How To Get Lipstick Out Of Fabric

How it starts

Picture this: you're getting ready for a date or a big celebration. You pick out your outfit with considerable time and effort. Then you do your make up, after this you are looking sharp and dazzling. Once you're at the event, you look down at your clothing and realize you somehow have a stain from your lipstick on your sleeve.

At this point, you become frantic and least likely to start a conversation with others in an attempt to minimize the focus on yourself. This leads to stress and anxiety, as a woman it is impossible to say that we've never been there.

As women, we have the natural tendency to want to accentuate our lips with a color that is sure to be eye-catching or enhance our sensuality. However, it is easy for these small mistakes to happen on a night out with friends, loved ones, or colleagues.

At this point, many women scrounge to find the answer that plagues their mind after the unsightly stain, how to get lipstick out of shirt/top? It is simple when you realize it. There are many ways that you can remove your lipstick stain without having to ax it and buy a new one.

Some women end up increasing the stain or damaging their clothing due to their unawareness. The main thing is not to panic or do anything drastic that would damage the shirt even further. While many take their clothing to the dry cleaning place, there are better do-it-yourself options that you can do right in your own home.

We have comprised the following list that will not only work effectively in how to get lipstick out of shirt, but you won't have to waste hours upon hours scrubbing away with the simplicity of this guide.

1. Read The Tag First!

The most crucial yet prone to avoid step is reading the fabric label on the shirt or clothing before washing it. While many go by instinct, it is critical to first find out what you can and can't do depending on the type of fabric it is.

Tag information and dress shirt maintenance

Many who skip this crucial step end up causing gradual wear and tear in their clothing fabric. It is important to note what needs to be done before starting the washing process as it is important to find out how to properly wash the clothing. For example, the following is advised:

Bleach is better used on cotton rather than polyester fabrics, as it can end up causing a yellow-like-stain on that fabric type
Find out whether the fabric is dry clean only before washing, as washing these fabrics can end up worsening through a normal wash
If it is wool fabric, it can be damaged by using anything from alcohol, acetone, bleach, or laundry detergent

The care tag could make a huge difference when it comes to the final product. Although it is possible to remove the stain, you could end up causing holes in the fabric or even worse loosen threads and ruin an expensive nightgown.

2. Immediate Emergency Tactics!

How can you lessen the lipstick stain right on the spot?

When you realize you have a lipstick stain, the smudge could worsen if you immediately try to remove it on your own with simple water and soap. It is important to know what to do in this case to make the aftermath of washing the fabric less complicated and easier to gently remove.

If your blouse or shirt has excess lipstick, it can be incredibly dangerous to wash off immediately as it can spread to other areas. You want to be able to lessen the stain, this could be done with a card or tool to slightly scrape up the lipstick off the piece of clothing.

This could also help with a variety of other makeup faux pas as rubbing in a large chunk or piece of lipstick could end up in a worse disaster than you originally started with. It is important to remember if you follow this step, you could easily avoid hours of extra cleaning that could lessen your free time with your family or friends.

3. Nuanced Ways to Remove a Lipstick Stain

Dab with alcohol

While many decide to use more conventional methods like laundry detergent or bleach to remove lipstick stains before washing, there are more unique ways to remove lipstick from clothes.

For example, dabbing the stain with rubbing alcohol is a gentle way of tackling the stain before throwing it in the washing machine. This helps reduce the stain by dissolving the ink off the fabric type.

This method works when you:

Douse a cotton pad or cotton ball with alcohol
Dab the stain gentle without scrubbing too hard to damage the fabric
It is important to then rinse off the stain with cold water, only when most of the stain is gone
Throw into the washing machine to finish the job.

This method is simple and doesn't require much effort, it can reduce your time in the laundry room and also prepare you for your next outing in minimum time.

The Hairspray Method

Not very many people know about this method of removing clothing, as it is the most unconventional way. Those who first hear about it tend to speculate whether it is even possible and are hesitant to try it.

But when you're stuck with a situation where you may feel desperate or genuinely frustrated, it doesn't hurt to try different things. The hairspray method works similarly to the alcohol method due to its alcohol component, in other words, it also dissolves the ink off any fabric.

It is important to get a hairspray that has the alcohol ingredient for this method to work. If your stain is recent or just happened, this method will work even better.

