How to get lip gloss out of your clothes

How to get lip gloss out of your clothes

Has this ever happened to you? You’re in a rush to get out the door for a date and all you have left to do is put on your lip gloss. In your haste, you accidentally drop the lip gloss wand. You look down in horror to see that there is now a lip gloss smear on your dress! 

Take a deep breath, it’s going to be okay. Many of us have accidentally gotten lip gloss stains on our clothes, even though we are careful. This article will thoroughly explain how to remove the offending lip gloss marks from your clothes.

The first rule is to never try to rub the lip gloss off, as that will push the lip gloss further into the clothing fibers. Luckily, there are several household products that you probably have in your home right now that can help get rid of the stain. Read below to learn how to salvage your clothes!

Stubborn stains

Lip glosses are made with various oils and thickeners, which give it the characteristic shiny and thick consistency. These lip gloss properties make your lips look amazing. But, it means that lip gloss stains can be very stubborn. The longer the stain has been left on clothing, the harder it is to remove. Always remove any lip gloss, or cosmetic, stain as soon as you notice it on clothes or carpet. 

Step-by-step solutions

The great thing is that you very likely have solutions to this problem already in your cabinets. A good rule of thumb is to use milder products like dish soap and baking soda on delicates and whites. You can always start with more gentle detergents and switch to the stronger solvents if needed.

Scrape off excess

Don’t wait for the stain to dry! The first step is to carefully scrape off any of the excess lip gloss. To do this, use something flat that can scrape off the excess but not smear it around. The back of a butterknife would work well for this.

Dish soap or liquid detergent

Use a dish soap, such a Dawn, that is designed to remove grease and oil. Don’t use super concentrated commercial cleaners or cleaners that include brighteners or bleach. That could ruin your clothes! Simply dab the stain with the detergent and let it soak for 10 minutes. Alternatively, you can soak the whole garment in a solution of dish soap and water. The soap breaks down the lip gloss oils. Next, after the soap has thoroughly penetrated the stain, rub the stain and get as much of it off as possible. Using an old toothbrush on the stain may help get it out more quickly.   

Baking soda

Baking soda is a mild and absorbent remedy that can remove grease — or lip gloss — stains from your clothes. Make a baking soda paste with water and apply it to the lip gloss spots. Let the paste soak into the stain and fabric, then rub the stain to remove as much as possible. Don’t hesitate to soak your whole garment in a baking soda/water solution overnight. If you want to do that, use a cup of baking soda in half a bucket of water. 

White vinegar

Vinegar is a great cleanser that removes stains and smells from clothes. Pour vinegar onto the stained area and then saturate a sponge or cloth with vinegar. Using the sponge or cloth, rub the stain until it comes off. The vinegar saturated sponge will absorb the lip gloss residue and leave the clothes clean. Afterwards, make sure to wash the clothes in cold water and detergent. 

OxiClean

Spray the stain with OxiClean liquid or make your own OxiClean paste with the powder and water. Completely saturate the stained area and let it soak for 5-10 minutes. Next, rub the stain under water to remove the lip gloss. This method is not recommended for use on delicate fabrics such as pure silk, silk blends, or wool blends.

Rubbing alcohol

Soak a cloth or cotton ball in rubbing alcohol. Without rubbing, blot the stain until it disappears. You may need to change your cloth position during this process so you are blotting the stain with clean sections of cloth. 

Other options

The methods above use the most gentle and safe ingredients. Other methods include using hair spray, WD-40, Goo Gone, or ammonia. While those methods also work, they are more likely to potentially damage delicate clothes and also have stronger smells. 

Wash the clothes

Once you have removed as much of the stain as possible, wash your clothing using detergent and cool water. Since the heat from a clothes dryer tends to set stains in clothes and make them harder to remove, it is recommended to air dry the stained clothes after the first wash. That way, you can make sure that the stain was fully removed. If it was not fully removed, you can try to remove more of the stain with additional detergents/solvents and more scrubbing. 

When to avoid DIY solutions

If you get lip gloss on something that is dry clean only, you will need to take your clothing to a dry cleaner to have them remove the stain with naphtha. You don’t want to ruin an expensive piece of clothing by trying to remove it yourself!

How to avoid lip gloss stains

Don’t make the same mistake twice! Avoid lip gloss stains by following these tips:

  • Check all of your pockets before doing the laundry
  • Put your makeup on after you are dressed
  • Remove your makeup before getting undressed
  • Make sure the lip gloss cap is tightened securely after using it and before putting it in your purse

Don't panic if you see lip gloss on your clothes. Follow these easy remedies and get back out there feeling confident!

 

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