The Best Way To Remove Suntan Lotion Stains From Laundry

No outdoor trip is complete without suntan lotion. But if you reapply as often as doctors recommend, there's a chance that you'll spot a stain or two on your clothing at some point. The best way to remove suntan lotion stains is to pre-treat it with dish soap, baking soda, bleach, or a store-bought stain remover, depending on the type of sunscreen.

Sunscreens contain an oil base that can leave greasy stains behind. But some sunscreens leave even worse stains, thanks to avobenzone — an active ingredient in broad-spectrum chemical sunscreens that protects from UVA rays. When it reacts with the iron in hard water, it leaves orange rust-like stains on fabrics. These stains are often especially stubborn on synthetic fabrics. The good news is you can rely on the best ways to tackle unsightly rust stains on your clothing. Make it a habit to check the active ingredients on the label to determine whether your suntan lotion contains avobenzone or not. While dish soap alone works well to lift oily stains, store-bought stain removers come in handy for avobenzone stains.

For all suntan lotion stains, it's important to avoid laundry mistakes that'll make stains way worse. As such, remove surplus product from the fabric as soon as you spot it. This increases your chances of preventing a lasting stain. Skipping the dryer is also key until you've ensured that the stain is gone, since high heat can set stains permanently. For sunscreens without avobenzone, treat them as any oil stain that could use an extra soak. Start by washing it using cold water. Then, mix liquid dish soap with warm water and work the solution into the stain. You can also pre-treat with baking soda or diluted laundry detergent if necessary. Don't forget to rinse with cold water before laundering.

You should never use bleach to clean stains from suntan lotions that contain avobenzone, as it may further react with the avobenzone and worsen the stain. Instead, treat them like a rust stain as well as an oil stain. For the oil, pre-treating with dish soap does the trick. For the rust, try a non-bleach stain remover like Clorox 2 for Colors, or a specialized rust stain remover for laundry, such as Whink Rust Stain Remover. You can also try applying lemon juice and salt, two common kitchen ingredients to tackle rust stains naturally. If you've tested for hard water, avoiding sunscreens with avobenzone is the only way to avoid any chance of rust stains in the future. But since other sunscreens can stain as well, it's good to get into the habit of letting your sunscreen dry completely before you get dressed.