First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Lift off any excess makeup before you apply anything.
- Blot, don't rub, so the stain doesn't spread.
- Look up the cleaning code before you pick a cleaner.
- Work from the outside of the stain inward.
Lipstick, mascara and liquid makeup on a couch all combine oil with color, and the oily portion must be lifted before the pigment will come away. Which liquids are safe hinges on the letter code the maker printed, so that's the detail the whole approach depends on. Heat and too much liquid are what turn a smear into a lasting ring, so a spot that has already sat for a while will likely lighten rather than vanish.
Work from the outside of a lipstick stain toward the middle so it doesn't spread across the cushion. A soft brush loosens dried lipstick on upholstery before you add any cleaner. A mascara stain on couch fabric needs a light touch, since rubbing pushes the black pigment deeper.
Before you start
What couch & sofa can take
Use with care5
- Water
- Oxygen bleach
- Enzyme cleaners
- Solvents (alcohol, spot removers)
- Acids (vinegar, lemon)
Avoid5
- Hot water
- Soaking
- Chlorine bleach
- Scrubbing and abrasives
- Heat, once the stain is out
8 items
What you'll need
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- Absorbent cloths or paper towelsLift the stain as it comes up, and never reuse the same section. (opens Amazon)
- Commercial dry-cleaning solventLifts the oily part on S-coded fabric only. (opens Amazon)
- Coconut or mineral oilThe oily part of the Dry Spotter.
- GlycerinPart of the Wet Spotter for W-coded fabric. (opens Amazon)
- Liquid dishwashing detergentThe detergent in the Wet Spotter, mixed with water. (opens Amazon)
- Medicine dropper or syringePlaces a small amount of spotter exactly on the stain. (opens Amazon)
- Absorbent padDraws the stain up from the fabric when dampened with spotter.
- Spot remover (opens Amazon)
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7 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 7
Check the cleaning code first
Find the code on the tag under a cushion or on the frame. W means water-based cleaners only, and S means water-free dry-cleaning solvent only. If the tag says X or you can't find a code, put no liquid on the spot: vacuum it and call a professional instead.
Careful. Water on S-coded fabric, or solvent on W-coded fabric, can leave a permanent mark.
Step 2 of 7
Lift off the extra makeup
Use the edge of a spoon or a dry cloth to lift away any cream, powder or wax sitting on top. Work from the outside of the mark toward the middle, so you don't push it further in. Only then move on to the stain itself.
Step 3 of 7
Sponge the oily part with solvent
This step is for S-coded couches only. Sponge the stain with a clean cloth dampened with commercial dry-cleaning solvent, dabbing lightly so the cloth stays only damp. Blot with folded absorbent cloths or paper towels, turning to a clean area as the stain comes up, then let the spot dry completely.
Careful. Dry-cleaning solvent is flammable, so keep it away from flame and sparks and work in a well-ventilated room.
Step 4 of 7
Mix and apply the dry spotter
On an S-coded couch, combine 1 part coconut or mineral oil with 8 parts dry-cleaning solvent. Apply it to the stain with a medicine dropper or syringe, using just enough to wet the spot without overwetting it.
Tip. Mix only as much as you need for one spot.
Step 5 of 7
Draw the stain up under a pad
Cover the spot with an absorbent pad dampened with dry spotter, and leave it in place while color is coming up. Change to a fresh section of pad each time it picks up stain, keeping it moist with dry spotter. When the stain is gone, blot with dry-cleaning solvent and let the spot dry completely.
Step 6 of 7
Mix and apply the wet spotter
On a W-coded couch, combine 1 part glycerin, 1 part liquid dishwashing detergent and 8 parts water. Apply it to the stain with a medicine dropper or syringe, using just enough to wet the spot without wetting the area around it.
Step 7 of 7
Pad the spot and blot dry
Cover the spot with an absorbent pad dampened with wet spotter, and keep it damp while the stain lifts. When the color is gone, blot thoroughly, let the spot dry, then sponge with clean water and blot until it's as dry as possible.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for makeup on couch & sofa
For a couch, the two product types to keep are a commercial dry-cleaning solvent for S-coded fabric and a water-based upholstery foam for W-coded fabric.
Wine Away Red Wine Stain Remover
Utopia Kitchen White Flour Sack Towels
How we picked these: each product is made for this type of stain, its maker doesn't warn against using it on couch & sofa, and its directions fit the steps above.
Finished the steps? How does it look?
Nice work. Let it dry completely and check it again in good light. Here is what done looks like:
How to tell it's really gone →A faint mark usually needs one more round, not a stronger product.
If the stain was already dried or set, the method changes.
Old, dried or set-in stains →When to call a professional →How to tell it's working
Progress on a couch looks like color coming off onto your cloth, with the spot lighter after each pass. Check it only when the cushion is fully dry, since a damp patch can look clean while the makeup is still there. If the cloth stops picking up color but a faint outline remains, the makeup has likely set, and it's time for the older-stain section.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your couch & sofa
Lipstick on a couch
Lipstick carries more wax than most makeup, so the oily part takes most of the work. On an S-coded couch, let the dry spotter pad stay in place longer and swap it out more often until it stops picking up color. On a W-coded couch, keep the wet spotter pad damp and let it sit as long as color keeps coming up.
