Stain file № 2606 · Beauty · Home textiles
How to get lipstick out of towels
Scrape off the excess; alcohol, blotted through; work in dish soap. Never rubbing or hot water. Stubborn on towels if you act quickly.
- Editorial difficulty
- Stubborn
- Estimated hands-on
- 18 min + 10 min waiting
- It sets
- with heat
- Kit
- 4 items + 3 tools
01 The short answer
To get lipstick out of towels, work in this order: (1) scrape off the excess; (2) alcohol, blotted through; (3) work in dish soap; (4) oxygen bleach soak. Test rubbing alcohol and oxygen bleach on a hidden spot first. Wash as normal at the warmest temperature the care label allows.
This may be difficult to remove. Repeated treatment can damage the item; a persistent mark is a reason to consult a professional.
02 Never do this
- Rubbing or scrubbing. It spreads the stain and grinds it deeper; blot instead.
- Hot water. It melts wax deeper into the fibres.
- The dryer before it is gone. Dryer heat locks in whatever is left. Air-dry and check first.
- Ironing over it. Heat browns leftover sugar and melts wax deeper into the fibres.
03 Before you start
- Use white cloths or paper towels only: coloured ones can transfer their own dye into towels.
- Read the fibre and care labels, including lining and trims. Use only treatments permitted by both the item and product labels; a crossed-out triangle prohibits bleach.
- Rubbing alcohol: flammable: no open flames, and let it evaporate before using heat.
- Rubbing alcohol: never mix with chlorine bleach (chloroform and other toxic compounds).
- Pretest every permitted treatment on an inconspicuous area, including trims, and let it dry. Stop for colour transfer, lightening, rings, stiffness or distortion. A successful spot test does not guarantee the whole item is safe.
- The listed products are not permission to combine treatments. Use each only if the exact item and product labels permit it, including any change of product. Rinsing or blotting does not establish compatibility; ask the manufacturers or a professional if unsure.
04 The method
Scrape off the excess
Lift any solids or excess with a spoon or the dull edge of a knife, scooping towards the centre. Do not press down: you want it off the towels, not into it.
Why it works: Every bit of solid removed now is pigment and fat that never soaks in.
2 min hands-on
Alcohol, blotted through
Put a folded paper towel under the stain. Dab rubbing alcohol on from above with a cotton pad; the ink dissolves and transfers into the towel underneath. Keep moving to clean sections of towel and pad until nothing more comes out.
Why it works: Lipstick is soluble in alcohol, not water. Blotting through pushes it out of the fabric instead of spreading it sideways.
8 min hands-on
Work in dish soap
Work a few drops of clear dish soap into both sides of the stain with your fingertips or a soft toothbrush. Leave it 5–10 minutes, then rinse with water as warm as the care label allows, up to 40 °C (104 °F).
Why it works: Dish soap surrounds the oil so water can carry it away; warm water helps fat dissolve.
3 min hands-on · 10 min waiting
Oxygen bleach soak
Only if both the item and product labels permit oxygen bleach: use the stated amount, water temperature and contact time for that exact product. Dissolve powder as directed, pretest colours, rinse thoroughly, and never add other cleaners or store the solution sealed. Stop if appearance changes.
Why it works: It breaks down the pigment that washing leaves behind, and it is colour-safe on most dyes.
3 min hands-on
Wash and check
Wash as normal at the warmest temperature the care label allows. Check the spot before it goes anywhere near a dryer; air-dry it if any trace remains, because heat sets what is left.
Why it works: A full wash removes the loosened stain and any product residue.
2 min hands-on
Test first: rubbing alcohol and oxygen bleach on towels. Coloured towels: test oxygen bleach on a corner.
05 Dried, set, or back again?
- A dried stain may need pretreatment with a product labelled for this fabric. Follow its application and contact-time directions; do not assume that undiluted detergent or a long soak is suitable.
- Old oil has partly oxidised and gone sticky; apply the degreasing step two or three times, and give powder an overnight stay where it is used.
Oil is often invisible on damp fabric and shows again once dry. Check in daylight after air-drying and repeat the degreasing step before any heat.
06 What lipstick is made of
- Pigment particles
- Wax
- Oil and fat
- Dye
Lipstick can contain pigment particles that do not dissolve readily in water. Many must be lifted with an appropriate cleaner rather than relying on bleach. Avoid grinding particles into the material; pigment chemistry and product formulas vary.
Lipstick contains wax, which is solid at room temperature. Cold makes it brittle enough to snap off; gentle heat melts it so it can be drawn into paper.
The oily part of lipstick will not dissolve in water at all. It needs a surfactant such as dish soap, or a solvent, to break it up, and a dry powder can draw fresh oil out before you start.
Lipstick carries dye that soaks into fibres rather than sitting on them. Depending on the dye, alcohol dissolves it, oxygen bleach breaks it down, or sunlight fades it, and speed matters more than strength.
- Lipstick is wax, oil and pigment, and long-wear formulas add dyes designed to stain skin. On fabric, that dye is what stays after the wax is gone.
- Heat melts lipstick wax and carries the pigment deeper, so ironing or tumble-drying over a trace makes it permanent.
07 The material: towels
Soaking is allowed, which gives enzymes and oxygen bleach time to work without scrubbing.
It tolerates hot water (up to about 60 °C (140 °F)) for the final wash, but only after any protein has been rinsed out cold.
- Terry loops hold far more product than flat cotton, so makeup and self-tanner sit deep in the pile: soak rather than scrub.
- Benzoyl peroxide acne products bleach coloured towels permanently; it is a bleach, not a stain.
The towels file rates every common cleaner for it.
08 Next time
Blot lipstick on a tissue before putting tops on over your head, and check pockets for lipsticks before every wash and dry.
09 Questions
Can I use hot water on lipstick on towels?
No. It melts wax deeper into the fibres. Keep to cold water until the stain is completely gone, then wash as warm as the care label allows (up to 60 °C (140 °F)).
Does vinegar help with lipstick on towels?
It is not needed for lipstick. Vinegar is a mild acid that helps with tannin and mineral residue; lipstick responds better to rubbing alcohol and dish soap.
Can I use bleach on lipstick?
Only on white, bleach-safe cotton and only as a last step, diluted per the label. Oxygen bleach usually does the job without the risks.
Will lipstick come out of towels completely?
This may be difficult to remove. Repeated treatment can damage the item; a persistent mark is a reason to consult a professional.
When should I call a professional?
Rarely needed.
What if it has already dried or been through the dryer?
A dried stain may need pretreatment with a product labelled for this fabric. Follow its application and contact-time directions; do not assume that undiluted detergent or a long soak is suitable. Old oil has partly oxidised and gone sticky; apply the degreasing step two or three times, and give powder an overnight stay where it is used.