First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Treat it as soon as possible; the longer it sits, the less likely it is to come out.
- Blot rather than scrub, which works the stain further in.
- Use cold water first, flushing from the back of the stain.
- Keep heat off it, including the dryer, until it is gone.
Getting self tanner and fake tan out of clothes is harder than it looks, because the product is oil-based and carries dye, so both the grease and the color have to come out. Heat sets it fast, which means a fresh smear is much easier to clear than one that has dried into the fibers. A set-in mark may only fade with repeated treatment, so don't expect it to vanish in one wash.
Test any remover on a hidden seam before you treat the visible area, especially on white or delicate fabric. A prewash stain remover is the easiest way to lift tanning lotion out of clothes before washing. If the color still shows after two rounds, take a delicate piece like a wedding dress to a pro.
Before you start
What clothes can take
Safe to use3
- Water
- Soaking
- Enzyme cleaners
Use with care6
- Hot water
- Chlorine bleach
- Oxygen bleach
- Solvents (alcohol, spot removers)
- Acids (vinegar, lemon)
- Scrubbing and abrasives
Avoid1
- Heat, once the stain is out
5 items
What you'll need
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- Mild liquid dishwashing detergentMakes the solution the sponge blots with. (opens Amazon)
- Warm water and a measuring cupMixes the solution at the right strength.
- Clean sponge or clothBlots from the edges in without rubbing. (opens Amazon)
- Cold tap waterFlushes the stain without setting it.
- All-fabric oxygen bleachOnly for the overnight soak on old stains.
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7 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 7
Check the laundry as you sort
Look over clothes when you sort the laundry, and treat any tan spot as soon as you see it. The sooner you act, the better the chance it lifts out.
Step 2 of 7
Flush the back with cold water
Run cold water onto the opposite side of the garment, directly behind the stain. Keep the water cold, since heat can set the color.
Step 3 of 7
Mix a mild dish soap solution
Stir 1 teaspoon of mild liquid dishwashing detergent into 1 cup of warm water. Mix it fresh for each stain so it stays mild.
Careful. Don't leave the solution on bright or fluorescent items for more than a few minutes.
Step 4 of 7
Blot from the edges inward
Dip one end of a clean sponge in the solution and blot the stain from the outside edges toward the center. Work inward slowly and switch to a clean part of the sponge as it picks up color.
Careful. Don't scrub; rubbing pushes the stain deeper into the fabric.
Step 5 of 7
Rinse, then wash on normal settings
Rinse the spot with cold water again, then wash the garment on the settings you would normally use, with cold water. Check the care label first so you know what the fabric can take.
Tip. Save hot water for later, and only if the care label allows it.
Step 6 of 7
Repeat if the stain remains
If the stain is still visible after washing, repeat the cold rinse, the soap blot and the wash once more. Check it in good light before you move on.
Step 7 of 7
Keep the garment out of the dryer
Don't move the garment to the dryer until the stain is gone, since heat locks the color in. Let it air dry, then check again.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for self tanner on clothes
Quick-drying mousse or foam formulas leave less wet product to rub onto clothes than a slow-drying lotion does.
Shout Triple-Acting Laundry Stain Remover
Puracy Laundry Stain Remover
Clorox 2 Laundry Stain Remover and Color Booster Powder, 49.2 Ounces
How we picked these: each product is made for this type of stain, its maker doesn't warn against using it on clothes, 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 before using any heat. 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.
See what to do for what you're seeing →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
The color should lift onto the sponge, and the fabric around the spot should stop looking darker than the rest. If the spot still looks dull or darker after washing, it isn't finished, so repeat the treatment before anything goes near heat.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your clothes
White clothes
White fabric shows every trace of color, so check the spot in good light after each round before you move on. Rinse and blot as in the steps, and don't dry the item until you can no longer see the stain.
If it's still visible after the washing steps, use the overnight oxygen bleach soak from the set-in section. Skip chlorine bleach on this stain; it only suits colorfast whites whose care label allows it.
Bronzer and tanning lotion
Tanning lotion and bronzer leave oil and color behind, so the same cold rinse and dish soap blot apply. Bronzing drops are treated the same way, starting with the cold rinse.
Glitter or shimmer can sit on top of the fabric, so brush off any loose particles before you rinse. Then follow the rest of the steps and check the spot in good light before the garment is put away.
Wedding dresses and delicate fabric
Take a wedding dress or other dry-clean-only piece to a cleaner while the stain is fresh, and say what it's made of. Don't use dish soap on silk or velvet, since those fabrics can't take it.
