Damn, an SPF stain! The sun's showing itself more often again, so we're slathering on the sun cream. But it doesn't always go without a hitch – nice pun. Before you know it, there's a white ring on your shirt collar after applying your sun protection as moisturiser, a stain on your swimsuit, or a blob on your child's favourite summer shorts. And the real horror: a stain on your car's upholstery after a scorching hot beach day. Sun cream stains are notorious for being difficult to remove from clothes. What a waste, because a stain certainly doesn't mean your garment is immediately a write-off. Fortunately, with a few simple, often quite eco-friendly remedies, you can still remove many of those stains, meaning your clothes and belongings can go another round.
Grrr... Why are sunscreen stains so stubborn?
Sunscreen stains are, and we speak from experience, some of the most difficult stains to remove. This is due to what's in sunscreen. Most sunscreens contain a mix of fats, oils and UV filters that adhere well to your skin. That's the intention, of course, as it keeps the protection in place when you sweat or dive into the water. It's just that those ingredients do exactly the same on clothing. They soak into the fabric fibres and behave much like a classic grease stain. And grease, as you may already know, doesn't just wash away with water.
On top of that, many sunscreens contain mineral or chemical UV filters such as titanium dioxide or zinc oxide. Read more about UV filters in our article on choosing more sustainable sunscreen. Combined with sweat or with lime from hard water, they can leave a yellowish film on light clothing. This is also why sunscreen stains sometimes only become visible after you've washed an item of clothing. It seems manageable at first, but after a spin in the washing machine, such a yellow ring suddenly appears on your shirt. In short: a mix of grease, UV filters, and minerals that firmly embed themselves in the fabric. And that makes these stains a bit trickier than the average dollop of ketchup (which is also an annoying stain).
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How to remove sunscreen stains from your clothes
Fortunately, you can often still deal with sunscreen stains quite well, as long as you act quickly. First, try to remove excess sunscreen from the fabric. Gently dab the stain with a piece of kitchen roll or a soft cloth to absorb as much cream as possible. After that, you can treat the stain as if it were a grease stain. Washing-up liquid often works surprisingly well, as it breaks down fat. Rub a small amount of washing-up liquid with some warm water into the stain, let it soak in for a few minutes, and then rinse thoroughly. Ox gall soap or green soap are also classics that can help well with this type of stain. Wet the stain slightly, rub the soap in, and let it work for a while before rinsing or washing the garment.
For light-coloured clothing, you can try an extra trick with baking soda. Slightly dampen the stain, sprinkle baking soda over it, and let it sit for about half an hour. Then rinse thoroughly or put the garment in the washing machine. Important: it's best not to put clothing with a sunscreen stain directly into the tumble dryer. The heat can actually cause the stain to set even further into the fabric.
Has the stain already dried or has it even been washed already? Then it might take a bit more work, but it's still worth a try. Treat the spot again with washing-up liquid or ox gall soap and let this soak in a bit longer, for example, half an hour. Then rinse with warm water and wash again according to the care label. Sometimes you have to repeat this a few times before the stain has completely disappeared.
Getting sunscreen out of your clothes more environmentally friendly.
Sunscreen stains are quite stubborn, but thankfully not impossible to remove. The most important thing is to act quickly and treat the stain like a grease stain. Simple remedies such as washing-up liquid, green soap, ox gall soap or baking soda can often go a long way. And a little tip for next time: let the sunscreen absorb properly before you get dressed. That often saves a lot of stain stress.
Sources: consumerbond.nl, maxtoday.nl. Photo credits: dresses: Leeloo Thefirst (Pexels), sunscreen: RFstudio (Pexels).
