First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Start now; the longer it sits, the less likely it is to come out.
- Flush cold water through the back of the stain on fabric.
- Blot to lift the color rather than working it further in.
- Keep heat off it, including the dryer, until it is gone.
Self tanner on fabric is usually an oil-based product with dye added, so the mark carries both oil and color. A quick rinse rarely clears both at once. Heat sets the stain, so a mark that has been through a hot dryer is much harder to lift than one that is still fresh.
A stain remover for fake tan works best when you use it before the item goes near a washer. Pink marks on bedding, towels or carpet mean the dye is still there, so repeat the treatment rather than rushing it. Check the care label first, because some carpet and rugs need a gentler touch.
5 items
What you'll need
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- Cool running waterFlushes the stain out from the back without setting it.
- Mild liquid dish soapWorks on the oily base and the dye, which water alone can't lift. (opens Amazon)
- Clean white clothsBlot without spreading color, and show you when the tint is coming off. (opens Amazon)
- Your usual laundry detergentFor the wash after the spot has been treated. (opens Amazon)
- Oxygen bleach, optionalOnly for an old stain on colorfast fabric, in the overnight soak. (opens Amazon)
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6 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 6
Flush the stain from the back
Turn the item inside out and hold the stain under cool running water, aimed from the back so the oil and dye push out rather than deeper in. Keep the water cool the whole time, and get to it while the stain is still wet.
Tip. Slide a clean towel under the spot so the color doesn't transfer to the other side.
Step 2 of 6
Blot with the dish soap solution
Mix 1 teaspoon of mild liquid dish soap into 1 cup of warm water. Dab the solution onto the stain with a clean white cloth, lifting the color up, and switch to a clean section of cloth as it takes up tan.
Tip. A white cloth makes it easy to see the color coming off.
Careful. Test the solution on a hidden spot first, and skip it on silk or velvet.
Step 3 of 6
Rinse out the soap
Rinse the spot with cool water from the back until the soap is gone and no color comes out with it. Blot the area with a dry towel to pull out the extra water before you look at it.
Step 4 of 6
Wash the item as its label allows
Wash the item with your usual detergent in the temperature its care label allows. If the label is missing or unclear, use cool water, which is the safe choice.
Tip. Wash the item by itself so the color doesn't move onto other clothes.
Step 5 of 6
Check the spot in daylight
Once the item is out of the wash, look at the spot in daylight, because indoor light hides faint color. If any tan or tint is left, repeat the dish-soap blot and rinse before the item goes anywhere near heat.
Step 6 of 6
Air dry and check again
Lay or hang the item to air dry. Check the spot again once it is fully dry, since a faint stain is easier to judge on dry fabric.
Tip. Lay knits flat so they don't stretch.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for self tanner
Pick a mild liquid dish soap for the blot, and choose an oxygen bleach product only if the fabric is colorfast.
Amazon Basics Microfiber Cleaning Cloths
How we picked these: each product is made for this type of stain, its maker doesn't warn against using it on these surfaces, 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 →Pick what it is on
Self Tanner on every material
No match. Try the main search for anything else.
How to tell it's working
The spot is gone when the fabric looks the same as the rest of the item in daylight, with no tan or tint showing. When the rinse water runs clear and a dry cloth comes away clean after blotting, you are done.
What changes for yours
Adjust for where the stain is
Tanning lotion
Tanning lotion is also a DHA-based sunless tanner, so the steps above work for it just as they do for self-tanner. Begin with the cold flush from the back, since the lotion's oily base needs to come out the same way.
Nothing else changes, so the set-in soak and the mistakes below apply to lotion stains too.
Bedding and sheets
Sheets are a bigger job than one garment, so start with the same cold flush from the back of the stain. Then let the sheets soak overnight in water with detergent before a regular wash.
Keep the sheets off the dryer until the stain is gone, and check the spot in daylight first. The full bedding method is in the Sheets, Towels & Table Linens guide.
Carpet and rugs
Carpet can't be soaked the way a garment can, so the steps change once the stain is on the floor. Start by blotting with cold water, and don't scrub the pile.
