First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Lift off the excess with a soft plastic edge.
- Blot the color; don't rub it.
- Dab the waxy base with 70% isopropyl alcohol on a cotton pad.
- Wash in warm water with mild dish soap, then rinse well.
Makeup on dishes, such as lipstick on a coffee mug or wine glass, is mostly wax and oil, so the greasy part has to lift before the pigment lets go. Glass and ceramic are hard and smooth, so you can work with confidence, but rough tools and sudden heat can mark or crack the glaze. A fresh smear usually comes off in one sitting, while a stain that has dried on may need a few rounds.
Lipstick stained coffee mug edges tend to hide the mark, so check the rim closely before you call it clean. Lipstick on a wine glass is a slow job, so work around the stem in small circles. Finish with a dry microfiber cloth so no film is left behind on the surface.
Before you start
What dishes & mugs can take
Safe to use1
- Water
Use with care7
- Hot water
- Soaking
- Chlorine bleach
- Solvents (alcohol, spot removers)
- Acids (vinegar, lemon)
- Scrubbing and abrasives
- Heat, once the stain is out
7 items
What you'll need
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- Soft plastic edge or fingernailLifts the excess without scratching the glaze.
- 70% isopropyl alcoholBreaks down the waxy base of the lipstick. (opens Amazon)
- Cotton padsKeep the alcohol on the stain and off the rest of the piece. (opens Amazon)
- Mild liquid dish soapWash off the remaining film. (opens Amazon)
- A soft cloth (opens Amazon)
- Non-abrasive cleanserHandles any film the wash leaves behind. (opens Amazon)
- Non-scratch scrub pads (opens Amazon)
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6 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 6
Lift off the excess makeup
Scrape or lift off the excess makeup before you apply anything. Use a soft plastic edge or your fingernail, and keep the color from smearing into the clean glaze.
Careful. Metal edges scratch glass and ceramic.
Step 2 of 6
Blot, don't rub
Press a clean cloth or paper towel onto the stain and lift, turning to a clean section as it picks up color. Rubbing drags the makeup across the surface, so the stain spreads onto clean areas.
Step 3 of 6
Dab the waxy base with alcohol
Dampen a cotton pad with 70% isopropyl alcohol, or 90% denatured alcohol with no added color or fragrance. Dab the stain from the outside edge toward the center, switching pads as they pick up color.
Tip. Lipstick sits thickest at the rim, so start there.
Careful. Alcohol can damage finishes you haven't tested, so check a hidden spot first.
Step 4 of 6
Wash in warm water
Wash the piece in warm water with a mild liquid dish soap, using a soft cloth. Clean the whole piece, not just the stained area, so no soap film is left behind.
Step 5 of 6
Use a non-abrasive cleanser
If a film is left, apply a non-abrasive cleanser made for glass or ceramic and let it dwell 3 to 5 minutes. If you need to scour, use only a plastic or nylon pad.
Careful. Test any new cleaner on a small, inconspicuous area first.
Step 6 of 6
Rinse until the film is gone
Rinse under clean running water until no soap or cleaner film remains. Cleaners can need several rinses, so give the rim and handle a second pass.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for makeup on dishes & mugs
Choose a non-abrasive cleanser labeled for glass or ceramic.
Amazon Basics Microfiber Cleaning Cloths
e-cloth General Purpose Cloth
How we picked these: each product is made for this type of stain, its maker doesn't warn against using it on dishes & mugs, 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
Lipstick should come off on the cloth as soon as you dab it, and a clean rinse should leave no greasy feel behind. Once the glass is dry, run a fingertip over the spot in good light, and it should feel smooth and even with no tacky patch.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your dishes & mugs
Wine glass
A wine glass is glass, so the same steps apply, but the thin bowl needs careful handling. Hold the glass by the bowl rather than the stem while you blot, since the stem can snap under pressure.
Lipstick often leaves a ring at the rim, so check there in good light after you rinse. If a faint ring stays, repeat the alcohol dab and the wash rather than adding a harsher cleaner.
Coffee cup
A coffee cup is ceramic, and lipstick usually shows on the rim and the inside lip where it meets the drink. Check both spots after the wash, and give the handle join a close look, since color collects in that crease.
If the rim still looks pink once the cup is dry, repeat the alcohol dab rather than scouring. Dry the cup fully before you judge the result, because a damp glaze can look stained even when it's clean.
Old, dried or set-in stains
Old lipstick is harder to lift than a fresh smear, so expect to repeat the steps more than once. Give the alcohol dab a little more time on the stain before you blot it away.
If it has dried hard, dab again with the alcohol, then wash and rinse rather than scrubbing harder. Keep the same gentle order each time, starting with the excess and ending with a full rinse.
If a faint shade is still there after a second full round, leave it alone rather than reaching for a stronger product. A pale tint on a mug or wine glass is often as far as a gentle clean goes.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on makeup on dishes & mugs?
Most home remedies don't lift the waxy base of lipstick, which is why the steps stick to alcohol and mild dish soap. Here's how each common remedy fits this stain on a mug or glass.
Works2Skip4
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't soak a mug or wine glass for long.
Ceramic shouldn't stand in water for long, and cleaners left sitting on the surface can cause trouble. Keep each wash short, then rinse.
Don't use cleaners with fluorine compounds.
Fluorine compounds damage ceramic, glass and stone, so check the label before you use a cleaner on this job.
Don't skip the rinse after an alkaline cleaner
Alkaline cleaners and bleach can leave a residue that takes several rinses to clear. Rinse the rim and inside until the water runs clean, then dry it with a soft cloth.
Don't scour a wine glass with powder
Glass needs a non-abrasive cleanser, and scouring is only safe with a plastic or nylon pad. A hard scrub on the bowl or stem can leave fine scratches that dull the shine.
Don't skip the spot test on a printed mug
Glazes and printed designs can react differently to a new cleaner. Try it on a small, out-of-the-way spot and wait for the result before you treat the whole piece.
When to call a professional
You can handle a mug or wine glass at the sink, so a pro is rarely needed. If a cloudy film is still there after the full sequence, the cause is probably a set-in deposit rather than makeup, so stop scrubbing and tell whoever you ask what you've already used.
Questions
Is lipstick on a mug permanent?
Not usually if you act soon, since fresh lipstick lifts more easily than old. Blot it right away, then follow the steps in order.
Do vinegar or baking soda work on lipstick?
Neither is a good choice here, since they don't break down the oily, waxy base of lipstick. Stick to the alcohol and mild dish soap from the steps.
Will rubbing alcohol damage my glass or mug?
The alcohol in the steps isn't ruled out for glass or ceramic, but keep it away from leather, which it can damage. Use it only in the form the steps name.
Can I use nail-polish remover instead?
Skip it. Nail-polish remover isn't needed, since the alcohol already handles the waxy base of the lipstick. Using a second solvent only adds a product you'd have to rinse off the glaze, and the alcohol route is simpler and easier to control.
What if I can't find 70% alcohol?
Use 90% denatured alcohol with no added color or fragrance instead. Check that the label lists no added color or fragrance before you buy it.
Do I need a special cleaner for this?
No special product is needed. Mild dish soap, warm water and the alcohol cover the steps, and a non-abrasive cleanser only comes in if a film is left.
Makeup on other materials
Other stains on dishes & mugs
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.