How To Get Aquaphor Out Of Clothes

So, how to get Aquaphor out of clothes, and is it as difficult as you think? Aquaphor is an excellent remedy to keep our lips from drying out when it gets cold and protect the wounds wonderfully.

It can do its best when it’s on the skin, but it sucks when it’s on clothes. Can you remove them thoroughly and efficiently?

Stains from oil-based ointments such as Aquaphor, when applied to fabrics, are considered the most stubborn stains. However, do not worry too much because every difficulty will have a solution.

The faster, the better – is the critical point you should keep in mind when dealing with this type of stain. This article will give you specific instructions on removing Aquaphor from clothes and how to pretreat stains. Let’s dive into it.

Aquaphor – The Basics

Aquaphor is a brand of ointment – skincare recommended for minor wounds or scars after surgery. Aquaphor’s main ingredients include 41 percent petrolatum (or mineral oil), the active ingredient, which temporarily protects minor cuts, scrapes, and burns.

Besides, it also protects and helps chapped skin and lips and the drying effects of wind and cold weather.⁽¹⁾

Watch this video to know more:

Because it contains mineral oil, when Aquaphor gets on clothes, it often leaves an oily stain on the fabric, commonly known as an ointment stain. If not quickly removed, oil stains will gradually turn yellow and make clothes less aesthetically pleasing.

Therefore, you need to have a method to remove it properly, pre-treat the stain and then wash it as usual. Do not worry; you will easily remove Aquaphor stains if you follow the process below.

Aquaphor Stain Removal – General Guide

I don’t think this removal process is very complicated. Things are more straightforward than you think, with a few basic steps below. Take a deep breath and get to know the process briefly before starting to get rid of it.

What You Need:

• Dull knife
• Credit card
• Cornstarch/ Baby powder
• Stain remover
• Dish soap
• Laundry detergent
• Clean cloth
• Vinegar
• Baking soda
• Heavy-duty laundry detergent
• Rubbing alcohol

Stage 1: Lift-Away Aquaphor On Clothes

It is considered an important step, a premise to help you get the most favorable results for the next steps of stain cleaning.  First, prepare a blunt object like a butter knife or credit card to shave off any ointment blobs that land on the fabric.

Stage 2: Absorb The Excess Oil

When treating oily stains, powder-based products are the best choice. You can opt for cornstarch in the kitchen or your child’s baby powder. Use these products to absorb oil stains after removing the residue.

If you do not have a lot of time to treat the stain immediately, you should use powder to absorb as much oil as possible.

Stage 3: Pretreat Aquaphor Stain

After most of the oil stain has been removed from the fabric, the next step is to treat the stain’s surface. At this step, you can choose the stain removal product or other cleaning solutions.

Oil stains often penetrate very deeply into the fabric, not only the outside but also the inside.

Stage 4: Wash The Clothes

Depending on the care label information, you can wash your clothes with cold or warm water in the washing machine. When washing by hand, you should use a basin of warm water and wash in the usual way.

Note: To treat with colored dye Aquaphor, You need additional methods for the whole process. Prepare an oxygen-based brightening product to create a stain solution. Soak the solution for at least 8 hours and recheck the stain.

If there are no stains, wash as usual. In the other case, you should consider the possibility that the stain has become permanent.

6 Methods To Get Aquaphor Out Of Clothes: Detailed Instruction

Are you ready to begin the process of removing stains from Aquaphor? Note to follow each step, carefully read the information and act correctly to the last step. I hope you don’t skip steps or give up halfway.

Method 1: Using Vinegar

Vinegar will help you remove nasty oil stains from Aquaphor. You can take advantage of its cleaning feature as it is both cheap and non-toxic.

Tools and Materials

• Vinegar
• Dull knife
• A clean cloth

Instructions

Step 1: Remove excess oil

Before starting the stain removal process, ensure you get as much excess oil off the fabric as possible. Use a clean white cloth to dab off oil. Similarly, you can use a dull knife to remove excess oil.

Note that no matter what method is used, it should remove some oil, not spread the oil to other areas.

Step 2: Soak the stain with vinegar.

Use vinegar to treat stains after removal. To ensure the safety of colored clothes, you should dilute the vinegar with water.

You can mix a solution with a ratio of 1:1, one part vinegar, one part water, and then soak the stain (no need to dilute it if you use it for white fabrics).

Leave it on the stain for about 10 minutes.

Step 3: Rub the stain.

To increase the effectiveness of the stain removal process, you should create friction with vinegar on the stain. Use a clean cloth to rub around the stain to dissolve the stain gently. Rub continuously until the stain fades and disappears.

Use more vinegar if the stain is stubborn or dishwashing liquid now and rinse with warm water.

Step 4: Dry the clothes.

After the stain has been removed, dry naturally or dry with a hairdryer. You can repeat the process to completely clean the stain.

