How to get stubborn makeup out of white clothes
Standard dishwashing liquid, overnight soaking, and expensive commercial stain removers often fail to break down dark, prominent makeup embedded in fabric fibers. This leaves clothes permanently stained and forces people to abandon expensive garments after traditional cleaning methods yield no results.
What the numbers show
Counted from the threads quoted below. How we count
- Most of it landed at once — the busiest month was September 2026, with 41 people.
- This comes up 22.3× more often in r/CleaningTips than across the site as a whole.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1using dishwashing liquid2 people mentionedDid this help you?
- 2using expensive stain removers2 people mentionedDid this help you?
- 3using expensive all white stain removersDid this help you?
- 4soaking over nightDid this help you?
- 5Soaking garments overnightDid this help you?
- 6Scrubbing manually with a brushDid this help you?
- 7Scrubbing the armpit area with a mixture of dish soap and white vinegar before washingDid this help you?
- 8Soaking just the armpits in white vinegar and dish soap before washingDid this help you?
- 9Using regular detergent and stain removerDid this help you?
- 10Using alcohol-based aftershave for alcohol-based inkDid this help you?
- 11wash on warm cycleDid this help you?
- 12scrub with dish soap using spongeDid this help you?
- 13apply gentle heat with a hairdryer or heat gunDid this help you?
- 14use headlight defogger kitsDid this help you?
- 15use toothpasteDid this help you?
- 16Using Dawn Powerwash on grease, cheese, pesto, and tomato sauceDid this help you?
- 17Soaking items in hot or warm water with Oxyclean for a day followed by scrubbingDid this help you?
- 18Using a bar of laundry soap for quicker, lighter stainsDid this help you?
- 19Using Amodex ink removerDid this help you?
- 20Applying hair lightener (bleach) with an activatorDid this help you?
- 21using GooGoneDid this help you?
- 22using alcohol or acetoneDid this help you?
- 23freezing the garment and cracking off the glueDid this help you?
- 24soaking in lukewarm water with a good detergentDid this help you?
- 25using parchment paper and an ironDid this help you?
- 26soaking in hot water to peel off the majorityDid this help you?
- 27covering the remaining spots with patches or embroideryDid this help you?
- 28Soaking the item in OxyClean White Revive and warm water overnightDid this help you?
- 29Hanging the damp garment in full sunlight to help lift the stainDid this help you?
- 30Dyeing the garment a darker color to mask the stain entirelyDid this help you?
- 31Checking specific laundry subreddits or tagged guides for heavily soiled textilesDid this help you?
- 32Regular washingDid this help you?
- 33Using dish soapDid this help you?
- 34Using vinegar and baking sodaDid this help you?
- 35Using a concoction of oxygen bleach, vinegar, and dish soapDid this help you?
- 36Using steel woolDid this help you?
- 37Dyeing the clothing item a different color like blackDid this help you?
- 38Rubbing the stains with alcohol using a Q-tip from the backside of the fabric and hand washing in cold waterDid this help you?
- 39Adding more dye to the fabricDid this help you?
- 40Accepting it as normal wear and tearDid this help you?
- 41Using Miss Mouth's Messy Eater Spray, letting it sit for 5 to 10 minutes, and washing normallyDid this help you?
- 42Applying Clorox 2 Color Safe Bleach or stain remover, letting it sit for an hour, and washing afterwardsDid this help you?
- 43Using cold waterDid this help you?
- 44Applying hydrogen peroxide mixed with waterDid this help you?
- 45Soaking in oxycleanDid this help you?
- 46Applying a mixture of hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and dish soapDid this help you?
- 47Using an enzyme cleaner and soaking beforehandDid this help you?
- 48Using meat tenderizerDid this help you?
- 49Spraying Shout or Dawn powerwashDid this help you?
- 50Soaking in hot waterDid this help you?
- 51Using Felsnaptha bar soapDid this help you?
- 52Spot dyeing the stained part and fully re-dyeing the whole shirt to restore the color toneDid this help you?
