Your morning can change from good to bad in minutes when you get lipstick all over your garment. If the garment is a dark colour such as black or the color of your lipstick, you can proceed with the day’s activities without a wardrobe change.
However, if the lipstick stain is visible, you need to take care of it or get another outfit altogether. Ideally, don’t leave the stain on for long; remove the stain while it’s still fresh. Here’s what to do to get lipstick off your clothes.
Use alcohol
Scrape the lipstick off your garment with a blunt object such as the back of a knife. Scraping prevents smudges over another section of the garment as you clean the stain. Additionally, scraping the excess also makes it easier to remove the stain underneath.
Wet a clean piece of cloth or a cotton ball with rubbing alcohol. Test the fabric by dabbing an inconspicuous section with the cotton ball. If there is no visible damage on the fabric, work on the stain.
Dab the cotton ball on the stain without applying too much force. If you rub it, the stain will set and spread. You can start around the edges towards the center of the stain.
Rinse the garment in cold water to remove traces of the alcohol and the lipstick. Wash the garment the normal way if the stain removal process was a pre-wash procedure.
2. Use dish washing soap or laundry detergent
These two are perhaps the most readily available solutions when you want to act fast. They are also safe to use on various fabrics unlike bleaching agents that damage fabrics when used in large amounts.
The soap works because it break downs oil which is one of the main ingredients in lipstick. Here’s what to do.
- Lay a clean piece of cloth or paper napkin over the working surface.
- Next, lay the stained garment on the cloth with the stain in direct contact with the cloth/paper napkin. On the back of the garment, since the stain is facing down, dab a generous amount of soap.
- Give it about 10 minutes to penetrate the fiber then blot the stain out with a damp, clean fabric. As you blot the stain gently, the paper napkin absorbs the water and lipstick residue.
- Change the napkin severally so that the stain does not spread as you blot.
- When all traces of the lipstick fade away, wash the garment the normal way.
3. Use Hairspray
Get a hairspray with high alcohol content so it can be effective as quickly as possible. Spray the stain area generously and leave it for about 10 minutes.
Dab the stain residue off using a damn piece of cloth. Wash the garment the normal way.
When choosing a method to use, consider the type of fabric you have so that the materials used do not damage the garment. Additionally, always test the corrosiveness of the materials, and also read the manufacturer’s care symbols on the garment.