Foundation smeared across a white hand towel looks permanent, but most makeup stains come out. How to get makeup out of towels depends on the makeup’s base.
Water-based products lift with heavy-duty liquid detergent rubbed into the stain. Oil-based foundation, waterproof mascara, and lipstick need a degreasing pre-treatment first. Either way, keep the towel out of the dryer until the stain is gone.
Key Takeaways:
- Makeup is pigment carried in oil, wax, or water, and that base decides how you treat the stain.
- Check towels before drying, because dryer heat sets whatever the wash missed.
- Many hotels and spas put out dark makeup cloths so guests leave the white towels alone.
Why makeup stains on towels are so stubborn
Makeup is made to stay put. Foundation, concealer, and long-wear lipstick use oils, waxes, and silicones that cling to skin, and they cling to cotton loops just as well. Terry’s looped surface traps pigment deep in the pile.
University of Georgia Extension treats water-based and oil-based makeup differently. For water-based cosmetics, it says to rub the damp stain with bar soap or heavy-duty liquid detergent, then launder. For oil-based cosmetics, it suggests sponging on a commercial cleaner or a waterless hand cleaner. Rinse, let the spot air dry, then apply detergent and launder.
Waterproof mascara, eyeliner, cream foundation, and lipstick are all oil based. Loose powder is the easiest, since unbound pigment often brushes or rinses away. Heat makes every one of them harder to get out.
How to get makeup out of towels, step by step
These steps are for white cotton terry, which can take bleach once the oils are gone.
- Pull makeup-stained towels aside when rooms are stripped or treatment rooms turn over.
- Keep stained towels out of closed, damp bins, where the oils have hours to sink in.
- For water-based makeup, dampen the spot and work in heavy-duty liquid detergent.
- For oily makeup, waterproof mascara, and lipstick, apply a degreasing pre-treatment or dish detergent first, then laundry detergent.
- Wash in the hottest water the care label allows, with a full dose of detergent.
- Check stained areas before drying, and re-treat any shadow.
- On white cotton, finish with a measured bleach step if a faint color cast is left.
Why hotels put out makeup remover towels
A makeup towel is a dark washcloth set aside for taking off cosmetics, usually black, charcoal, or navy. Many hotels and spas now leave one on the vanity.
Makeup remover towels for hotels do one job. They keep makeup off the white bath and hand towels, so fewer stained whites reach the laundry. The dark color hides pigment that doesn’t fully wash out. That’s why so many are black. Having a separate cloth also shows guests which towel to use.
Short-term rentals use the same idea, and salons do something similar with dark towels at color stations. Wash dark cloths apart from whites, since new dye can bleed, and degrease them the same way.
How OrangeBag handles makeup stains
Stain treatment and rewash handling come standard in OrangeBag’s linen and towel programs for hotels. Every load runs on its own, and your towels never mix with another property’s.
Programs for spas and wellness centers treat oil, wax, color, product residue, and self-tanner before stains set. The same early sorting protects massage sheets, as this guide on getting oil out of massage sheets before it sets explains.
You can start with a trial, and agreement terms stay under three years. For the chemistry behind bright terry, read about how hotels keep towels white.
FAQ
Will makeup come out of white towels?
Usually, yes, if the oil comes out before the towel goes in the dryer. Pre-treat each stain by makeup type, then wash in warm or hot water. White cotton can take a bleach step after that. A towel that went through the dryer with makeup still on it may keep a faint shadow.
How do hotels remove makeup stains from towels?
Housekeeping pulls stained towels aside when rooms are stripped. Before the main wash, the laundry uses an alkaline step to break down the oils, and detergent lifts them out. White cotton then gets a bleach step. Staff check towels before drying, and anything that still shows a shadow is rewashed or retired.
Does bleach remove foundation from towels?
Rarely on its own. Foundation is pigment in oil or silicone, and bleach mostly acts on color. Use bleach first and it can leave the oily base behind, which yellows later. Take the oil out with a degreasing pre-treatment and detergent, then wash. Bleach-proof towels keep their color, but that does nothing for the oil.
Want makeup stains handled before they set?
Most makeup stains come out when towels are sorted early and pre-treated before the wash. Tell OrangeBag what your rooms and treatment areas send, and you’ll get a program and its pricing in writing.
Book a call or get a quote for your hotel or spa towels today.
