Lipstick stains can be annoying. They can also be stubborn to remove. Why does lipstick prefer to stick to your collar or sleeve more than your lips? It’s an age-old question. An even bigger question is, how to get the lipstick out of your clothes?
Scrape away excess lipstick with a blunt knife or credit card. Make sure any clumps of lipstick have been removed. Apply a stain remover to both sides of the stained area. Wash the garment as normal and air dry. Laundry detergent, rubbing alcohol, and dish soap are all effective lipstick stain removers.
In this article, you’ll learn how to remove lipstick stains from your clothes. Discover everyday items that can banish the dreaded lipstick on your collar syndrome.
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Why Does Lipstick Stain Clothes?
Lipstick is a colored cosmetic that enhances the color of lips and provides protection against weather conditions, particularly temperature extremes. Lips are a fragile part of our bodies and are easily damaged by wind, cold, and hot sunshine. They can quickly become sore and dehydrated.
Your favorite shade of lippy helps prevent the unattractive and painful cracking caused by loss of moisture. It also helps give your lips a boost of sensual color. From a seductive cherry red to a subtle shade of pink, lipsticks can lift your self-esteem by improving your pout look.
Essentially, lipstick is a moisturizing dye designed for your skin. Made from wax, oil, and color pigments, many are intended to be long-lasting and waterproof. Great news for a killer smile, but not so great for other items that come into contact with your lips.
When you think about it, lipstick has to put up with some harsh treatment. From drinking, eating, talking, and kissing, your lips work hard every day. Your lipstick has to be able to keep up. More importantly, it has to be able to stay on your lips. Or at least most of it does.
Some of your lipstick will inevitably rub off as you go about your daily activities. From marks on your coffee cup to stains on the fabric of your clothes. Even your partner’s skin can end up with a tell-tale glimpse of your signature shade on their neck, cheek, or collar.
The reason lipstick transfers so easily is down to the ingredients. Wax gives lipstick its smooth spreadability, while oil provides moisture and keeps your lips supple.
Oils like lanolin, jojoba, castor oil, and mineral oil can leave grease stains on the fabric. Cocoa butter, a known body moisturizer, can also cause oily marks on your clothes.
Add a little color pigment to the mix and you have a grease stain that sticks out like a sore thumb. Bright red, lip-shaped, and plain as the nose on your face.
Does Lipstick Come Out of Clothes?
Yes, lipstick comes out of clothes. It’s not always as easy as it sounds, though. Lipstick is designed to have staying power. The oils and dye in the lipstick make the substance one trickier stains to get rid of.
The key to successfully removing lipstick from your clothes is to act as soon as you see the stain. Preferably before the garment is washed and dried.
As most lipsticks are waterproof thanks to the wax content, washing the garment won’t remove the pigment or the oil. It may even push the stain further into the fibers.
Drying the garment can be equally disastrous, especially if you use your dryer. The heat from the drying process can set stains. Leading to a permanent stain on the material.
You should always check your laundry for stains before dumping your clothing in your washing machine. If you’ve been wearing lipstick, this step is crucial. Even if you’ve been super careful, you may have accidentally squished some loose lippy with your elbow or smooched it into your partner’s shirt.
Like most stains, lipstick on your collar will be much easier to remove before you try washing the garment. Stay away from the washing machine until you’ve read the next section.
How to Get Lipstick Out of Clothes
The first thing you should do when you notice a lipstick stain on your clothes is take a deep breath. There’s no need to panic, so just breathe for a moment. Grab a blunt knife or an old credit card and carefully scrape off the loose lipstick on the surface of the stain.
You’ll want to do this over a waste paper basket or a sink. Direct the lipstick flakes away from your clothes and into the safety of the waiting receptacle.
Next, check the garment’s care label. You’ll want to make sure your clothing is washable. If it turns out to be dry clean only, don’t attempt to use any of the following remedies. Take it to a professional dry cleaner. They have products and equipment to remove the lipstick without damaging your garment.