Much like the alcohol method, you will spray a bit of alcohol on the area that is stained and dab it gently until you see the stain fade away slightly or completely. Then you can wash it to get rid of any residual stains.

Or use shaving cream!

So maybe you don't own hairspray in your home, and you ask yourself how to get lipstick out of clothes without hairspray? Another typical bathroom product you may own is shaving cream.

This one may sound a little strange as well, however it is also worth trying and it can save you precious time. Make sure that it is not a gel shaving cream before using. This time you will need to apply a heavy amount of shaving cream to the fabric and leave until it is dry.

Then you will throw it in the washing machine, as usual, this will continue to strip the stain from the clothing. However, before you dry the clothing it is important to triple check to make sure that the stain has been completely removed.

If the stain is not removed before drying it will only serve to enhance the longevity of the stain, making it extremely complex to remove.

4. The ole liquid detergent or hand soap trick

How does liquid detergent or hand soap help remove lipstick?

Many who have had this disastrous experience typically run to the bathroom and use hand soap to blot out the lipstick stain. This acts as another emergency tactic and eventually helps the complete removal of the lipstick stain later on in the washing machine.

Didn't have time to do this method immediately! Don't fret, as soon as you get home it will be easier and could work more efficiently if done right before washing as well. For this method, you will need to:

Make sure that the clothing is laid down on top of a towel in case there is an extra spillage or so it doesn't go through the clothing onto the location it is laying in
First, put some water on the stained area
Use the hand soap on the fabric
Leave the liquid to dissolve and soak for approximately 10-15 minutes
Then use a paper towel to blot the liquid. Make sure to not rub in as it can affect the fabric or affect the color of the shirt.
Once you're done double check if there is any stain left on the shirt, if you see that there is any residual mark you can continue the process.
When the stain has completely disappeared, you can go ahead and wash the clothing item

This method could also work with liquid detergent or shampoo if you don't have hand soap readily available. These products not only help remove lipstick but could also be used to remove anything from sauce, grease, oil, and ink stains.

Using these products to remove lipstick stains are popular due to their versatility, it is the first logical thought when the accident first occurs.

5. The Magic of Baking Soda

How does baking soda help remove lipstick stains?

When it comes to cleaning the household or spot cleaning areas of your home, there is one item that usually tends to do the trick and that is none other than baking soda. Baking Soda has an abundance of uses including health and hygienic reasons.

It is no wonder that this ingredient can also work wonders when it comes to removing lipstick stains on clothing. It is important to dilute the baking soda either with water or lemon.

Note that lemon has a brightening effect which helps in the removal of stains, but can brighten colored shirts, so it is critical to make sure you use a small amount to not have any fabric discoloration as a result.

Make sure to mix equal parts baking soda to equal parts lemon, this will form a white paste-like substance. If it is an older stain, you will rub this substance onto the stain. Scrubbing will help slowly lighten and remove the stain. Then you let it sit for about thirty minutes or so.

After this step, you will remove the stain with a brush or cloth and double-check to see if the stain has been removed. If the stain is still persistent, you could use the same brush to rub the stain and see if it will come off.

However, if the fabric is delicate silk, you should not rub any further to not damage the fabric. This type of fabric is better off being dry cleaned or taken to dry cleaning services.

Once you see that the stain has been completely removed, you will proceed to the last step which is to wash the clothing and then before drying, making sure once again that the stain is completely gone.

6. Removing Lipstick Stains With Other Methods

Stain Removing Pen

Another emergency tactic that you could use when you've just had the accident happen is using a stain removing pen or agent. These products help break down the stain and they usually contain a microfiber pad that helps absorb the stain.

The best part about these products is the mobility and the easy to use factor. You can carry it in your pocket or handbag and take it out whenever a stain occurs, this is a revolutionary tactic as it helps aid stain removal and you don't have to spend too much time cleaning it afterward.

Dry cleaning

While many decide to clean the lipstick stain on their own or at home, it is important to note that not every fabric can be rubbed in or blotted with the previous methods. Some fabrics need to be dry cleaned, such as:

Satin and silk
Wool
Chiffon
Leather
Suede

Dry cleaning uses liquid detergent that has no enzymes or other chemical-based liquid solvents to clean the clothing rather than your average laundry detergent. Some who don't have the proper tools or have no awareness of how to dry clean end up taking their clothing to the dry cleaner or laundry service where they dry clean instead.