- 53Adding fabric dye directly to the washing machine with a hot pre-soakDid this help you?
- 54Using Shout stain removerDid this help you?
- 55Using Oxiclean Max Force 5 in 1 spray and leaving it for several daysDid this help you?
- 56re-washing the clothesDid this help you?
- 57using baking soda sprinkled on topDid this help you?
- 58Spray with cold water and leave in direct sunlight for a few hoursDid this help you?
- 59Soak in hot water activated OxiClean for 24 to 48 hoursDid this help you?
- 60Use pre-treatment or stain removers like Buncha or Miss Mouth's Messy Eater sprayDid this help you?
- 61Dress the baby in just a diaper during mealtimesDid this help you?
- 62Set stained clothes aside for dirty play or convert them using tie-dyeDid this help you?
- 63Soaking the clothes overnight in hot water with OxiClean and grease-fighting dish soapDid this help you?
- 64Trying home remedies like leaving the item in the sunDid this help you?
- 65Mixing baking soda and hydrogen peroxide into a paste and scrubbing with a toothbrushDid this help you?
- 66Using warm water and dish soapDid this help you?
- 67Applying isopropyl alcoholDid this help you?
- 68Using diluted vinegarDid this help you?
- 69Trying Lestiol cleanerDid this help you?
- 70Taking the garment to a professional garment care serviceDid this help you?
- 71treating with lemon juice and salt and leaving in the sunDid this help you?
- 72using commercial stain removers like vanishDid this help you?
- 73Soaking the garment overnight with Oxyboost, commercial detergent, and boraxDid this help you?
- 74Washing with regular detergent and bleachDid this help you?
- 75Using Carbona oil stain removerDid this help you?
- 76Applying dry-shampoo, letting it sit, and brushing it offDid this help you?
- 77Treating with dishwasher liquid as a degreaser before washingDid this help you?
- 78Grinding detergent directly into the spot with a fingertip before washingDid this help you?
- 79Using micellar water and a brushDid this help you?
- 80Cleaning with warm water, dish soap, or baby shampooDid this help you?
- 81Vacuuming loose powder and using a lint rollerDid this help you?
- 82Covering stains with contact paper or lining the case with fabricDid this help you?
- 83Rubbing Shout into the stain, scrubbing with a soft brush, and letting it sit before washingDid this help you?
- 84Applying blue dish soap directly to dried stains, letting it sit, and washing in hot water with powerful detergent and OxiCleanDid this help you?
- 85Using oven cleaner on synthetic garmentsDid this help you?
- 86Applying laundry stain remover and dish soap or Dawn power wash sprayDid this help you?
- 87Leaving the treatment on for hours or a day before washing on coldDid this help you?
- 88Air drying instead of using heat to avoid setting the stainDid this help you?
- 89Pretreating, soaking, rewashing, applying dish soap, and using a steam cleaner with a brush attachment.Did this help you?
- 90Soaking the shirt multiple timesDid this help you?
- 91Dabbing the shirt with a wet towelDid this help you?
- 92Using baking soda and dish soapDid this help you?
- 93Using vinegarDid this help you?
- 94Using a carpet cleanerDid this help you?
- 95Applying an enzymatic cleaner followed by Dawn power wash to break down oils and sweatDid this help you?
- 96Putting a waterproof mattress cover on top to protect the mattress from future stainsDid this help you?
- 97Washing the garment normallyDid this help you?
- 98Spot treating with bleach and leaving it in the sunDid this help you?
- 99Using oxyclean, hydrogen peroxide, or bleachDid this help you?
- 100Applying rubbing alcohol and letting it sit before rinsing with cold waterDid this help you?
- 101Applying Lestoil liberally, letting it sit for a few hours, and washing twice in cold water with baking sodaDid this help you?
- 102using hydrogen peroxide directly on marks or soaking in cold water with hydrogen peroxideDid this help you?
- 103soaking in oxygen-based bleach for 4-6 hoursDid this help you?
- 104using bleach on all-white clothingDid this help you?
