Lipstick is a must for many women looking to create a polished, finished look. However, if it ends up on your clothes, it can be a real nightmare to remove, and the brighter the color, the more difficult the stain can be to remove. Learn how to remove lipstick stains from clothes with these easy methods.
When it comes to removing lipstick stains from clothing, it’s crucial that you act fast to increase your chances of getting rid of the stain. Lipstick can contain dozens of different ingredients and usually fall into a few basic categories; pigments, waxes, and oils. This means that you have three very different kinds of stains that will require different types of cleaners.
You can tackle the oils with a degreaser and the waxes with solvents. You will have to treat the pigments with an oxidizing soap to completely remove it from your clothes. As with most stains, you’ll want to work on the lipstick stain as quickly as possible to get the best results.
How to Get Lipstick Stains Out of Clothes
When we first notice lipstick on our clothing, our first instinct is to rub frantically to remove the stain. However, this can lead to the stain spreading and set it deeper into the fabric. To save your shirt, you want to blot it instead and let it be until you can get home and treat it appropriately.
Before you begin to address the lipstick stain at home, you want to check the care label of the garment to determine the kind of fabric you’re working with. You can also follow these methods for ways to remove foundation from clothing and other stick makeup stains.
Rubbing Alcohol
One of the best tips on how to get rid of lipstick stains or for removing acrylic paint from jeans is by using rubbing alcohol. The first thing that you’ll need to do is remove any excess solids. Take a credit card or dull knife and lift away any solids that may still be on the fabric.
Next, place the lipstick stained clothing, stain side down, on a clean paper towel. Moisten a clean white cloth with the alcohol and dab the back of the stain. Replace the paper towel underneath the clothing to continue to absorb more lipstick and to keep it from spreading.
Finally, once the stain has been removed, you can rinse the garment with cold water and launder as usual. Using rubbing alcohol not only works for lipstick stains but helps also to get oil stains, deodorant stains, and even blueberry stains out of clothes.
Liquid Laundry Detergent
If the lipstick mark is thick, you’ll want to start by removing any excess lipstick from the fabric. You can do this using a spoon and scrape the area to get rid of any hard residue. Next, using a paper towel, blot the stain to soak up as much surface grease as possible.
Next, using a spray bottle, spray some water on the area to dampen it, and then apply a small amount of liquid detergent onto the stain.
Allow the soap to stand for 15 minutes to allow its grease fighting properties to break down the stain. Next, with a clean cloth, gently rub the liquid into the stain, starting at the outside edge and moving inward toward the center.
This liquid laundry rubbing cleaning method works very well to remove coffee stains and difficult grass stains, as well as other stains that can mar your favorite shirt or slacks. Finally, respray the area with warm water, and allow to air dry.
How to Remove Lipstick Stains for Clothes after Drying
Of course, you always want to find ways to get lip gloss out of clothes before putting it in the wash to have the best chance of eliminating the stain. However, if you discover the stain after you’ve already washed and dried the garment, all is not lost.
While the heat from the dryer has set the stain and essentially made it more difficult to remove, you should still be able to banish the makeup stain and save your favorite piece of clothing. A dryer is one of the easiest ways to get mascara out of clothes as well as other types of greasy makeup.
To start, pour some rubbing alcohol on a clean cloth and dab the stain for about a minute. Be sure not to rub the stain to prevent it from spreading even further. Using the strong-hold hairspray, spritz the stain and allow it to sit for approximately 15 minutes.
Soak a clean towel in warm water and dab the area. Apply the nail polish remover to the stain. Using an old toothbrush, scrub the stain. Rinse the area with the rubbing alcohol and blot dry. Dilute the liquid dish soap and spray the stain.
With an old toothbrush or cloth, work the petroleum jelly into the area. Next, rub some liquid glycerin into the area and allow it to stand for at least 30 minutes. Treat the stain with ammonia using an eyedropper.
After each attempt, be sure to rinse the area thoroughly. You might have to repeat the steps several times, but eventually, you should be successful in removing the lipstick stain from your clothing.
The truth about lipstick stains is that they are no more difficult to remove than other stains. All you need to do is remember to treat the stain as quickly as possible to have the best chance of eliminating them, even though you may need to work on the stain more than once. If you are persistent, you’ll be able to save your favorite garments.
We hope you enjoyed learning how to remove lipstick stains from clothes. If you found the information in the article helpful, please share it with your friends and family.