Once you’ve established your clothing can be washed, you can treat the stain yourself. I’ve put together a step-by-step guide for removing lipstick from washable clothes using popular household products.
1. Dish Soap
Washing up liquid or dish soap is specially formulated to remove oil and grease stains from your dishes. It doesn’t matter what brand you use, although Dawn Dish Soap is particularly effective. All dish soaps are gentle enough for use on your skin and clothing.
You will need:
- Dish soap
- Your garment
- A small bowl of water
- Kitchen paper
- Bath or hand towel
- Washing machine
- Your usual laundry detergent
Step 1
Choose a bath or hand towel big enough to fit underneath your garment. Lay it flat on a hard surface. Place your garment with the stained side down on top of the towel.
Step 2
Put a tiny amount of lukewarm water into a small bowl. A breakfast bowl is fine for this. Using your fingers, splash the water from the bowl onto the stained area. There needs to be enough water to dampen the area, not get it soaking wet. Then, add some dish soap. Leave the garment to soak for about 10 – 15 minutes.
Step 3
Blot the stain with the kitchen paper. Don’t rub, just gently press the towel down onto the stain and lift it. The lipstick should transfer to the kitchen paper as you do this. As soon as the paper towel has lipstick on it, swap it for a clean one. Keep blotting with the kitchen paper until the lipstick has been removed.
Step 4
Once you are happy all the lipstick has gone, wash the garment. Use your regular laundry detergent and wash as you would normally. When the wash cycle has finished, check for residual stains. They should have all gone. If they haven’t, repeat the process. Otherwise, air dry your garment.
2. Lemon Juice and Baking Soda
This remedy works best on lipstick stains you only notice after the garment has been laundered. It will take a couple of attempts, but you should see the lipstick fading with each try.
You will need:
- Lemon juice
- Baking soda
- Your garment
- Toothbrush
- Washing machine
- Your regular laundry detergent
Step 1
Make a paste by mixing the lemon juice and baking soda. It should be a spreadable paste, not too lumpy but not too runny. Rub it into the lipstick stain with your toothbrush. Be gentle, you don’t want to rub a hole in your garment.
Step 2
Leave the mixture on the garment so it can soak into the fibers. About 30 minutes should do it. Then, brush the paste away. At this point, you should be able to see if the lipstick has been removed successfully.
If it hasn’t, repeat step 1. Use caution when you rub more paste into the stain. The garment will get wetter every time you do this and could be damaged if you are too rough.
Step 3
When you are happy the lipstick stain has gone, launder your garment as you would normally. Use your regular detergent and washing cycle. Once the cycle has completed, air dry the garment.
3. Laundry Detergent
You are going to need a liquid laundry detergent for this method. As you will be using the detergent neat, use rubber gloves to protect your hands.
You will need:
- Liquid laundry detergent
- A bath towel or hand towel
- Rubber gloves
- Your garment
- Spray bottle containing clean water
- Kitchen paper
- Washing machine
Step 1
Lay your towel out on a flat surface. Then spread your garment out on top of it. Make sure the stain is facing downwards. Spray water on the stain until it is damp. It doesn’t need to be soaked.
Step 2
Add 1 teaspoon of liquid laundry detergent to the stain and gently push it into the stain with your fingers. Wear your rubber gloves to protect your hands.
Step 3
Leave the detergent to soak into the stain for 10 minutes. You can leave it longer if you want to. When the time is up, use the kitchen paper to blot the stain. As you press the kitchen paper onto the stain, the lipstick should transfer to the paper.
Step 4
Keep blotting with the kitchen paper until you’re happy with the results. As soon as lipstick is on the paper, change it to a fresh sheet.
Step 5
Launder your garment as you would normally with your usual laundry detergent. Check it for residual stains when the wash cycle has finished. If you can still see some lipstick, repeat the process. Otherwise, air dry your garment.
4. Hairspray or Hand Sanitizer
For this one to work, you’ll need a hairspray that contains rubbing alcohol or isopropyl alcohol. If it doesn’t, reach for the hand sanitizer instead. Make sure your garment is colorfast for this method, as alcohol is a known color-remover.
