You may think that a stain is a stain is a stain. But that’s not the case. Some stains are simply more challenging to remove than others. Lipstick stains can be especially cumbersome, but not if you know the tips to getting rid of them! It seems that shirts (primarily their collars) are often the victim of lipstick stains. But you can save clothes from those red, purple, pink, or even green smudges by just taking a few simple steps! By reading this article, you will learn how to become a lipstick stain’s worst enemy.
You obviously want to keep that beautiful red color on your lips and not on your beau’s collar, but that’s hard to do sometimes. And unfortunately, when your lipstick ends up somewhere it doesn’t belong, you’re probably engaged in a social situation. You may not notice the stain or you may not have time to deal with it. But the sooner you confront that smudge, the better. You don’t want to give it a second to sink into the fabric. Even if the lipstick stain is let off the hook for a period of time, however, that doesn’t mean there’s not hope.
So here’s what you should do when you discover a rosy smudge of lipstick on a shirt:
First off, gently dab the lipstick stain. But not with mere water. Instead, apply an alcohol swab to the fabric. If you don’t have alcohol on hand, however, cold water will do.
Now, you can really attack that stain! Grab less than a handful of clothes detergent and and with just one finger, rub it into that annoying blotch. Remember that certain detergents are more adept to chase away those lipstick stains, as lipstick is oil-based; thus, products that fight grease specifically are ideal. Dawn detergent is great for fighting lipstick.
Your lip-stick stained clothes are now ready to be tossed in the clothes washer. Use the normal settings for washing and drying; however, if you have the time, wash the fabric with your hands in warm, soapy water and don’t stick the shirt in the machine dryer either. It’s probably better that you let the air dry it, rather than the machine.
There are two other home remedies that are largely unknown. Both ammonia and hairspray sometimes do the trick! If you choose to get at the stain with hairspray, let the spray sit on the stain for about 10 minutes before you wipe the stain away and then finally wash the clothes.
Here are some important things to keep in mind as you try to kiss goodbye that lipstick stain. First of all, a gentle touch is key. If you rub the stain, you might simply rub it more deeply into the fabric! So don’t get too aggressive; patience is important.
As well, if you have a garment that’s labeled “dry clean only,” don’t bother with any of this! In fact, if you do, you’ll only make it harder on the dry cleaners when you do finally surrender and ask them to handle the pesky blotch.
If none of these tips work for you, you might just have to give in and make a trip to the dry cleaners. If you want to be assured that the stain is taken care of, talk to your dry cleaner about your specific problem.
But if you still are insistent on doing it yourself, there are other mightier products you can turn to that will scare those stains silly. Some fabric cleaners are designed to combat oil-based stains, so in addition to making those lipstick stains disappear, stains from crayons, tar, paint, and even chewing gum can be removed with them. (Clearly, clothes aren’t these cleaner’s only concern! Nothing is off limits really, from carpets to construction tools, these products are miracle workers.) One example of this is the popular Motsenbocker’s Lift Off #2. But there are others, like Xenit and Kleen-Touch. With many of these commercial products, you will still use the steps listed above; but at least this time around, you’ll have a little extra help on hand!
So, now you can apply that lipstick as liberally as you like, without worrying about it traveling to places it doesn’t belong. After all, you’ve got a game plan to chase off those nasty stains if it does! And they really aren’t impossible to get rid of as you might have originally thought. As long as know what to do, you will be in control and your clothes will always be fresh and clean.
