Makeup can help you look and feel your best, but it can become a pain when it gets on your clothes. Our next blog post and video essay will discuss how to remove specific makeup stains from clothing, carpet, and upholstery!
How to Remove Different Makeup Stains
Lipstick- Lipstick stains are the hardest to remove due to their vibrant colors and oil base. The best laundry detergent to treat these stains have built in pre-treaters and enzymes. If you don’t have this detergent on hand, add a half cup of baking soda to your wash. Dish soap can also do the trick! Scrape the excess stain off using a flat utensil and apply some dish soap directly to the stain. After letting your clothing soak in a dish soap solution for a few hours, gently scrub it with a soft bristle toothbrush. It is important to scrub from the outside in order to prevent spreading. After rinsing off the dish soap, wash on your regular cycle.
Foundation– Foundation looks more flawless on your face then it does on your clothing. Luckily, foundation is not too hard to get out. To remove, pre-treat the stain with liquid detergent. Gently work the detergent into the stain with a soft bristle toothbrush and let it set for 5-10 minutes. Blot away any detergent residue with a paper towel and rinse in hot water before adding it to your washer.
Mascara– It is important to pre-treat mascara stains with a bit of detergent as well. Give the detergent 15 minutes to set before gently scrubbing out with a soft bristled toothbrush and rinsing the stain in hot water. Load into the washer and check the garment care label to see if it is safe to utilize a warmer water temperature. Repeat this process if necessary.
Blush or Bronzer– If you spill any powder blush or bronzer on your clothing, remove the excess powdery product with a sticky lint roller. Afterwards, apply liquid detergent using a cotton ball and gently dab the area. Rinse away the detergent residue with cold water. After these steps, load the garment into the washer and wash with the hottest temperature indicated on the care label.
If you are short on time or don’t have any of these laundry tools handy, you can try using hairspray or an ice cube! Pick a hairspray with a high alcohol content, spray the stained area, and let the spray harden. Afterwards, grab a clean paper towel and blot the area with cold water to remove the makeup and hairspray, being mindful not to soak the fabric. If you have an ice cube handy, scrape off the excess makeup, press the ice cube onto the stain, and gently rub in a circular motion until the stain has lifted.
How to get Makeup out of Carpet and Upholstery
Step 1- Remove excess: Lift off as much product as possible using the edge of a small utensil. Make sure not to blot or wipe it off, as that will push the molecules of the stain farther into the fabric.
Step 2- Prepare a solution: Mix one tablespoon of liquid laundry detergent in two cups of hot water. Dip a sponge into the solution and gently blot the stain until no more color is transferred.
Step 3- Rinse: Dip another cloth or sponge into cold water and gently remove any detergent residue around the area.
Step 4- Blot dry: Grab a few paper towels and blot the moisture from your carpet or upholstery. Repeat this process until the stain is fully removed.
If you need any additional help with removing stains from your clothing, carpet, or upholstery we are here to assist you! Give us a call at 716-885-4351 or visit us at either of our retail locations in Orchard Park and Elmwood.