- 105trying to dye the trousers back to their original colorDid this help you?
- 106using gallsoap instead of peroxide-based cleanersDid this help you?
- 107setting a timer to avoid leaving cleaning products on for too longDid this help you?
- 108Using a dab of Dawn dish soap on each stain, wetting it slightly, and scrubbing lightly.Did this help you?
- 109Checking pockets for lip balm or petroleum jelly before washingDid this help you?
- 110Washing the garment againDid this help you?
- 111Wetting the spots, applying dish soap (such as Blue Dawn), rubbing it in, and rinsing.Did this help you?
- 112Individually spot treating every time before doing a load of washingDid this help you?
- 113Soaking dishes overnight in a sink full of hot water and oxygen bleach powder instead of chlorineDid this help you?
- 114Soak the item overnight in hot water mixed with powdered oxygen bleach like OxiClean before running it through a normal wash cycleDid this help you?
- 115treating each mark individually with isopropyl alcoholDid this help you?
- 116soaking items in a 5L container of isopropyl alcohol outdoors with a maskDid this help you?
- 117using oxiclean or dish soapDid this help you?
- 118Trying DIY cleaning methods such as soaking in oxyclean and water, applying lemon juice, or using body soapDid this help you?
- 119Taking the dress to a professional dry cleanerDid this help you?
- 120Asking the donation organization if they have a professional cleaning service they useDid this help you?
- 121Re-wetting the whole area evenlyDid this help you?
- 122Covering the entire area with a damp towel and ironing it dry on a low settingDid this help you?
- 123washing and drying normallyDid this help you?
- 124trying all kinds of stain removerDid this help you?
- 125trying various commercial cleaners like foaming bleach, Goo Gone, Mr. Clean, pumice stone, windshield glass cleaner, and CloroxDid this help you?
- 126using specialized products like CLR or Zep Mold and Mildew removerDid this help you?
- 127Threw it into the washing machineDid this help you?
- 128Tried washing it with dish soapDid this help you?
- 129Wiping the spill immediately with a napkinDid this help you?
- 130Washing the item by itselfDid this help you?
- 131Applying stain removers before putting it in the washerDid this help you?
- 132buying bubble mix that does not contain polyquat polymersDid this help you?
- 133washing the stained items two or three more timesDid this help you?
- 134leaving the stained clothes out in the sunDid this help you?
- 135Washing again with a high-quality detergent on warm with an extra rinse to clear out the residue.Did this help you?
- 136Using a sharpie or clothing dye to color over the discolored spots.Did this help you?
- 137Scrubbing with Dawn dish soapDid this help you?
- 138Applying Bar Keepers Friend for under two minutesDid this help you?
- 139putting in a maintenance request to resurface the tubDid this help you?
- 140doing a warm oxiclean soakDid this help you?
- 141asking for advice on specialized laundry forumsDid this help you?
- 142doused all of my clothes in OxyClean and am running them back through the washDid this help you?
- 143washing with cold water and special silk detergentDid this help you?
- 144taking the garment to the cleanersDid this help you?
- 145brushing the fabric with a clean toothbrush to lift the fibersDid this help you?
- 146applying an actual laundry degreaser instead of regular stain removerDid this help you?
- 147sewing a pocket over the mark to hide itDid this help you?
- 148Scrubbing the stain with dish soap and a toothbrush.Did this help you?
- 149Running water through the cloth from the inside out.Did this help you?
- 150Soaking and washing the garment in ammonia or a heavy-duty degreaser.Did this help you?
- 151applying dish soap and letting it sitDid this help you?
- 152using stain remover spraysDid this help you?
