The old cliche of lipstick stains on a shirt collar is not the only place where lipstick can end up. Lipstick stains can end up on linen napkins, silk scarves, as well as T-shirts and any other clothing it happens to come into contact with. As make-up becomes more sophisticated, with formulas such as extra gloss, waterproof solution and long lasting formula, stains get more difficult to remove. A wipe with a damp tissue is simply not enough. Here we will give a tip on how to remove lipstick stains;
Lipstick tends to be oily or waxy in consistency, therefore some kind of degreaser is needed to help remove the stain. As with any stain, the quicker it can be treated the better, however this is not always possible. Always consider the fabric you are working on and how it should be treated, garments made of silk or wool need to be treated with care. A good degreaser however is a mild soap such as washing up liquid or laundry liquid.
First, put the garment, stain side down, onto an old towel or some paper kitchen towel.
Next, apply the stain remover to the stain via the back of the garment.
Put another paper towel or cloth over this to ‘sandwich’ the stain, working it with some friction.
This should lift as much of the lipstick as possible.
Next, apply a pre-wash stain remover and launder the garment as normal. This should do the trick at removing the lipstick stain.
There are many specialist stain removers on the market, including pre-wash stain remover. This is not always required, as sometimes using a soap/degreaser is enough to lift the stain, but in instances where this isn’t enough then a commercial stain remover can be used.