Skip to content
  1. Home/
  2. Laundry Tips/
  3. Stain Removal Tips/
  4. How to remove sun cream stains from clothes
A boy in a red bandana drawing white warrior stripes on his face.

How to remove sun cream stains from clothes

Dark blue background
Sun cream is great for our skin, but not so great on our clothes! Read on for tips on how to get sun cream stains out of white and coloured clothes.

There’s nothing quite like being outdoors on a warm, sunny day, is there? Getting out and about during the summer is not only great for us, it’s great for our little ones, too. The sun boosts their Vitamin D stores, helping to keep them happy and healthy, but as a parent you’ll know just how important it is to make sure your child is protected when out in the sun.

When you head to the beach this summer, it’s a good idea to take an umbrella or parasol, sun cream, and, of course, some helpful hints on how to remove sun cream stains! With your excited, adventurous little ones raring to go as you try to apply sun cream, accidents are sure to happen. But don’t panic – sun cream stain removal is easier than you may think. In fact, it’s just as easy as removing chocolate ice cream stains, which is a piece of cake!  

Why does sun cream stain clothes?

Sun cream can stain clothes because of the ingredients it contains so it’s not unusual to notice an oily-looking mark on darker, coloured clothes, or a yellowish stain on white clothes after a day in the sun. The good news is that it’s simple to learn how to get sun cream stains out of clothes, especially when you’ve got a bottle of Persil small & mighty to hand!  

How to get sun cream out of clothes

The secret to how to remove sun cream stains from clothes is to use a laundry detergent that’s designed to cut through oils and grease. Many sun creams contain oils to help moisturise the skin and replace moisture that’s been lost through exposure to the sun.

Look for a biological laundry detergent that offers brilliant stain removal on these sorts of stains, like Persil small & mighty Bio which is great at tackling palm oil stains, hamburger grease, mechanical grease, and so on. A quick pre-treatment with Persil small & mighty will help to break up the oily enzymes, making it much easier for your washing machine to do its job effectively.

Remember to check the care labels on your clothes before treating stains, and wash at a warm but not hot temperature – hotter temperatures can cause oily stains to set into the fabric.  

How to get sun cream stains out of white clothes

Sun cream stains on white clothes often look worse than they really are, so there’s no need to worry. The oils can be tackled by using Persil small & mighty, but you’ll also need to pay attention to any discolouration that has been caused by the sun cream. The best way to treat sun cream stains on white clothes is to gently bleach the clothing in one of these ways:

  • After washing, hang your white clothing out to dry in the sun. The sun is great at naturally bleaching stained white clothing in a very safe and gentle way.

  • Lemon juice can intensify the bleaching results of the sun, so for very stubborn stains squirt a little lemon juice on the yellow stain before drying on the line.

  • You may wish to use a chemical bleaching agent which is usually diluted with water before being applied to clothes. Always read the label, keep your area well ventilated, and ensure kids and pets are kept well out of the way.

Now that you know how to remove sun cream stains, and how to get sun cream stains out of white clothes, you can sit back, relax, and enjoy a sunny day out with the family without worrying about the laundry. All you do have to worry about is getting sand in your socks!