- 153throwing the garment awayDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“Fabric is pure plastic itself, sample patch made it kinda gooey itself”source ↗
“Thrifted this adorable raincoat, but i think it has deodorant crud from the prev owner. How do I get rid of it??”source ↗
“After I removed the name tag, it left an outline behind.”source ↗
“Now I can't get rid of this outline. I tried washing it with cold water and special silk detergent, and I took it to the cleaners.”source ↗
“I am afraid that the name tag ripped some of the "little hairs" of the silk. Than the blouse is ruined😫”source ↗
“I've thrown away many shirts because I just couldn't get the grease spots out no matter how much I pretreated, or soaked, or rewashed.”source ↗
“I just got another ink stain on one of my shirts and I'm honestly getting tired of fighting with these things.”source ↗
“I’ve tried regular detergent and stain remover before, but sometimes the stain barely changes.”source ↗
“this massive rust colored stain is on it!”source ↗
“I remember trying to get a small rust colored stain out about 5 years ago with lemon juice but it just kind of faded the color and not really removed it.”source ↗
“This stain has appeared over time and it did not happen on the wedding day.”source ↗
“I wish I took a before and after but I have tried everything to get quite dark prominent make up stains out of my white work blouse (dishwashing liquid, expensive stain remover, expensive all white stain remover, soaking over night etc) and nothing worked.”source ↗
“out of the washer they all had these dark grey splotches on them.”source ↗
“The third photo is 10 minutes after using shout, so my shout is not lifting the stain much.”source ↗
“these are my daughters favorite dresses of freaking course 😩”source ↗
“I picked up my shirt to hang, and saw this large, strange, yellowish splotch on both the front and back of my white shirt, which the images given don’t give the real justice of how it looks.”source ↗
“what i have tried is regular washing, using dish soap, using vinegar and baking soda, and a concoction of oxygen bleach, vinegar, and dish soap but it won’t come out.”source ↗
“i’ve even attempted to use steel wool to no avail.”source ↗
“it’s the most prominent case of deodorant buildup up i’ve seen, the cotton is now stiff.”source ↗
“Any tips on removing the stained parts? I can’t recall what exactly caused it, but I have tried a few things to remove, including the sun and it is still there.”source ↗
“Hi all, I was involved in an accident whilst abroad and ended up getting spots of blood on my new white trousers.”source ↗
“I got them washed around 2 days after the incident, which in hindsight wasn’t the best thing to do as it seems it’s set the stains in place.”source ↗
“I want to ask, is there any way I could remove the stains at home?”source ↗
“When the fabric dries the marker lines are still present.”source ↗
“It is beginning to slowly fade the more I soak it, but I’m worried if I keep doing that I am going to ruin the embroidery.”source ↗
“it seems to mostly be from my deodorant that has aluminum. it still smells like the deodorant after washing and drying.”source ↗
“Ive tried foaming bleach, goo gone, mr clean, pumice stone, windshield glass cleaner… clorox, blood sacrifices… help.”source ↗
“How do I get this out ?? I spilt sauce on it and immediately wiped it off with a napkin”source ↗
“I washed it alone in the washer and put some oxi clean strength force on it and I didn’t let it set and washed it by itself with a clean people laundry Sheet but it didn’t get it out.”source ↗
“But I was scared to wash it with tide and it get residue on it cause it’s not my sweat shirt. What do i doo????”source ↗
“But now my white shower liner is stained orange?”source ↗
“Any tips on how to remove it and restore it to white?! PLEASEEEE.”source ↗
“recently switched to a new deodorant and it's apparently left a residue on the armpits of my clothes that won't wash out in the machine, leaving them with a bad smell even after washing and drying.”source ↗
“Sorry I know this is a broad question... but this happens especially with coffee, sometimes oil/food. Drives me nuts but I wanted to know the best way.”source ↗
“I'm pretty new to this so I have no idea. Clothes get really stubborn sometimes.”source ↗
“I got strawberry juice on my shirt a few days ago and I didn't realize fast enough and now it's stained. It's already been through the washing machine and it's fully cotton.”source ↗
“Want this longsleeve from Supreme but it has a stain and i don’t know if maybe there’s a way to cover it up or to just give up on buying it”source ↗
