How to Get Halloween Makeup Stains Out of Clothes

Halloween is a blast right up until the morning after. You wake up and there's green face paint on your favorite hoodie and fake blood on the couch blanket and somehow glitter on every single thing you own. If that sounds familiar don't panic. Most Halloween makeup stains come out just fine if you know what you're dealing with and you don't rush it.

Here's how to get Halloween makeup out of your clothes without ruining them.

First Figure Out What Kind of Makeup It Is

Not all Halloween makeup is the same and that matters a lot when it comes to getting it out. Before you grab anything take a second to figure out which one you're up against.

• Cream face paint and greasepaint are oil-based so they act more like a grease stain than anything else
• Liquid foundation and concealer are usually a mix of oil and pigment
• Powder makeup like eyeshadow and setting powder sits on top of the fabric at first
• Lipstick and lip stain are waxy and full of strong dye
• Fake blood is mostly sugar or syrup with a lot of red dye in it
• Glitter isn't really a stain at all but it sure acts like one

Once you know which kind you've got you can pick the right fix instead of guessing.

What to Do Right Away

The faster you get to it the easier it comes out. A few quick steps can save you a lot of scrubbing later.

• Scrape off anything sitting on top with a dull knife or the edge of a spoon
• Shake or tap off powder outside instead of wiping it
• Blot don't rub because rubbing pushes the color deeper into the fibers
• Run cold water through the back of the fabric so the stain gets pushed out instead of further in
• Keep it away from heat until the stain is totally gone

That last one is a big deal. Hot water and the dryer can set makeup and dye so it's there for good. Stick to cold water and let things air dry until you're sure it's clean.

How to Remove Cream Face Paint and Foundation

Since these are oil-based your best friend here is plain old dish soap. It's made to cut through grease so it works great on makeup too.

Put a few drops of dish soap right on the stain and gently work it in with your fingers or a soft toothbrush. Let it sit for about 10 minutes and then rinse with cold water. If there's still some color left repeat it once or twice before you wash it.

For foundation a little micellar water or makeup remover on a cotton pad can help lift what's left. Dab it on and blot and keep switching to a clean part of the pad so you're not just moving the makeup around. Test it on a hidden spot first just to be safe.

How to Remove Powder Makeup

Powder is actually one of the easiest to deal with as long as you don't make it worse. Don't wet it right away because water turns powder into a paste that soaks right in.

Shake out as much as you can and then use a lint roller or a piece of tape to lift off the rest. If there's still a shadow left behind treat it with a little dish soap and cold water and then toss it in the wash like normal.

How to Remove Lipstick and Eyeliner

Lipstick has wax and oil and a ton of pigment so it takes a little more work. Start by scraping off any extra and then dab the spot with rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball. You'll see the color start to come up onto the cotton so keep switching to a fresh one.

Once most of it is gone follow up with dish soap and cold water and then wash it. Just a heads up that rubbing alcohol can be rough on delicate fabrics like silk so check the care label and test a hidden spot first.

How to Remove Fake Blood

Fake blood is the one most people worry about since it's bright red and it gets everywhere. The good news is it's usually made with corn syrup or sugar so the sticky part rinses out pretty easily.The red dye is the tricky part.

Rinse the stain from the back with cold water until it stops running red. Then soak the whole thing in cold water with an oxygen-based stain remover for a few hours or even overnight if it's really bad. After that wash it with a good enzyme detergent in cold water. Check that the stain is gone before it goes anywhere near the dryer.

How to Get Glitter Out of Clothes

Glitter doesn't really stain but it will follow you around for weeks if you let it. Before you wash anything go over it with a lint roller or some packing tape to grab as much as you can.

Then turn the clothes inside out and wash them on their own so the glitter doesn't move onto the rest of your laundry. Once you're done wipe out the inside of your washer and clean out the lint trap on your dryer so it doesn't show up on your next load.

Mistakes That Make Makeup Stains Worse

A lot of stains that won't come out are really just stains that got set by accident. Try to avoid these:

• Using hot water before the stain is gone
• Putting it in the dryer too soon
• Scrubbing hard instead of blotting
• Using chlorine bleach on colored fabric
• Skipping the spot test on delicate stuff

If something is dry clean only or super delicate like a costume with sequins or beading it's usually better to leave it to a pro instead of trying to fix it yourself.

Let NoScrubs Handle the Halloween Cleanup

Getting makeup and fake blood out of a whole pile of costumes and hoodies and pillowcases is honestly a lot of work especially after a long night of trick-or-treating. If you'd rather skip the soaking and scrubbing NoScrubs has you covered.

NoScrubs handles everything from pickup to delivery. They grab your laundry right from your door and bring it back washed and dried and folded in as little as 4 hours, always same day. So instead of spending your November 1st standing over the sink with a toothbrush you can just schedule a pickup and get your clothes back fresh and clean before dinner. Book your NoScrubs pickup today and let them deal with the Halloween mess!