How To Remove Toothpaste From Your Clothes

If you're a pro at removing coffee stains from clothing, erasing toothpaste marks will be a piece of cake. Such is the skill set of a multi-tasking homeowner. Brushing your teeth while making a waffle for your screaming toddler while searching for your spouse's missing keys — all before 7 a.m.; it's no surprise your clothes are peppered with toothpaste smears. Fortunately, no one will ever know you're not perfect at juggling multiple things at once because they'll never see evidence proving otherwise. Those toothpaste spots will be gone in a jiffy, provided you act fast, resist rubbing, and use everyday items, like baking soda, to prevent staining.

If you've effectively removed toothpaste stains from the carpet, you know timing is everything. This is especially true when dealing with whitening toothpaste that contains bleaching agents like hydrogen peroxide. If you happen to drop a blob of this type of toothpaste on your pajamas or dress shirt, act quickly to prevent the tooth cleaner from discoloring your garment. Likewise, you'll want to avoid letting even conventional toothpaste sit on your clothing for an extended amount of time, as doing so makes the marks harder to remove. Instead, use a spoon, knife, or the edge of a stiff card to lift toothpaste globs from the surface of the material. It's important to refrain from scrubbing the paste as doing so can force it deeper into the fabric's fibers and run the risk of permanent staining.

Once you remove toothpaste blobs from your clothes, add a drop of mild hand soap to a clean, damp cloth and gently blot the affected areas. Next, dip a clean section of the same cloth in fresh water and rinse off any residual soap. If the spots are small, you can allow them to air dry.

If you accidentally smeared fallen toothpaste across your shirt or didn't realize you were covered in spatters until hours later, consider reaching for salt and lemon. Simply cut the lemon in half, gently rub the pulp on the dried toothpaste marks, top with a pinch of salt, then rub the mixture into the smudges with a clean portion of your shirt. Massaging the citrus and salt into the fibers should dissolve the paste. Any remaining debris can be wiped off with a damp cloth.

The aforementioned solutions allow you to quickly remove toothpaste from clothes without having to disrobe. However, if you have extra time for stain removal, reach for a box of baking soda. Lay the marred clothing item on a flat surface and sprinkle the affected areas with baking soda. Next, spritz the spots with water to create a paste and allow it to sit overnight. In the morning, machine wash as you normally would; however, do not put the garment in the dryer before inspecting it first. Ensure all toothpaste marks are gone, as heat from the dryer could permanently set in the remaining stains.