How to Remove Face Paint From Clothes

Face paint is one of the best parts of any party or festival or game day. It's also one of the worst things to find smeared across a white t-shirt at the end of the night. Kids rub their faces on their sleeves and adults lean on the couch and somehow the paint ends up everywhere except where it started.

The good news is face paint usually comes out of clothes if you treat it the right way. The trick is knowing what kind of paint you're dealing with because that changes everything.

Water-Based vs Oil-Based Face Paint

Most face paint falls into one of two groups and each one needs a slightly different approach.

Water-based face paint is the kind you activate with a wet brush or sponge. It's what most face painters at birthday parties and fairs use. It's light and it dries fast and it usually washes out pretty easily with soap and water.

Oil-based or cream face paint feels thick and greasy and it doesn't really dry all the way. You'll see it in a lot of Halloween kits and stage makeup and sports eye black. This kind acts more like a grease stain so plain water won't do much.

Not sure which one you've got? Check the label on the package if you still have it. If not rub a little bit between your fingers. If it feels slick or waxy it's probably oil-based.

Before You Start

A few quick things to keep in mind before you treat any face paint stain:

• Check the care label so you know what the fabric can handle
• Test any product on a hidden spot like an inside seam first
• Scrape off any thick paint with a dull knife or a spoon
• Use cold water only since heat can set the color
• Skip the dryer until you know the stain is fully gone

How to Remove Water-Based Face Paint

This is the easy one. Most of the time a little soap and some patience is all it takes.

Start by rinsing the stain from the back of the fabric with cold water. That pushes the paint out the same way it came in instead of driving it deeper. Then rub a bit of liquid laundry detergent or dish soap into the spot and let it sit for about 10 to 15 minutes.

Rinse it again and check it. If you can still see color repeat the soap step one more time and then wash the item like you normally would in cold water. Water-based paint almost always comes right out this way.

How to Remove Oil-Based or Cream Face Paint

Oil-based paint takes a bit more work but it's still very doable. Water on its own just slides right off it so you need something that breaks down the grease first.

Dish soap is the go-to here since it's made to cut grease. Work a few drops into the stain with your fingers or a soft toothbrush and let it sit for 10 minutes. Then rinse with cold water.

If there's still a shadow left you can dab on a little rubbing alcohol with a cotton ball. Keep blotting and switching to a clean spot on the cotton and you'll see the color start lifting off. Rinse it again and wash it in cold water with your regular detergent.

For stubborn spots a stain remover stick or spray made for oily stains works great too. Just let it soak in for a few minutes before you wash.

What About Metallic and Glitter Face Paint?

Metallic and glitter face paints have tiny shiny particles mixed in so they can leave a sparkly mess behind even after the color is gone.

Before you get the stain wet go over it with a lint roller or a strip of tape to pull up as much glitter as you can. Then treat the paint the same way you would for water-based or oil-based depending on what kind it is. Wash it inside out and on its own so the glitter doesn't end up on the rest of your clothes.

How to Remove Dried Face Paint

Didn't notice the stain until the next day? Don't worry it's not too late.

Scrape off whatever you can and then soak the item in cold water with a little detergent for about 30 minutes. That softens the dried paint so it's easier to work out. After soaking treat the stain with dish soap or a stain remover and gently rub it in. Rinse and repeat if needed and then wash it in cold water.

If the stain is still there after the wash don't dry it. Just treat it again and give it another wash. Once a stain goes through the dryer it's a lot harder to get out.

Fabric Tips to Keep in Mind

Different fabrics react differently so it helps to go easy on the delicate ones.

• Cotton and polyester can usually handle dish soap and rubbing alcohol just fine
• Wool and silk need extra care so skip the alcohol and use a gentle detergent instead
• Costumes with sequins and beads or glued-on parts should be spot cleaned only
• Anything marked dry clean only is best left to a professional.

Let NoScrubs Take Care of the Rest

Treating one or two face paint stains is no big deal. But after a big party or a Halloween night or a whole weekend of youth sports it can turn into a giant pile of stained shirts and costumes and towels. That's a lot of soaking and scrubbing for one person.

That's where NoScrubs comes in. NoScrubs handles everything from pickup to delivery so you never have to haul a bag anywhere. They pick up your laundry right at your door and bring it back washed and dried and folded in as little as 4 hours, always same day. Schedule your NoScrubs pickup today and spend your time enjoying the fun instead of cleaning up after it!