons ColorMAX (2014)

black, blue violet, red orange, blue, blue green, timberwolf, green, red, carnation pink, yellow, apricot, robin's egg blue, red violet, sea green, goldenrod, brown, yellow orange, white, yellow green, orange, violet (purple), indigo, green yellow, violet red.