How to get sunscreen out of clothes, including orange stains

Why sunscreen stains, and why some turn orange

Sunscreen is an oily lotion, so the first stain behaves like any other grease stain: oil soaks into the fibers and holds on to dust and dirt. Tide describes sunscreen as a combination stain with an oily part and a rust colored part. Synthetic fabrics such as polyester swimwear and athletic tops tend to hold oily stains more stubbornly than cotton, which is why the straps of a workout top are often the worst.

The orange part comes from chemistry in the wash. Avobenzone, a common UVA filter in chemical sunscreens sold in the United States, can react with iron dissolved in tap water and form a reddish orange compound, as sunscreen makers and detergent makers have both acknowledged. So the color often appears only after washing, and why it is worse in homes with hard or iron rich water. Mineral sunscreens based on zinc oxide or titanium dioxide do not contain avobenzone; they can leave a white, chalky or greasy residue, but not the rusty mark.

How to get sunscreen out of clothes: fresh stains

If you notice the stain before the garment has been washed, you are in the best position. Try to remove as much of the oily sunscreen as possible before the fabric meets a lot of water, since less avobenzone left in the fibers means less chance of an orange reaction.

1. 01

   Scrape and blot

   Lift any visible lotion with a spoon edge or a dull knife, then blot with a paper towel. Do not rub, which pushes oil deeper into the weave. On a thick smear, sprinkle cornstarch or baby powder, leave it for 15 to 30 minutes to absorb oil, then brush it off.

2. 02

   Work in dish soap

   Rub a few drops of plain liquid dish soap into the spot with your fingers or a soft brush and let it sit about five minutes. Dish soap is designed to break up grease, so it is the right tool for the oily part.

   CheckYou should see the dark, wet looking edge of the stain soften.

3. 03

   Rinse and add a stain remover

   Rinse the soap out, then apply a prewash stain remover or an enzyme laundry detergent directly to the area and leave it for the time on the label, usually around 10 minutes. On whites and colorfast fabrics, a nonchlorine oxygen bleach product is also safe at this stage.

4. 04

   Wash warm and air dry

   Wash in the warmest water the care label allows, as the American Cleaning Institute recommends. Then let the garment air dry and check it in daylight. Only put it in the dryer once the stain is completely gone, because dryer heat can set what is left.

Yellow or orange sunscreen stains on white clothes

When the mark is orange, rusty or yellowish and appeared after washing, treat it as an iron stain rather than a grease stain, much as you would rust on clothes. The most effective products are rust stain removers made for laundry, which usually contain oxalic acid or a similar ingredient that dissolves the iron compound. Follow the package directions exactly, wear gloves, test on a hidden seam, then rinse thoroughly and wash normally. When it works, the color usually fades quickly once the product reaches it.

Do not reach for chlorine bleach. The University of Georgia textile extension warns that chlorine bleach sets rust stains instead of removing them, and a sunscreen stain that has turned orange behaves like rust. Bleach can also yellow some synthetic fibers on its own. A gentler home method from the same extension, for sturdy white fabrics, is salt and lemon juice on the stain left to dry in the sun, then rinsed; repeat if needed. Never combine lemon juice, vinegar or a rust remover with chlorine bleach, since mixing acids with bleach releases harmful gas.

For older, set sunscreen stains that are gray or yellow but not orange, the University of Georgia suggests a two stage soak: first 15 minutes in a quart of warm water with half a teaspoon of dish soap and a tablespoon of white vinegar, rinsed; then 30 minutes in a quart of warm water with a tablespoon of an oxygen type bleach, followed by a stain remover and a normal wash. The vinegar helps a little with mineral residue, but on its own it rarely removes a sunscreen stain.

Colors, darks, swimwear and delicate fabrics

On colored and black clothes the orange stain is less visible, but mineral sunscreen can leave pale, chalky marks that look like deodorant. Treat them the same way as the oily stage: dish soap, rinse, stain remover and a warm wash if the label allows, and our guide to removing deodorant stains covers similar white residue. Test any oxygen bleach or rust remover on an inside seam of dark clothes first, since some dyes are not colorfast.

Swimsuits and athletic wear are usually a blend of nylon or polyester with spandex, which does not like hot water. Use the dish soap step, then wash in cool or lukewarm water and let the piece dry flat out of the sun. Silk, wool, rayon and anything labeled dry clean should go to a cleaner, with a note that the stain is sunscreen so they can choose a solvent. Our guide to reading care labels tells you what the symbols allow.

How to prevent sunscreen stains on clothes

The simplest prevention is time: apply sunscreen before you dress and let it absorb for 15 minutes or so, which is also what most labels recommend for protection. Spray sunscreen drifts onto clothes, so apply it before you put on a white shirt, not after. At the end of the day, rinse visible sunscreen from straps and collars with a little dish soap before the garment goes into the laundry basket.

If you live with hard or iron rich water and keep getting orange marks, switching to a mineral sunscreen for days in white clothes is the usual advice from stain experts, although it may leave a white cast on skin. Another option is to wear older or darker clothes on beach days and save light pieces for other outings. For packing ideas, our beach vacation packing guide covers what to bring.