Sunscreen is a necessity when it comes to protecting your skin, but it can really mess up clothing. Grease lines and yellow staining, particularly on lighter fabrics. These oils and ingredients in sunscreen leave a few stains that may require some scrubbing before being removed. Here, we break down simple steps that work like a charm for getting sunscreen stains out of clothes.
But Why Is Sunscreen Bad for Clothes?
There are oils and chemicals like avobenzone in sunscreen, which makes it sticky and denser that helps to adhere with your skin. The problem is those ingredients are all sticky and sticky stuff and fabric kind of sticks, too. Sunscreen mixed with minerals found in hard water can sometimes result in a yellow or orange coloring (never good for white or pastels). Its oily consistency prevents it from being effectively washed out, so it must be treated topically in order to rid oneself of it.
Getting Sunscreen Stains Out of Clothes
Here are the steps you need to take to remove sunscreen stains from your clothing.
Remove Excess Sunscreen
If you get to this step and the fabric is still damp, use a dull knife, credit card edge or a spoon to gently scrape away extra sunscreen. Be careful not to rub the sunblock deeper into the fibers or else you will make sunlight block stains harder to eliminate.
Rinse with Cold Water
Wash the back of the stain with cold water to rinse some of the sunscreen out of your fabric. Do this as soon as possible to prevent the stain from setting.
Pre-Treat with a Stain Remover or Detergent
Directly apply a pre-wash stain remover or heavy-duty liquid detergent over the sunscreen stain. Use warm water to lather detergent and gently rub with your fingers or a soft-bristle brush. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes to allow the detergent to work on breaking down the oils.
Tip: If you don’t have a stain remover handy, use dish soap, which is effective at cutting through oils and grease.
Wash in Warm Water
Launder the item in warm water and wash with a laundry soap that is designed to break up oil-based stains. If you live in a hard water area, consider using a water softener to prevent minerals from interacting with the sunscreen. For more guidance on using your washing machine efficiently, check out ourwashing machine using guide.
Air Dry
Check to see if the stain is completely gone once you have finished washing the item. If the stain is still present, do another pre-treatment and a full wash cycle. Make sure the stain is gone prior to drying it in a dryer as heat is used on the permanent marker.
Prevention of Sunscreen Stains
Here are some helpful tips to prevent and remove sunscreen stains
Let Sunscreen Dry: Apply 20 minutes before dressing so you have time to let it dry and not transfer.
Choose Mineral Sunscreens: Although avobenzone is the only sunscreen ingredient shown to cause stains in washables, those containing zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are generally less-staining products.
Darker Clothing: The darker the fabric, the less stains show up, so this may be your best bet when you are applying sunscreen.
Rinse After A Swim: If you have been swimming in the pool or the sea, wash your clothes and skin immediately — sunscreen stains can be one of those that set after all.
How to Remove Yellow Sunscreen Stains from White Clothes
Especially on white materials, avobenzone in sunscreen can react with iron content in hard water to cause yellow stains; If you are battling these tough stains, use the following additional steps
1. Use Distilled Water
For both rinsing and washing of white clothing that is against hard water, use distilled water. This will keep mineral deposits in the water from continuing to cause damage.
2. White Vinegar or Lemon Juice
To treat older yellow stains or a set-in stain, follow the same process, but mix equal parts white vinegar and water instead of just plain water and use lemon juice with a stain. Leave it on for 10 to 15 minutes, then wash with cold water.
3. Wash with Oxygen-Based Bleach
Oxygen bleach is perfect for white clothes, as it helps remove the yellowing without ruining the fabric. Just toss it into the washer with your normal detergent and run a cycle according to the garment label.
How to Remove Sunscreen Stains from White Clothes
These yellow stains are largely a result of avobenzone in sunscreen mixing with such as the minerals in hard water. The following is how you can get rid of these stains and bring your white pieces back to life.
Rinse with Cold Water: First and foremost, rinse the sunburn out of your stained area with cold water starting from the back side (if possible) to help put some pressure on it.
Pretreat With White Vinegar or Lemon Juice: Fill it with a combo of white vinegar and water (alternatively, those fresh lemon rinds will do). Let it sit for 10-15 minutes. These natural remedy elements are perfect to degrade the oils and brighten your garment.
Use Oxygen-Based Bleach: Add some oxygen bleach to the next load of white laundry — it should do a good job of getting rid of those sunscreen stains without wearing out the fabric. During the wash cycle, add your regular detergent along with the oxygen bleach.
Caution: Never use chlorine bleach, as it can cause a reaction with avobenzone and make the spill worse.
Wash in Warm Water: Use a high-quality detergent and warm water. If the stain is still there after this process, do it all again before drying. For additional tips on removing stains from different types of fabrics, explore ourhow to remove stains from clothes guides.
Sunscreen stains can be a pain but also easily preventable. That said, if you follow the right protocol even the most intense sunscreen stains could be remediated from your clothing so they appear bright and new. By following these easy methods, you can keep your clothes and your skin protected without worrying about stains.
At Nearest Laundry, we specialize in professional stain removal, including sunscreen stains. If you’re struggling with persistent stains or just want to give your clothes a deep clean, try ourwash and fold service ordry cleaning services. We’re here to make sure your clothes always look their best!
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