How to Remove Lotion Stains From Clothes and Carpet

By
Mary Marlowe Leverette
Mary Marlowe Leverette 2018
Mary Marlowe Leverette
Mary Marlowe Leverette is one of the industry's most highly-regarded housekeeping and fabric care experts, sharing her knowledge on efficient housekeeping, laundry, and textile conservation. She is also a Master Gardener with over 40 years' experience; writing for over 20 years.
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Updated on 08/13/22
How to Remove Lotion and Cream Stains

The Spruce / Hilary Allison

Project Overview
  • Working Time: 5 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hr, 25 mins
  • Skill Level: Beginner
  • Estimated Cost: $10

Lotions, creams, and other moisturizing beauty products may make your skin feel fabulous, but they can leave your clothes or carpet looking grimy. Since most moisturizers contain at least one oily component, their stubborn stains require a little finesse, depending on the fabric. Most lotions and creams can be removed with standard stain removers, laundry detergent, and patience.

Learn how to get rid of lingering lotion stains on clothing and carpet with these simple steps.

Stain Type Oil-based
Detergent Type Enzyme-based stain remover, laundry detergent
Wash Temperature Hot

Before You Begin

If a blob of lotion or cream lands on fabric or carpet, use a butter knife, a spoon, or the edge of a credit card to lift away as much of the lotion as possible. Don't rub because you'll push the stain deeper into the fibers and make it harder to remove.

Do the same if you get a spill on "dry clean only" clothes, then blot the area with a dry, white paper towel. The sooner the fresh stain can be treated, the better the chances of success, so head to the dry cleaner and point out the stain when you drop off the garment.

If you are using a home dry-cleaning kit, be sure to treat the stain with the provided stain remover before putting the garment in the kit's cleaning bag.

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What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

Clothing

  • Soft-bristled brush

Carpet and Upholstery

  • White cloths
  • Vacuum

Materials

Clothing

  • Enzyme-based stain remover
  • Laundry detergent
  • Oxygen-based bleach (Optional)

Carpet and Upholstery

  • Carpet cleaner or dishwashing detergent
  • Water

Instructions

Tip

If you're using anything other than laundry detergent or dishwashing liquid to treat your stain, be sure to test the substance on an inconspicuous area of the fabric or carpet to check for colorfastness.

materials for removing lotion stains

The Spruce / Letícia Almeida

How to Remove Lotion or Cream From Clothing

  1. Pretreat With Stain Remover

    Attack the oily/waxy component of the stain with an enzyme-based stain remover. Work the cleaner into the stain with your fingers or a soft-bristled brush.

    If you don't have a stain remover, use heavy-duty liquid detergent (Tide and Persil contain stain-lifting enzymes to break apart the oily molecules) or a paste made of powdered detergent and water.

    Let the cleaning solution sit on the fabric for at least 15 minutes.

    pretreating lotion stain on a garment

    The Spruce / Letícia Almeida

  2. Scrub and Rinse

    Scrub the stain lightly with a soft-bristled brush, working from the outer edge toward the center of the stain to prevent spreading.

    Rinse the area thoroughly with hot water.

    scrubbing the stain with a soft bristle brush

    The Spruce / Letícia Almeida

  3. Wash in Hot Water

    Wash the garment, as usual, using the hottest water recommended on the care label. Hot water is best, but cooler water will work, too, and you don't want to damage or shrink the item by washing it too hot.

    Check the stained area to make sure the stain is completely gone before placing the garment in the dryer.

    choosing a temperature to wash a garment

    The Spruce / Letícia Almeida

  4. Treat Stubborn Stains

    • Mix a solution of oxygen-based bleach (OxiClean, Clorox 2, Country Save Bleach, or Purex 2 Color Safe Bleach) and cool water to treat stains that remain after washing in hot water. Follow the package directions as to how much product per gallon of water.
    • Completely submerge the garment and allow it to soak for at least eight hours.
    • Check the stain. If it is gone, wash as usual. If it remains, mix a fresh solution and repeat. It may take several soakings to remove the stain, but it should come out.
    soaking a garment in an oxygen bleach solution

    The Spruce / Letícia Almeida

Tip

It can be hard to see a faint stain when the fabric is still wet from the washer. And since drying in the dryer can set a stain for good, you're better off air-drying the item until you know the stain is gone. When there are no traces of pigment left, you can wash and dry as usual.

How to Remove Lotion Stains From Carpet and Upholstery

materials for removing lotion from upholstery

The Spruce / Letícia Almeida

  1. Sponge on a Cleaner

    Mix 1 tablespoon of dishwashing detergent in 2 cups of cool water, or use a commercial carpet cleaning solution.

    • Dip a clean white cloth or paper towel into the solution and wring it out lightly.
    • Working from the outside edge of the stain toward the center (to prevent spreading the stain), sponge the stain with the cleaning solution.
    • Continue blotting until no more color is transferred from the carpet to the cleaning cloth.

    Use the same technique for upholstery, but take care to not over-saturate cushions.

    sponging on a cleaning solution

    The Spruce / Letícia Almeida

  2. Remove the Cleaner

    Dip a second clean white cloth in plain water and sponge the stain to remove any traces of the cleaning solution.

    If you don't complete this step, the detergent solution can attract more soil over time, making the spot look even dirtier.

    drying the fabric with a new cloth

    The Spruce / Letícia Almeida

  3. Blot, Dry, and Vacuum

    Blot with a clean, dry cloth and allow the carpet to air-dry overnight. When the carpet is completely dry, vacuum to lift and separate the fibers.

    vacuuming the upholstery after stain removal

    The Spruce / Letícia Almeida

Additional Tips for Handling Lotion Stains

Don't give up on a stubborn stain too soon. Additional rounds of stain remover or even dishwashing liquid and patient soaking will likely do the trick to break down and lift away oils or pigments. The only action that will indelibly set the stain is heated drying, so avoid the dryer until the stain is gone.

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