“While living qith my in laws, we did a load of laundry and it ended up staining some of our clothes. We have 0 clue what caused it and only our laundry was impacted.”source ↗
“Ive tried re washing it and using baking soda sprinkled on top but they wont come out.”source ↗
“I still have yellow marks around the neck and other areas. I tried dish soap, chanteclair degreaser, vanish powder, vinegars (not all together) but the spots are still there...”source ↗
“Anyways, I need to remove these dirt stains. I did some research, and most results are about using specific products... the problem is most aren't available in my country.”source ↗
“When I got them out of the dryer, the spot had been BLEACHED, which has never happened before, and I didn't even know Oxi-clean could do.”source ↗
“I'm very upset, because I had to buy new pants (I love these pants, and they're pretty expensive) and now I'm paranoid about bleaching something else.”source ↗
“How can I remove these spray/wash spots from my shirt?”source ↗
“I sprayed a stain remover on a shirt about a month or two ago, but it ended up sitting for quite a while before I finally washed it. I completely forgot about it when I put it in the dryer (rookie move 🤦♂️), and now the areas where I sprayed it have dried into very noticeable spots on the shirt.”source ↗
“This has never happened to me before, so I’m not sure what caused it or how to fix it.”source ↗
“Unfortunately, when the area dried it left this ring.”source ↗
“Anyone know if/how I can remove the ring so my chair is back to normal?”source ↗
“So i have been having this problem for the longest time i know where there is a yellow stain on my clothes mostly around my cuffs and anywhere my hand or forearm touches i think it is something with my sweat thats causing this but i cant seem to find any problem like this online or any solution i have tried all kinds of stain remover but doesn’t change anything and it ruins my clothing mostly white clothes because its most visible on those plzzzzz helpp”source ↗
“I have a secondhand artist signed shirt but it’s signed to someone else and I’d like to remove their name written in sharpie, is this possible?”source ↗
“I’m sure the shirt has been washed before and dried it’s second hand so the ink is probably set, I was thinking of maybe using hair bleach to get it out by applying it only where the letters are, has anyone tried this before or other methods with success?”source ↗
“Hey guys I was given some clothing and I really liked this dress but the stains don’t come off and I don’t know what to do. 🥺 if you guys have any idea please let me know.”source ↗
“I have not which oxyclean would you recommend I did think about dyeing it but I have never done that before so I want to do oxygen first before dyeing it”source ↗
“Put my pants in the wash and they came out with white stains, only worn them once. Any tips on how to get rid of the stains?”source ↗
“How do I get rid of period stains?”source ↗
“For the life of me, i cannot get stains out of her clothes before they get in the wash, or even after they’ve been washed.”source ↗
“How do i get these out after they have set?!”source ↗
“While I was cleaning out my brushes the watery paint shot out onto my shirt (100% cotton). I have tried warm water and dish soap, isopropyl alcohol, and diluted vinegar and nothing is working to get it out.”source ↗
“I’m scared of ruining this shirt bc it is a gift from my bf and I really love it. I know I shouldn’t have been wearing a shirt I love but I unfortunately wasn’t thinking.”source ↗
“Hi all, really not trying to throw this shirt out, so I’d appreciate some recommendations.”source ↗
“Now I’m worried the stain is set since I believe it could be oil 😢 so I’m really hoping it can be saved”source ↗
“I have something similar, so thank you for this post.”source ↗
“Give me all the tips and tricks so I can try to get this shirt clean. It's worn in all sorts of oil car oil, cooking oil, etc.”source ↗
“I tried some stain remover and have washed the pants since then, but as you can see, the black spots are still there.”source ↗
“Sadly it has gone through the dryer”source ↗
“I just took them out from the laundromat and got these stains pretty much everywhere. How do i get rid of them?”source ↗
“I need help to remove these stains. I didn’t spill any drink or food during the wedding reception so idk what it can be”source ↗
“Ugh yes I washed it and now that you said that, my boyfriend always has some Vaseline on his pockets”source ↗
“I’m looking for some tips/suggestions/advice as to how to deal with oil stains on clothes, specifically in bulk.”source ↗
