How To Get Makeup Out Of Clothes

So you’ve accidentally gotten some makeup in your clothes… we’ve all been there. Whether it happened because you were rushing to apply your makeup or you bumped an open container of loose powder over, it’s happened to all of us. But, don’t panic! Your clothes are likely going to be just fine.

Don’t act out of impulse and throw your clothes away or try to wash them immediately. There are other solutions that will almost guarantee that the makeup stains will be removed completely. The important thing to remember is that you have to act fast. The longer that the makeup sits on the clothing, the harder it will be to remove it.

Luckily, there are tons of ways to resolve this issue. Depending on what type of makeup you’ve stained your clothes with, there is a solution for you. Keep reading to find the best techniques for removing makeup from clothes.

Tools Needed

How To Get Makeup Out Of Clothes

Now that you know all the tools you’ll need, let’s get down to how you are going to actually remove the stain. This will vary depending on what type of makeup you’re dealing with. So, we have rounded up the best ways to get each specific type of makeup out of clothes.

Loose Powder Stains

You have to be super careful when applying loose powder. Otherwise, it gets everywhere. But, it is one of the easiest things to get out of your clothes. First, see if you can blow the powder away with a blow dryer. If this doesn’t work completely, pull out some makeup remover and cotton balls. Gently dab the powder off the clothing until the powder is completely out. With a powder stain, you want to make sure you act fast. The longer the powder sits on the clothes, the harder it is going to be to remove it.

Liquid Stains

Makeup that falls under the category of “liquid stains” includes foundation, creams, eyeliner, and mascara. Most of these products likely have oil in them, so it is going to take more work to get the stain out. Since the oil stains worse, using a stronger cleaning agent like dish soap works best. First, wet the stained area with some lukewarm water. Then, apply dish soap and scrub the stain out with a soft toothbrush. This should get the entire stain out. If it doesn’t, try adding a small amount of rubbing alcohol into the mix.

Lipstick Stains

Lipstick is another oil-based makeup product. What makes it different than liquid makeup stains is its wax content. The best and easiest way to remove lipstick stains from clothing is laundry detergent. You want to apply some laundry detergent to the stain and let it sit for a few minutes. After it has soaked, gently scrub the stain off with a soft toothbrush. Since lipstick stains are harder to remove, you may have to scrub harder and longer compared to liquid stains. If the stain is not completely out after doing this, then add some rubbing alcohol and try again.

Stain Removal Products

We’ve shown you the best and easiest ways of removing makeup stains with products you probably already have at home. But, there are also some great stain removal products that you may be interested in.

Final Thoughts

We all know the horror of accidentally spilling makeup or staining our clothes with makeup. Rather than finding a way to resolve the issue, it seems like the easiest thing to do is throw away the clothing and move on. But wait! With the solutions we listed above, removing makeup stains from clothing is easy and simple. Whether you’ve stained with powder makeup, liquid makeup, or lipstick, we’ve come up with a solution for you. So before throwing your stained clothing in the trash, try our methods first.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I wash and/or dry my clothes before trying to remove the stain?

When most people stain their clothes with makeup, their first instinct is to throw in the washer and dryer to fix it. Don’t do this! This will likely let the makeup soak into the clothing even more, making it much more difficult to remove. First, use one of the methods we have talked about to resolve the issue. Once the stain is completely removed, that is when you can wash and dry the clothing as usual.

What if I already put it in the washer and the stain isn’t out?

Putting the stained clothing into the washer before using one of the methods we have listed above is probably not the best solution. It just makes getting the stain out much more difficult. But, we don’t want you to think it is impossible. We recommend using one of the methods for a long period of time, and you may be able to get the stain out completely. It really depends on how long the clothing has been stained for.

What if the stain isn’t coming out?

If you have tried the methods we listed above and the stain still isn’t going away, we have another solution for you. You can try doing the methods multiple times to try to get the stain out. But if that fails too, take the clothing item to the dry cleaners. They will likely be able to remove the stain for you. Make sure that you tell them exactly what makeup the clothing is stained with and how you stained it. This will give them a better idea of how to remove the stain best.

Can I use a rag or paper towel instead of a toothbrush?

We do not recommend using a rag or paper towel in place of a toothbrush. This is because the towel will only push and rub the stain into the clothing instead of getting it out. A soft-bristled toothbrush is gentle enough that it won’t rub the makeup in. It works much better than other methods, and you are much more likely to remove the stain.