How to Remove Lipstick from Clothes

So an enthusiastic hug from your date has left you with a lipstick stain on your favorite shirt? Well, firstly, be a gentleman and return the enthusiasm with equal fervor. Try to forget about the charming imprint till you can come home and read this story!

Your paranoia is quite understandable, lipstick stains are quite hard to remove, thanks to the new smudge-proof and long-lasting lipstick formulations incorporated in almost all branded lipsticks. If they are allowed to set in, chances are that you will be spending your entire weekend trying to rub it out (without any marked success of course).

However, rather than tearing your hair out wondering how to remove lipstick from sweaters or shirts, try some of these quick fix easy steps, for lipstick stain removal.

Before you try any of the stain removal techniques, read the clothing label for any washing instructions. If the garment requires a special treatment, like dry cleaning, then it needs to be taken to a professional. If not, then you can take care of it as soon as you come home with these simple steps.

• Use denatured alcohol, like rubbing alcohol, to remove the lipstick stain from your clothes. The way to go about this method, is to use a soft, clean, white cloth and add a bit of alcohol to it. Now blot the stain repeatedly till it vanishes and then rinse off with cold water. Remember not to rub the area or you will just end up spreading the mark.

• Since lipsticks are a grease-based oil products, using any of the grease pretreatments seems to do the job as well. Just blot the spot with some pretreatment using a white cloth and let it stay on for fifteen minutes. Now rinse off with warm water to get rid of the stains.

• For the harder, more stubborn stains, try using a stain stick or spray. If you are unable to get hold of these, try to use bleach for removing these stubborn lipstick stains. You can use color bleach for colored fabrics, black bleach for dark fabrics, and normal bleach for white fabrics. 

• With the help of a soft bristled toothbrush dipped in bleach, remove the stains by swishing the brush in a circular motion.
• Hair spray is a great lipstick stain removal tool. Just spray right onto the stain and wait for ten minutes, before cleaning the stain off with warm water.

• Rubbing petroleum jelly, like Vaseline, onto the stain can effectively remove the stain. If the greasy stain still stays on, you can try using baking soda on the area. Shaving cream is also a good solvent and can be dabbed on and rinsed off with club soda, to remove the stain.

• One of the sure shot remedies is using ammonia to remove the stain. Use a cotton swab dipped in ammonia and blot off the stain.

Once you have tried out any of these methods, wash your fabric and let it air dry. If these tips do not seem to work for you, then there are also a host of commercial fabric cleaners which are quite effective in combating lipstick stains or for that matter, any oil-based stains.

The best way to avoid these stains from setting in is to comfort the smudge with water, the sooner, the better. So if you are a regular wearer of lipstick or your date is, you now have a game plan to chase off those nasty lipstick stains!