Sunscreen may be an essential part of maintaining healthy skin, but it is not without its drawbacks. Ingredients in sunscreen can leave ugly stains on clothing, beach towels, and other fabrics that can be incredibly difficult to remove.
Sunscreen stains are combination stains, which means they are comprised of more than one stain type. In the case of sunscreen, the formula contains oils that can leave grease stains on clothing, plus a more difficult stain type: mineral stains. Understanding the science behind these complicated stains is the key to knowing how to remove them.
What Makes Sunscreen Such a Complicated Stain?
The combination of oil and mineral compounds found in sunscreen stains are a broken down for stain removal in different ways.
Avobenzone, an ingredient found in most sunblock formulas, is the primary culprit. Avobenzone is an oil-soluble dibenzoyl methane derivative that the FDA approved for use in sunblock formulas in 1988. It works as a sunscreen agent by absorbing ultraviolet light. It also has the propensity to oxidize in water causing deep orangish stains.
These may look like rust stains and, in a sense, they are. When sunscreens containing avobenzone mix with minerals like iron, that naturally occur in our water supply, the resulting stains have a similar makeup to rust stains. Those stains need to be treated in the same way as you would treat a rust stain.
It's worth noting two things. First, areas with hard water—water with a high mineral content—will experience more of this type of staining caused by sunscreen because of the properties of the local water supply. Second, synthetic fabrics are more likely to experience these types of stains than natural fibers like cotton, linen, or denim.
Methods for Removing Sunscreen Stains
Identifying the nature of sunscreen stains is crucial when figuring out how to remove them. Sunscreen stains on clothing and other fabrics should be treated in the same way as rust stains.
Applying a commercial rust stain remover to orangish sunscreen stains is one option. There are commercial rust stain removers that are designed specifically for use on laundry, such as Carbona Stain Devils Rust and Perspiration, and multi-purpose rust removers, like Whink Rust Stain Remover, that are formulated to remove rust stains from hard surfaces and fabric.
A DIY approach is to treat sunscreen stains with a combination of lemon juice and salt. Time will remove dark orange stains from clothing and other textiles.
When treating sunscreen stains, make sure to avoid using chlorine bleach and oxygen bleach because they have a negative reaction to rust stains that can cause them to deepen. Additionally, because of the naturally occurring mineral content in our water supply, avoid soaking sunscreen-stained garments as a stain removal method. Prolonged exposure to water will make the stains worse.
These instructions for removing sunscreen stains are for fabrics that can be safely washed in water; fabrics that cannot tolerate water, such as rayon, silk, or triacetate, should be dry cleaned.
How to Remove Sunscreen Stains with Rust Remover
Treat sunscreen stains prior to laundering to reduce staining effects caused by the chemical reaction between avobenzone and water.
What You'll Need
- Commercial rust remover like Carbona Stain Devils Rust and Perspiration or Whink Rust Stain Remover
- Laundry brush
Step 1: Apply Rust Remover to Stains
Follow manufacturer instructions for use on fabric. After applying the rust stain remover, use a laundry brush (or an old toothbrush or nail brush) to work the product into the fabric and lift the stain away.
Step 2: Launder as Usual
Once the stain has been removed, launder the garment as usual. Check that the stains have been eliminated entirely before putting the garment in the dryer, as the heat from the dryer can set stains in, making them very difficult, if not impossible, to remove.
How to Remove Sunscreen Stains Using Lemon Juice and Salt
A combination of lemon juice and salt can remove rust-like sunscreen stains. The method you use is key to making these pantry staples pull double duty in the laundry room.
What You'll Need
- Lemon juice
- Salt
- Laundry brush
Step 1: Flush the Stain
Flush the stained section of the garment by holding the fabric under cool running water. Work quickly, only exposing the stain to water for as long as it takes to saturate the area. Then lay the garment on a flat surface where it can stay overnight.
Step 2: Apply Lemon Juice and Salt
Squeeze lemon juice directly onto the stain until well saturated, then pour a pile of salt on top of the lemon juice.
Allow the lemon juice and salt to sit overnight, to penetrate and break down the stain. In the morning, brush the salt into the sink or trash and launder the garment as usual.
Tips for Preventing Sunscreen Stains
It can be difficult to avoid sunscreen stains entirely, but there are some steps you can take to protect your clothing from hard-to-remove sunscreen stains.
- Treat sunscreen like perfume: Apply it and let it dry before putting on clothing.
- Look for sunscreen formulas that do not contain avobenzone.
- Remove stains before washing in water, or send sunscreen-stained clothing to be dry cleaned.