Makeup on the neckline

Short answer: Put a little washing-up liquid directly on the stain and leave it. Make-up contains grease and pigment, and the grease must be dissolved before the pigment can be rinsed out. Then rinse cold and wash the garment as normal following the care label.

What make-up is made of

Make-up is built simply from two parts: a fat that holds the colour in place and a pigment that gives the colour itself. It is the combination that makes make-up stay on the skin all day. It is also why it settles so firmly in fabric.

The grease binds the pigment

The grease binds the pigment to the fibre, which is why water alone rarely works. Water cannot dissolve grease, so the pigment stays behind a layer of fat. Only when the grease is loosened can the colour be rinsed out. That is the main reason make-up is one of the more stubborn stains on a shirt.

Why it sits in the neckline

The neckline lies close to the skin and rubs against it all day. Foundation, powder and a little oily skin build up in the edge, especially on shirts and t-shirts that are pulled over the head. The stains arrive quietly, and you often notice them only when the garment is in the laundry. Also see bamboo t-shirt dresses.

Washing-up liquid is right

Washing-up liquid is made to dissolve grease, so it works well here. Put a little directly on the stain without diluting it first. Do not use more than it takes to cover the stain. A little does the job, and too much can be hard to rinse out fully afterwards.

How to do it

Rub the washing-up liquid in lightly with a finger and leave it for about twenty minutes. Use only a light movement so you do not press the pigment deeper. Then rinse cold from the wrong side so the colour is pushed out of the fabric. If some remains, repeat the treatment once more.

Can you wash warmer

If the care label allows it, forty degrees helps with the grease. The heat loosens the grease faster, and the pigment follows. Always check the label first and never wash warmer than it allows. Do not wash the garment before the stain is treated, since a full wash without pre-treatment can set it.

How to avoid it

Button the shirt after you have put on make-up, or lay a scarf or towel over your neck while you do it. That is far easier than removing the stain afterwards. Let the make-up settle into the skin before you get dressed. Also see bamboo shirt for men and bamboo tennis socks for women.

Wet wipes

Damp cleansing wipes can move some of the stain, but they do not remove the grease. The pigment easily spreads over a larger area, and the stain then looks bigger than it was. Use them only to take off the worst, and let the washing-up liquid handle the rest before you wash the garment.

Check before drying

Always check the stain before you hang the garment up to dry or put it in the tumble dryer. Heat can set what is left so it becomes harder to remove. If something still shows, repeat the washing-up liquid and wash again. Treating twice is better than giving up and leaving the stain.

Frequently asked questions

Do damp wipes work

They can move some of the stain, but not the grease. The pigment spreads easily, so use them only to take off the worst and let the washing-up liquid do the rest.

Why does make-up sit in the neckline

Because the edge rubs against the skin all day and collects make-up, powder and grease. It applies especially to garments pulled over the head and sitting close to the neck.