Wonder Woman, Black Panther and Fortnite’s Brite Bomber look to be some of the hot costume picks this Halloween, alongside the ever-popular classics: vampires, clowns and the peppy cheerleader. The brighter and more realistic, the better! Don’t let coloured hairspray or face paint mishaps give you a Halloween headache. No matter how scary your Halloween stain, there’s always a stain solution.
Coloured Hairspray
At Halloween, changing the colour of your hair is always fun for kids and adults alike. But, it is one of the worst offenders for unwanted stains. Shades of purple, orange and black can find their way onto just about anything; clothes, pillowcases, sheets, countertops, walls, the sink and the bathtub. So, where do you start?
If the coloured hairspray has stained a machine washable fabric, like a sweatshirt, pillowcase, or bed sheet, these steps should help:
- Flush the stain with water to rinse out as much of the colour as you can.
- If colour is still visible, apply a stain removing laundry pre-treatment product for stain removal.
- Another option is to use rubbing alcohol. Simply apply the rubbing alcohol, using a microfibre cloth, to the stain and repeat as needed until it is no longer visible.
Pro Tip: Run the water through the backside of the stained material during initial rinse. The force of the water may help to push the stain away from the fabric rather than potentially pushing the colour deeper into the fibres.
Over exuberant spraying can also unintentionally stain hard surfaces, like the tub, sink or walls. Reach for an abrasive cream cleanser and a scrub brush.
Pro Tip: Be sure to test it out on an inconspicuous spot so it won’t damage the finish, especially on walls. Although you want to remove the coloured hairspray, you don’t want to remove your wall colour too!
Face Paint
Smeared-on face paint will also leave its mark on clothing and bedding. We suggest a double attack to tackle this stain.
- Start by applying a generous amount of baking soda to the stain.
- Using an old soft bristle toothbrush, work the baking soda into the fibres of the fabric. Baking soda will absorb the oils in the makeup and loosen it away from the fabric.
- Flush with water.
- Now you want to soak the area with white vinegar and leave overnight.
- The next day, wash the garment on a cold wash cycle. You want to avoid applying heat as it can set the stain, so be sure not to throw it in the dryer until the stain is completely gone.
Hopefully, these steps have removed the stain. If not, gently work some shaving foam into the fabric, rinsing in cold water and again adding to a cold wash. This should do the trick!
Photo by paulbr75