Once the spot is dry, check it in daylight before deciding it's finished. If a faint pink or red shows, repeat the oily-part step first, since the color often lifts once the wax is gone.
Fabric sofa
A fabric sofa comes in many weaves, and the weave decides how much liquid the spot can take. On a loose or delicate weave, keep every pad barely damp and blot from the edge toward the center so the color doesn't spread into clean fabric.
If you can't tell the fiber or the code, don't guess. Vacuum the spot and wait until the code is known before any liquid touches it.
Upholstered furniture
Arms, headrests and seat edges pick up lipstick most often, because that's where hands and faces rest. Work the spot in the same order as a couch, and keep the cleaner off any wood or metal trim around the fabric.
Check the tag on each piece separately, because a chair and a sofa from the same room can carry different codes. Treat each one by its own code.
Mascara
Mascara smears outward more than lipstick does, so start blotting at the outer edge of the mark and work toward the middle. Use a fresh section of cloth or pad each pass so the dark pigment doesn't come back onto the fabric.
Its wax responds to the same oily-part treatment, so use the dry spotter on S-coded fabric or the wet spotter on W-coded fabric. If a gray shadow stays after drying, the oily part isn't gone yet, so repeat that step before trying the color.
Old, dried or set-in stains
An old stain has had time to sink into the fabric, so expect more passes than you'd need for a fresh one. Old stains are harder to remove than fresh ones, and repeating the cleaning is normal rather than a sign something has gone wrong.
Once it's dry, rewet the spot with the right spotter and let the pad sit before you blot again. Repeat the oily-part step until no more stain lifts, flushing the area with solvent between rounds on S-coded fabric.
If color still shows after the oily part is gone, an oxygen bleach can help on colorfast fabric, but only after a pretest. Skip it on wool, silk or leather, and stop if the fabric changes color. If it's still visible after all of that, a professional cleaner is the safer next step.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on makeup on couch & sofa?
Plenty of home remedies float around for makeup. Most aren't built for the oily part, so only a few are worth trying on upholstery.
Works1Helps1Skip3Avoid1
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't skip the pretest
Always test each cleaner on an inconspicuous area first, such as the back of a cushion or under the skirt. Wait until it's dry before deciding, since wet fabric often looks different from dry fabric.
Don't use acetone on acetate or triacetate
Acetone and amyl acetate dissolve acetate and triacetate fabrics, so nail-polish remover can ruin them. If you're not sure of the fiber, stick to the cleaning code method and skip acetone altogether.
Don't press hard to speed things up
Pushing down on the cloth forces the oily part deeper into the cushion foam, where it's harder to reach. Let the spotter do the lifting and keep your pressure light.
Don't reuse a cloth once it has picked up color
A cloth that has taken up lipstick just deposits it back onto the next pass. Turn to a clean face of the cloth each time it picks up color, and switch to a new one when it's full.
Don't judge the spot while it's still damp
Wet upholstery looks cleaner than it is, so the spot can seem gone and then show up again. Wait until the cushion has dried completely, then check it in daylight.
When to call a professional
Fabric coded X belongs with a professional, because any foam or liquid can shrink, fade or distort the pile. For S-coded fabric, a professional is the recommended route, so don't push the solvent steps on your own. Tell the cleaner it was lipstick or mascara, how long it sat, and which solvent or spotter has already gone on.
Questions
Will a lipstick stain remover work on my couch?
It can, if the product is safe for your cleaning code. Match a water-based upholstery foam to a W tag or a dry-cleaning solvent to an S tag, and pretest it on a hidden spot first.
Can I use white vinegar on lipstick on my couch?
Leave it out. Vinegar isn't needed, because a dishwashing detergent mix lifts the greasy part of lipstick without an acid. Stick to the cleaning code and the spotter that matches your tag, and white vinegar stays off the couch for this stain.
What's the difference between the dry and wet spotter?
The dry spotter is an oil and solvent mix for S-coded fabric, and the wet spotter is a water-based mix for W-coded fabric. Use only the one your tag allows, and never put both on the same spot.
Can an old makeup stain still come out?
Often yes, but it takes longer. Old stains are harder to remove than fresh ones, so expect more passes and let each one dry fully before you go again.
Can I speed up drying with a hair dryer?
No. Heat can set the stain, so let the spot air dry or set a fan near it instead. Keep any heater or dryer away until the color is gone.
What do I do if I can't find the cleaning code?
Hold off on any liquid until you know the code, since the wrong cleaner can change or ruin the fabric. Blot the spill dry with a white cloth to keep it from spreading, then have an upholstery professional identify the fabric.
Can I take the cushion cover off to clean the makeup?
Leave the cover on and treat the spot where it sits. Pulling the cover off to launder or dry clean it risks shrinking, fading, or a poor fit on the frame, and that's a bigger problem than a small makeup mark.
Why does a ring show up after I've cleaned a makeup spot?
A ring forms when liquid pushes the pigment outward to the edge of the wet area. Keep the moisture light, and dry the spot with a fan so the edge doesn't sit damp for long.
Makeup on other materials
Other stains on couch & sofa
Start from the bigger picture
How we know this
Every method, amount and warning here comes from university extension services, industry bodies and product makers. We read them, check every step for unsafe combinations and changed amounts, and write it up so you can follow it.