Imagine this.
You’re all dolled up for that special dinner date or for that party at your house. You look like a million bucks. You’re just putting the finishing touches of your mascara that pulls the whole look together like nothing else.
Yikes. You just dropped the wand onto your shirt and your carpet – it looks like a nightmare to clean up. What do you do now?
I’ve done this more times than I can count, I’m admittedly an expert on clumsy makeup accidents.
But you don’t need to imagine this. If you’re desperately looking up “how to remove mascara from clothes,” you’re probably in this situation right now.
Take a deep breath and don’t panic. I’ve got you covered on removing any mascara stain from any kind of surface.
The Quick Fix To Mascara Stains On Clothes
This method is quick, easy, and effective. All you need are some basic supplies from your makeup kit.
What do you need?
- Clean paper towel
- Toothpick
- Makeup wipes
- Laundry detergent
Steps to follow
- First, pick off any excess mascara from the cloth with a spoon or toothpick.
- Place the stained area between a clean paper towel and a makeup wipe.
- Gently press the makeup wipe onto the back of the stain. Make sure that you apply just enough pressure for the mascara to dissolve.
- Once a part of the stain is transferred onto the paper towel, replace it with a new sheet.
- Repeat the process until all the mascara is transferred out of the cloth.
- Wash the stained spot with liquid laundry detergent and warm water.
What clothes can you use this for?
You can use the makeup wipe method for shirts, scarves, dresses, etc. – any fabric that is thin enough for the makeup remover from the wipe to soak through to the other side.
You need something a tad bit more heavy-duty for thicker fabrics like carpets, upholstery, and sweaters.
Get Mascara Off Of The Carpet
Did you accidentally drop your mascara wand onto the floor? Is there now a nasty black stain on the carpet in front of your dressing table?
Luckily, there’s an easy way to deal with this makeup emergency.
What do you need?
- Ammonia – 1 tablespoon
- Warm water – 2 cups
- Liquid dish soap
- Sponge or paper towel
What do you need to do?
- Prepare a solution of ammonia in 1 cup of water.
- Using a sponge or paper towel, dab the stained area with the solution. Make sure not to wet the spot too much; you don’t want the stain to soak through to the other side.
- Keep dabbing until the paper towel has picked up all the mascara.
- Rinse the spot with a solution of dish soap and lukewarm water, rubbing gently in a circular motion.
From experience, I recommend using the ammonia trick for heavy and thick fabrics like hessian cloth or thick polyester.
What if you have a silk or wool carpet that is too delicate for the ammonia treatment?
Don’t worry; there’s a fix for that too.
What do you need?
- White vinegar – 1-2 teaspoons
- Warm water – 2 cups
- Sponge or paper towel
- Laundry detergent or dish soap
What to do?
- Like in the ammonia method, prepare a solution of the vinegar in 1 cup of warm water.
- Gently blot the dark stain with the solution using a sponge.
- Pick up the dissolved mascara regularly with a clean paper towel until the stain visibly lightens.
- Rinse with detergent and warm water. Your lovely carpet is good as new again!
The Best Fix For Dried Mascara Stains
It is bound to happen – sometimes, you’re simply too tired to remove your makeup before hitting the bed. The next thing you know, your pillowcase is all smeared with dried mascara.
How do you deal with this mess?
Unfortunately, since the satin has dried, the waxy component in the mascara would have hardened. So to be able to remove it from the cloth, you need to treat it first.
Pre-treatment
What do you need?
- Laundry detergent
- Mild bleach – 1 tablespoon
- Water
What to do?
- Mix the bleach in 2 cups of water. Make sure to use the right type of bleach for the fabric. Chlorine bleach typically works for white or light clothes, while oxy bleach is the best for colored fabrics.
- Soak the cloth in this bleach solution for at least 3-4 hours. I recommend leaving it overnight.
- Now that the mascara in the stain is soft and malleable, you can use the makeup wipe method to pick it off.
- Launder the cloth in hot water once the smear is completely removed.
Dealing With Waterproof Mascara? These Tips Will Work Like Magic
Removing the stain
Waterproof mascara is a blessing for keeping your makeup flawless for hours on end. It doesn’t budge for the whole day, and you don’t have to worry about any annoying smudges.
What’s the downside?
This smudge-proof property of long-lasting mascaras means that it is doubly more difficult to get off if you accidentally smear it on your clothes. Luckily, I have the easiest solutions that work on removing even the most stubborn mascara stains.
What do you need?
- Stain remover solution
- Old toothbrush
- Laundry detergent
What to do?
- Treat the stained area with a generous amount of stain remover. Let it sit for 25-30 minutes. The stain removing solution breaks down the waxy substances in the mascara and makes the dark smear pliable.
- Gently scrub at the stain with an old toothbrush. The brush’s bristles should only pick up the softened mascara – don’t spread it around the stain and make it larger.
- Keep wiping away the product on a paper towel so that the bristles are clean every time they touch the cloth.
- Once the stain looks lighter, wash the cloth in hot water with extra laundry detergent.
There you have it – your spoilt pillowcase or cushion cover doesn’t show a single trace of the pesky mascara anymore.
Alternately, you can swap out stain remover for detergent wipes for thicker fabrics. Make sure to test the wipe on a small patch on the cloth before applying on the stain.
An Unlikely Winner – Hairspray
Using hairspray to fix a mascara accident on your favorite shirt? It sounds incredible, but I swear by this trick.
What do you need?
- A bottle of regular hairspray
- Thick paper towels
- Cold water
Steps to follow
- Generously spray the hairspray directly onto the mascara stain.
- Wait for the hairspray to harden. If it takes more than 5-10 minutes, go in with another layer.
- Dampen a clean paper towel with some cold water.
- Gently scrub at the hardened stain with the damp part. This will take out the hairspray along with the mascara in 2-3 scrubbings.
- Launder in a regular wash cycle.
Note: Perform a spot test on an inconspicuous part of the garment to make sure that the hairspray does not discolor the fabric.
And it’s as easy as that! Who knew that your regular ol’ bottle of hairspray would come to rescue in this trying time?
Some Tips To Remember When Dealing With Mascara Stains
NEVER put the cloth in a heat-drying cycle after washing it. The heat will make any remaining mascara set permanently in the fabric, and trust me; you do not want to deal with that.
Work fast– the sooner you can get the mascara off the fabric, the less time it has to cause a nasty stain. Once waterproof mascara sets hard, its stain is an annoyance to handle.
Finally, check the type of mascara before you try to remove it. The waterproof kinds are immune to any water-based cleaning hacks.
Mascara is an essential part of your daily makeup routine. And now you know how to deal with any unfortunate accidents. So don’t worry – go ahead and glam up those lashes!
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