How to Remove Theatre Makeup From Laundry

How to Remove Theatre Makeup From Laundry
Written By
Jess Jones
Jess Jones
Published: Apr 7, 2010
Updated: Nov 20, 2021
1 minute read

Things You Will Need

  • Butter knife
  • Liquid makeup remover
  • Clean towel
  • Clean cloth
  • Grease-cutting dish detergent (such as Dawn)
  • Warm water

The majority of theatre makeup stains end up on stage costumes, which are costly and are definitely not garments you want to toss in the trash because of unsightly stains. As with most stains, the trick to removing theatre makeup stains thoroughly is treating the stains as soon as possible.

  1. Remove excess makeup with a butter knife if it has already dried. If not, continue to step 2.

  2. Place a clean towel on a flat surface. Lay the stained garment on the towel, stain side down. Saturate a cloth with makeup remover, and dab the fabric behind the stain. Press the garment firmly on the towel to allow the stain to transfer from the garment to the towel. Repeat this process to get as much of the makeup as possible off of the garment and onto the towel.

  3. Turn the garment, stain side up, and liberally apply dish detergent to the stain. Let it sit overnight.

  4. Rinse the garment well with warm water, and inspect for any traces of makeup. If the makeup is still visible, repeat steps 2 and 3.

  5. Launder or dry clean the garment as usual once the stain has been removed.

Tips

For best results, treat the stain immediately.

Warnings

Before applying makeup remover to any garment, test for color fading in a hidden area.

Photo Credits

makeup setup image by Julia Britvich from Fotolia.com

makeup setup image by Julia Britvich from Fotolia.com

Jess Jones

Jess Jones has been a freelance writer since 2005. She has been a featured contributing writer for "Curve Magazine" and she teaches English composition at a small college in Ann Arbor, Michigan. She received her Master of Arts in English…

Sponsored
HomeSteady Logo

HomeSteady is the ultimate guide for all your household needs, from cleaning and HVAC to electrical, DIY and maintenance.

Property of TechnologyAdvice. © 2026 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.