“The material pulls oil very easily and I end up with oil patches all over and it’s a pain to individually spot treat every time I need to do a load of washing.”source ↗
“I have white Corelle dishware and no dishwasher. Over the years I’ve had them, they’ve developed yellowish stains, particularly on the bottom of the dishes. I’ve tried scrubbing them really well and have also tried barkeeper’s friend to no avail. Is there any hope for my dishes? Or an I SOL?”source ↗
“Will that take out the old stain?”source ↗
“One of my children had a pen in their pocket. I did not check pockets. I know I should have but didn’t. I have clothes with ink all over them.”source ↗
“The stain is set since they have been through the dryer.”source ↗
“Unfortunately, a lot of times it gets locked in after drying.”source ↗
“I figured it might be done after the dryer.”source ↗
“With the stain spreading like that I think the lemon juice you used reacted.”source ↗
“It could be the soap is still in the fabric, dish soap takes a lot of rinsing to get out.”source ↗
“idk how i can remove this stain.”source ↗
“Any universal stain removal tips?”source ↗
“It’s not my sweatshirt it’s a guys and so I’m really paranoid”source ↗
“These stains keep coming up over and over, only on my toddlers clothes (which are often washed with my clothes), and I don't notice them before I wash the clothes.”source ↗
“I'm going crazy trying different treatments, please help!”source ↗
“Had my toddler in a sports class, first day they used bubble mix. I rinsed the heck out of those clothes under cold running water before washing, didn't make a difference, permanent grey stains.”source ↗
“White underarm stains from my deodorant started to build up and weren't being fully removed with regular washes”source ↗
“I'm hoping it's not a bleach stain, it looks similar to the deodorant stains just larger and brighter.”source ↗
“These are all my favorite shirts I'd hate to have to replace them :(”source ↗
“Willing to try anything at this point before we just buy a whole new shower liner & replace it.”source ↗
“I was trying to clean my bathtub when I moved into a new apartment and these marks appeared after cleaning. I think it may be stains from the TileX or bleach.”source ↗
“Accidentally left a tube of Aquaphor lip balm in the washer/dryer. Now all of my clothes have splotches/stains on them.”source ↗
“So it seems the tube of Aquaphor lip balm leaked out splotches onto every single piece of clothing I put in the laundry. They all came out of the dryer bearing polka dots.”source ↗
“What else can I do to get it out? I haven't had time to deal with it but I washed it once in hot water and hung it up to dry.”source ↗
“I have this sweater i really like it and it has a persistent stain thats been there for months.”source ↗
“its probably food/oil.”source ↗
“it looks like the stain is gone when wet but after running it in the dryer, i can see its still there.”source ↗
“All my partner’s polos get these sweat marks. Any tips on how to get the stains out?”source ↗
“Recently got this top from a thrift. I really like how it looks, and was determined to fix it. The marker writing seems to be old, I was wondering if the writing can still be removed.”source ↗
“Any tips to remove this?”source ↗
“Okk guys I need help. I washed my white linen shirt with liquid detergent, dishwashing liquid, washing powder and baking soda. And now it's yellow instead of white.”source ↗
“I washed it twice but it's not coming out. I really need your help. Like it's whole yellow.”source ↗
“how do I remove that yellow colour??”source ↗
“I have this stain on my jeans and I’m not really sure how it got there.”source ↗
“I have no idea when it happened because I didn’t notice until now. Please help! They are my favorite jeans and are no longer sold by the store I got them from :(”source ↗
“My mom gave me her old makeup case and they have all sorts of stains from foundation, powder, glitter eyeshadow, etc. Can I get some tips on how to remove them?”source ↗
“I've tried a carpet cleaner already, and that was kinda all my ideas. I think it's probably sweat + grease from my hair (very long). Any advice appreciated T-T”source ↗
“I have tried everything to get quite dark prominent make up stains out of my white work blouse (dishwashing liquid, expensive stain remover, expensive all white stain remover, soaking over night etc) and nothing worked.”source ↗
“I spent 6 hours scrubbing foundation out of the stitching in the black steering wheel, black shift knob, black leather seats, silver sun visor.”source ↗
Where this came up
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