You will need:
- Hairspray or hand sanitizer
- Your garment
- Cotton balls
- Washing machine
- Your usual laundry detergent
Step 1
Apply the hairspray or hand sanitizer to the lipstick stain. Hairspray can be sprayed on but remember, it has to contain alcohol. If you are using hand sanitizer, use a cotton ball to apply it. Leave the stain to soak up the sanitizer or hairspray for at least 10 minutes.
Step 2
Use a clean cotton ball to blot the hairspray or sanitizer into the stain. As soon as you see lipstick transferring to the cotton ball, swap it for a fresh one. Keep doing this until the lipstick has all gone.
Step 3
Wash your garment as you would normally use your regular detergent. Check for residual lipstick stains before you dry it. If any remain, repeat the steps above. Otherwise, air dry your garment. Avoid using your dryer, as this could permanently set any residue you’ve missed.
5. Distilled White Vinegar
Distilled white vinegar can remove lipstick from clothes, carpets, and fabric-covered furniture. Make sure the item you want to treat is colorfast, though. Just like alcohol, vinegar can remove color. Good news for your lipstick stain but not so good for your garment.
You will need:
- Distilled white vinegar
- Cotton balls
- Clean cloth
- Your garment
- Cool water
- Washing machine
- Your usual laundry detergent
Step 1
Make sure it is safe to use vinegar on your garment by doing a spot check first. If there are no signs of discoloration, color bleeding, or other damage, then it’s OK to continue.
Step 2
Gently dap the vinegar into the lipstick stain with a cotton ball. Leave it to sit for about 10 minutes. Then, blot the stain with a clean cotton ball. Don’t be tempted to rub, though. Rubbing with spread the lipstick further. As soon as you see lipstick on the cotton ball, replace it with a fresh, clean ball. Keep blotting until all the lipstick has been removed.
Step 3
Wet your clean cloth with cool water. Apply it to the stained area and blot to remove the vinegar and any remaining lipstick. All traces of lippy should be gone. If they aren’t, repeat the vinegar treatment.
Step 4
Wash your garment as you would normally use your regular detergent. When the wash cycle has finished, check the garment for any remaining stains. This is particularly important if you want to use your dryer, as any remnants of lipstick will be set permanently. To be on the safe side, air dry the clothing.
6. Shaving Cream
Who would have thought shaving cream could do more than protect your skin while shaving? Well, it can! It makes a great stain remover.
You will need:
- Shaving cream
- Your garment
- Washing Machine
- Your usual laundry detergent
Step 1
Apply the shaving cream to the lipstick stain. Gently press the cream into the stain with your fingers. Leave it to soak for about 10 minutes.
Step 2
Wash your garment as you would normally. Your usual laundry detergent will be fine. When the wash cycle has been completed, check for signs of stains. If you’re happy they are all gone, air dry the clothing.
How to Remove Lipstick From Clothes After the Dryer
Removing any stain from clothes after they have been for a tumble in the dryer can be a challenge. Lipstick stains are no exception. The heat from a dryer can help set the stain into the fabric, making it next to impossible to remove.
Always check your clothes for any kind of stain before putting them in a dryer. But if you do miss one, don’t panic. There are still ways to remove stains, even stubborn lipstick marks after the clothes have been dried.
1. Rubbing Alcohol
Rubbing alcohol or isopropyl alcohol is a stain remover. It will work the same way as your alcohol-based hairspray and hand sanitizer. If you don’t have any of those, you can also use a splash of vodka.
Before using an alcohol-based remedy, check your garment is colorfast. Alcohol will eat color and it isn’t picky about it being lipstick or the color of your clothing.
You will need:
- Rubbing alcohol or vodka
- Cotton balls
- Your garment
- Cool water
- Washing machine
- Your regular laundry detergent
Step 1
Dab the alcohol onto the stained area with a cotton ball. Leave it to soak for about 5 minutes. Then blot the alcohol into the stain with a clean cotton ball.