An old stain on carpet needs white vinegar and water, followed by dish-soap blotting. For the full method, use the Carpet & Rugs guide.
Towels and table linens
Towels and table linens are washable fabric, so the cold flush and dish-soap blot from the steps apply first. Use the care label for the wash, since thick towels and linens vary.
The rest of the washing details are in the Sheets, Towels & Table Linens guide. Follow it for the full method on those items.
Old, dried or set-in stains
If the stain is old, the cold flush and dish-soap blot may not finish the job. For a garment, the last-ditch step is an overnight soak in oxygen bleach and cold water, followed by a regular wash. Only use it on colorfast fabric, and test a hidden spot first.
A stain that has dried is usually set in, so the soak is your best option at that point. Keep the item off the dryer through every round, because each cycle of heat can set the stain further. Repeat the soak once if you still see color after the wash.
Some stains won't fully come out, especially if the item has already been through the dryer. That's realistic, and a faint shadow is better than damaged fabric from scrubbing.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on self tanner?
A lot of kitchen remedies get suggested for this stain, but most of them miss the oil and dye. Mild dish soap in warm water is the approach that suits this stain.
Works1Helps2Skip2Avoid1
Chemical safety
Never mix these
Some products in this guide react dangerously with each other. Use them one at a time and rinse with water in between.
Oxygen bleach (OxiClean) + Vinegar
OxiClean's maker says it should not be mixed with household chemicals other than detergent in the wash.
If they mix by accident: Don't use the mixture; ventilate the room and avoid breathing fumes or touching it; call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 for disposal advice or if anyone feels unwell.
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't dry it until the stain is gone
Heat sets the stain, so one dryer cycle can turn a faint shadow into a permanent one. Keep the item on a drying rack until you have confirmed the spot is gone.
Don't scrub the spot
Scrubbing works the stain further into the fibers and can spread it across the fabric. Blot and lift instead, and move to a clean part of the cloth often.
Don't wash dry-clean-only items at home
Take them to a cleaner while the stain is fresh, since a home wash is the wrong fix for them. Leave the stain alone until you have a cleaner's advice.
Don't mix chlorine bleach with other cleaners
Never mix chlorine bleach with ammonia, vinegar, acids or any other cleaner; skip it for this stain altogether. If you use any other product, rinse thoroughly between products.
Don't use oxygen bleach on wool, silk or leather
Oxygen bleach can't go on those fibers, and colored fabric that isn't colorfast can change color too. Keep it for the overnight soak only.
When to call a professional
If the item is valuable, or the stain is still visible after the overnight soak and a regular wash, a professional cleaner can treat it better than you can at home. Bring it in and tell them it's a self-tanner stain so they can choose the right treatment.
Questions
Will a self-tanner leave marks on clothes?
Yes, it can. Most self-tanners are oil-based with dye added, so they leave a visible tint on fabric. Heat sets the tint, so act quickly.
Will it still mark clothes after the skin is washed?
It can. Washing the product off your skin doesn't clean the fabric it touched, because the oil and dye stay in the fibers. Treat the spot as soon as you notice it instead of waiting for the wash to do the work.
Why does it turn pink?
The pink usually comes from the dye added to most self-tanners, which shows most on light fabric. Because heat sets the stain, a pink tint left to dry can be harder to lift, so flush it with cool water first.
Which stain remover works on fake tan?
Mild liquid dish soap, mixed at 1 teaspoon per 1 cup of warm water, is the stain remover that does the job. For an old spot, you can repeat the dish soap rounds, but only on colorfast fabric and after a test.
Can I use chlorine bleach on it?
Leave it out. No, skip chlorine bleach and stick with the dish soap and the regular wash.
Can the dryer make the stain permanent?
Yes. Heat sets the stain, so a faint spot can become permanent after one dryer cycle. Air dry the item until you can no longer see the spot in daylight.
How long should the stain soak?
A fresh stain doesn't need a soak, because the steps are enough. Only an old, set-in stain needs the overnight soak in oxygen bleach and cold water, using the amount on the product label.
Related
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.