Towels, sheets and table linens have their own guide, so use Sheets, Towels & Table Linens for stains on those.
Any self-tanner brand
The brand doesn't change the steps. Any self-tanner, whatever the label says, gets the same cold rinse, dish soap blot and wash before any heat.
If the color is heavy or has been on the fabric a while, expect to need the repeat step. Check after each wash before you go any further.
Old, dried or set-in stains
Old stains are much harder to remove than fresh ones, so expect it to take more than one try. Once the color has dried into the fabric, it may fade rather than fully lift.
For a dried stain, scrape or brush off any crusted matter first, then soak the item overnight in cold water with an enzyme presoak. For a stubborn spot, soak it overnight in cold water with oxygen-based bleach instead, and test a hidden area first because oxygen bleach can change color on some fabrics.
After the dryer, the stain is usually set deeper and may only partly come out. If it's still there after the overnight soak, some people also dab 100 percent vegetable glycerine onto the spot before washing again. Repeat the treatment if needed, and take the item to a cleaner if it still shows.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on self tanner on clothes?
Most kitchen and drugstore remedies don't help with self-tanner, and several can damage fabric. A mild dish soap solution does the work, and oxygen bleach is saved for old stains; most other options won't help, and some can harm the fabric.
Works1Skip5
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't rub a fresh stain with bar soap
Bar soap sets many stains, so it makes a spot harder to remove. Use the dish soap solution from the steps instead.
Don't use acetone or nail polish remover on acetate
Acetone dissolves acetate, triacetate and modacrylic, so keep it away from those fabrics completely. For nail polish on those, take the item to a dry cleaner and point out the stain.
Don't mix chlorine bleach with ammonia or vinegar
Chlorine bleach with ammonia makes toxic fumes, and it shouldn't go near vinegar or any other cleaner either. Rinse thoroughly with cold water between each product you use.
Don't reach for chlorine bleach on wool or silk
Chlorine bleach can't go on wool, silk, mohair, leather or spandex. Even on a colorfast white, it should only come after everything else has been rinsed out.
Troubleshooting
If the stain is still there
Pick what you're seeing:
The stain is still there after the first wash.
Repeat the dish soap solution and blotting once more, while the item is still wet. Do not dry it in between attempts.
The garment already went through the dryer.
Treat it as a set-in stain: an overnight soak in oxygen-based bleach and cold water is the last-ditch option. Test the soak on a hidden seam first, and skip it if the color shifts.
You don't know the fiber or whether the color is stable.
Read the care label first, then test the dish soap solution on a hidden seam or inside hem. If the label says dry-clean only, stop and call a cleaner instead of washing.
The mark keeps spreading as you work.
Use less solution and a clean part of the sponge, and blot from the edges inward rather than wiping across the middle. Spreading means you are pushing product sideways instead of lifting it.
When to call a professional
Take dry-clean-only items to a dry cleaner promptly, and tell them the fiber content and the stain. Bulky items, large stains and fragile fabric are worth taking to a cleaner even if they're washable. Suede, leather and fur trim go to a specialist.
Questions
Will self tanner stain clothes, and can it come out?
Yes, self-tanner can stain clothes, but it often comes out if you treat it while it's fresh. Use cold water from the back, a dish soap blot and a normal wash, and keep the item out of the dryer until the stain is gone.
Do tanners from big brands stain clothes more?
Yes, most self-tanners can stain clothes, and the brand name doesn't change how you treat the spot. Most are oil-based with added dye, so the steps here work for any of them.
Do gradual tanners, clear spray tans and bronzer stain clothes too?
Yes, they can, and the same steps work for them. Gradual tanners, clear spray tans, lotions and bronzer all leave color behind that needs the cold rinse and dish soap blot.
Does spray tan stain clothes after the first shower?
Yes, it can, since color can still rub off onto fabric after a shower. Treat any mark right away with the same cold rinse and dish soap blot.
Does fake tan stain white clothes, and how do you remove it?
Yes, it shows clearly on white, so check it in good light after each round. Use the cold rinse, dish soap blot and wash, and if a mark remains, repeat those steps once more.
Is there a self-tanner that won't stain clothes?
No self-tanner can promise to stay off clothes, since most are oil-based with added color. Choose a quick-drying formula and let it dry fully before you dress, which leaves less to rub off.
Can I wash a dry-clean-only dress at home?
No, take it to a dry cleaner while the stain is fresh. Tell them the fiber content and the stain so they can choose the right treatment.
Self Tanner on other materials
Other stains on clothes
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.