Step 2
Keep blotting the stain with cotton balls. As the lipstick lifts off and adheres to the cotton ball, change it to a fresh one. Continue to blot the lipstick stain until it is all gone.
Step 3
Wash your garment as usual with your normal washing detergent. Check for lipstick residue once the wash cycle has ended. If it’s all clear, it’s safe to dry your garment. For best results, air dry it.
2. Nail Polish Remover
Nail polish remover can take the paint off your nails, so it’s no surprise it can take the lipstick out of your clothes. However, you want to be confident there is no acetate content in your garment first. Check the care label before getting the nail polish remover anywhere near it.
If your garment has even the slightest trace of acetate, do not use this method. Nail polish removers can contain acetone which melts acetate.
You will need:
- Nail polish remover
- Cotton balls
- Your garment
- Washing machine
- Your usual washing detergent
Step 1
Apply the nail polish remover to the dried-on lipstick stain. Leave it for 10 minutes. Blot it with a cotton ball. As soon as lipstick transfers to the cotton ball, change to a clean one. Keep blotting and lifting the lipstick away from the fabric.
Step 2
When the lipstick has stopped transferring to the cotton balls, it’s time to wash your garment. Use your regular detergent and normal wash cycle. When the cycle has ended, check for signs of lipstick stains. If some remain, repeat the process. Only dry the garment when you are happy all traces of lipstick are gone.
3. Commercial Stain Removers
Commercial stain removers have been formulated to remove all sorts of stains from clothing. The best ones are Oxiclean, Shout, and Resolve. You can pick them up from your local big box store.
They come as a powder, a liquid, and even a spray. The one you go for will depend on your preference. It’s a good idea to check the stains they can remove before buying as they don’t all work on the same kind.
When using a commercial remover, always read the instructions on the packaging. These will tell you how much to use and apply the product. It’s important to follow the manufacturer’s directions exactly. Commercial removers can contain chemicals and incorrect usage could harm you and your clothes.
Can Lipstick Stains Be Removed From Dry Clean Only Garments?
Yes, lipstick stains can be removed from dry clean only garments. However, removing them is not something you should be doing yourself at home.
If your garment’s care label says “Dry Clean Only”, then it usually means it is water intolerant. Or likely to be damaged if it is washed. This can include fabrics like silk, chiffon, or suede.
As most home remedies for stain removal involve using a washing machine or water, the effect on your dry clean only garment could be devastating. Instead of cleaning it, you could ruin it.
Spare yourself the cost of replacing your garment and take it to a professional dry cleaner. They will have all the equipment and specialized products to deal with the lipstick stain.
Yes, it will incur some expense in the form of a dry cleaning bill. But, the cost of professional cleaning is a lot cheaper than buying a new garment.
Can I Prevent Lipstick From Staining My Clothes?
Yes, most of the time, lipstick stains can be avoided. However, we are all human and accidents happen. So although you can prevent lipstick from staining your clothes, there’s always going to be that sneaky bit of lippy that slips through to your fabric.
There are a couple of things you can do to lessen the odds of lipstick accidents happening. The first is to get dressed before you apply your lipstick. That way, you won’t accidentally rub your clothes across your face and pick up the lippy on the way down.
Next, you need to make sure you set your lipstick. To do this, you need to blot your lippy with a tissue after applying it. The excess color on your lips will stain your clothes, so transferring it to a tissue stops it in its tracks. Then, dab your face powder across your lips. The powder will help soak up any loose moisture and keep the lipstick where it belongs.
How to Get Lipstick Out of Clothes Fast?
If you need to get lipstick out of clothes fast, you need to act while the stain is still wet. Grab a blunt knife or an old credit card and scrape away the excess. Next, apply a bit of dish soap or use a commercial stain remover to treat the remaining lipstick.
Then wash your garment or take it to a dry cleaner as soon as possible. Lipstick can be tricky to remove from clothes, but it’s not impossible. Using the tips in this article, your clothes should be lipstick-free.
Have you had to remove lipstick from your clothes? What method did you use? Let me know in the comments.