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How to remove sunscreen stains
Sunscreen stains often end up on swimsuits, clothes and towels. To get them out, just follow the method below to remove sunscreen stains from clothes and beach accessories:
Don’t have any laundry detergent on hand? Use dishwashing liquid or a soap that will cut through grease to get working on the sunscreen stain as soon as possible, and wash the garment as soon as you get home.
Begin by gently scraping off any remaining sunscreen on top of the fabric using the back of a spoon or a spatula
Lay the garment on a flat surface and sprinkle some cornflour or baking soda on top of the stain. Leave the powder to absorb the stain for an hour and then brush it off. Sprinkle on a new layer if the stain still seems saturated, otherwise continue to the next step
Pre-treat the stain with a small amount of OMO Ultimate Liquid to cut through the greasy sunscreen. Let the detergent work for up to 30 minutes and then wash the garment with similar clothes according to the instructions on the care label (opt for a cool or warm rather than hot wash, as the heat might set the stain)
Let the garment dry naturally, preferably in direct sunlight to get a bit of stain removal power from the sun’s rays (this works especially well with sunscreen stains on white clothing). Avoid drying the item in the tumble dryer as this may set any remaining stains in the fabric
If the stain is still there once the garment has dried naturally, repeat the process from step 3
Removing sunscreen stains from clothes made of silk
If you’ve ended up with sunscreen stains on your silk summer shirt or dress, fear not – you can try sprinkling cornflour or baking soda on the stain, just as in the method above. If the care label recommends washing by hand, you can try to remove the sunscreen stain by washing the garment by hand in a tub of lukewarm water and some detergent specially formulated for hand-washing delicate items (consult the product label for dosage instructions). Pay special attention to the stain and rinse the garment in fresh water afterwards. Let the garment dry naturally.
If sunscreen stains are still there after the garment has dried, you may want to pay a visit to a professional dry cleaner for some advice. Silk can be tricky and it doesn’t react well to spot cleaning, which is why washing the whole item in cool or lukewarm water is usually a good idea.
Now you know how to remove sunscreen stains from clothes, there’s nothing stopping you from heading out into the sunshine for new adventures while staying safe from the sun’s UV rays.
Gently scrape off excess sunscreen
Sprinkle an absorbent powder on the stain and leave to work for an hour, then brush it off
If the item can be washed, pre-treat the stain with OMO Ultimate Liquid and leave to work for up to 30 minutes
Wash at a cool to lukewarm temperature on normal programme
Let the garment dry naturally, preferably in direct sunshine if it is white