Remove Mascara Stains from Bedding

Along with lipstick, mascara falls into the category of oily make-up. These leave greasy stains behind on fabric with which they come into contact. Stains from mascara can be very stubborn, and on white bed clothes they´re likely to stick out like a sore thumb for a very long time unless you do something about them. Ordinary washing will do little to tackle mascara stains, much as you might wish it would. Depending on the type of bedding and how much time you have, you might decide to try to remove the stains yourself. If you do, there are a few simple steps to follow and you shall be pleased with the results.

• SCRAPE - Scrape as much of the mascara off the bedding as you can. Use a butter knife or something similar.
• DRY CLEANING FLUID - Apply a dry cleaning fluid to the stain with a small sponge. This is an oil solvent and will dissolve the stain. The way it does this is to attack the gluey protein that binds the stain to the fabric, using enzymes.
• DAB - Place the stained section of fabric face-down onto an old towel that´s been washed and gently dab the stained area with the oil solvent. The stain should then transfer from the bedding to the towel.
• RINSE - With water, rinse the area you´ve cleaned.
• FINISHING - Dab a very small amount of water with liquid detergent into the place where the stain was, to remove any residual color left behind by the mascara.
• POST CLEAN - Rinse once more and then wash as normal.

If your mascara has stained material that isn´t washable, you should always leave the job to specialist dry cleaners. If you happen to have stained upholstery or carpets with mascara, follow the same steps as with washable bedding that have been highlighted here. For very stubborn stains, or those that have been present for a long period of time, it may be necessary to use bleach mixed with water. This is a fairly extreme method of cleaning and should be approached with care and caution every time. Your solutions of bleach and water may be applied on stains using an eyedropper, and the section of fabric you´re cleaning should be rinsed every time you apply. A combination of ammonia with water may also be used on very stubborn stains to achieve the same results, but take similar care as with bleach and never apply ammonia to non-washable fabrics. Read labels carefully before attempting to clean yourself.

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