How to Remove Sunscreen Stains From Furniture and Carpet
Sunscreen is essential in the summer, but sometimes it can get on not only the skin, but other places as well. If you squeeze the bottle too hard, causing the lotion to explode all over your favorite carpet, or if someone in your household sits on the couch covered in a fresh layer of sunblock from head to toe, sunscreen stains may appear.
Fortunately, they are relatively easy to remove, especially if you act quickly. Here’s what you need to know about removing sunscreen stains from furniture and carpets.
How to remove sunscreen from upholstered furniture and carpet
In most cases, you can remove sunscreen stains from upholstered furniture and carpets with little effort. Here’s how to do it, courtesy of Leah Gulis of Kidspot Australia :
- Scrape off as much sunscreen as possible using something like a dull knife or spatula. Do not rub upholstery or fabric to remove excess lotion.
- Sprinkle in a decent amount of baking soda, cornstarch, or talcum powder and let sit overnight.
- Vacuum the powder the next day.
- If that doesn’t work, you can try doing it again before contacting the professionals.
How to get rid of sunscreen stains on your skin
Sunscreen does not work well on the skin, so getting the spot off on time is even more important in this situation. Here are the steps to remove it, courtesy of Jessica Kilman of Hunker :
- Use a cloth or paper towel to blot the sunscreen stain. Do not rub.
- Make a solution from one cup of water with two or three drops of dish soap (Kielman recommends Dawn).
- Using a clean white cloth, “apply mixture to stain and work in circular motion.”
- Wipe the affected area and let it dry.
- Apply leather conditioner to furniture.
And if you are dealing with leather, upholstered furniture or carpet, if the stain persists, you can ask a professional to finish the job.