Method 2: Using Baking Soda

Baking soda is no stranger to cleaning stains, and oil stains are no exception. You can use a piece of cardboard under the fabric and sprinkle a sufficient amount of baking soda on the stain’s surface. You can use baking soda on almost any type of fabric.

Tools and Materials

• Baking soda
• A clean cloth
• A dull knife

Instructions

Step 1: Get rid of the oil residue.

Gently remove as much oil as you can with a dull knife or white cloth. Do not rub to minimize the stain spreading to the fabric.

Step 2: Apply powder.

Pour some baking soda over the stain to let it absorb the oil. This oil-absorbing process will help you absorb most of the oil on the surface of the fabric. Let it sit on the fabric for about 8 hours or overnight (depending on the condition of the stain).

Then, wipe the baking soda off with a clean cloth.

Step 3: Pretreat the stain

Treat stains with heavy-duty detergent. Properly treated stains will make your laundry process more convenient.

Step 4: Wash the clothes.

Wash the stain spot with cold water. Dry naturally or with a dryer after rechecking the stain.

Method 3: Using Dish Soap And Laundry Detergent

Dishwashing liquid can effectively remove grease stains on your dishes. So why not try it for stains on clothes. Now prepare some dishwashing liquid and proceed immediately.

Tools and Materials

• Dish soap
• Laundry detergent
• A clean cloth
• Dull knife
• Credit card

Instructions

Step 1: Scrape the Aquaphor excess

Remove oil stains quickly with a clean cloth or dull knife. Take care to remove it so it doesn’t spread to other parts of the fabric.

Step 2: Absorb the stain with cornstarch.

Take some cornstarch and apply it directly to the fabric. Pat the stain gently with two fingers to allow the powder to penetrate the fabric. Let it sit for about 15 minutes.

Brush off the powder with a credit card (or other flat surface objects) and shake the cloth to remove the powder from the fabric.

Step 3: Pretreat the stain

Dab the alcohol with a white cloth, then blot the stain. Continue until the alcohol is gone. Use ½ tsp dish soap and ½ tsp cup of water to pretreat the stain before washing. Dab the mixture with a clean cloth onto the stain to increase efficiency.

Then, use a dry white cloth to remove the soapy water.

Step 4: Wash as usual

Apply a laundry stain remover to the stain and wash the fabric as usual; note that warm water should be used in the process of washing oil stains. Be sure to eliminate the stain before putting it in the dryer.

Method 4: Using Heavy-Duty Laundry Detergent

Oil stains are one of the most stubborn stains, so heavy-duty laundry detergent should be recommended for this process. Unlike regular laundry detergent, it has a more powerful stain remover, which is very suitable for Aquaphor.

Laundry detergent has two types; one is for delicate fabrics, the other is for tough fabrics. Therefore, you can choose which one suits your fabric.

Tools and Materials

• Heavy-duty laundry detergent
• A clean cloth
• A dull knife

Instructions

Step 1: Remove stains

Use a clean towel or dull knife to remove the Aquaphor from the shirt. This removal step will make it easier for you in the following steps.

Step 2: Absorb oil stains

Once the oil stain has been dislodged, proceed to blot it with some powdered product. Use baby powder or cornstarch on the stained area. Then, these products will help you effectively absorb the oil on the fabric. Leave it on the fabric for 10-15 minutes.

Step 3: Pre-treat the stain

Apply a small amount of heavy-duty laundry detergent to the stain (preferably liquid) and rub it in with 2 fingers. Stain-dissolving enzymes will quickly remove the oil stain if you give it a chance to rest on the fabric for about 15 minutes.

Then, gently rub the stain with your hand or a soft-bristled brush until the stain is gone.

Step 4: Wash the clothes.

Carry out washing as usual after the stain has been removed. It is recommended to dry naturally or only use a dryer when all stains have been removed.

Method 5: Using Rubbing Alcohol And Dish Soap

When cleaning oil stains, especially oil stains, don’t forget to rub alcohol. It can help you remove stains quickly and effectively, absolutely not inferior to any other product. However, alcohol should not be used on acetate, silk, wool, or rayon fabrics.

Tools and Materials

• Rubbing alcohol
• Soft-bristle brush
• A dull knife
• Laundry detergent

Instructions

Step 1: Remove oil excess

You should start this stain removal process by scraping off as much of the oil as possible from the fabric. Use some blunt objects like a dull knife or a clean cloth to remove the stain. It is advisable to clean the oil in the area of ​​the stain, not spreading it.

Step 2: Absorb the oil

Thanks to cornstarch and baby powder, you can easily absorb the oil from the Aquaphor. Sprinkle some powder on the stain, wait about 10-15 minutes, and then use a dull knife to remove the powder from the fabric

Step 2: Dab rubbing alcohol

To make sure it doesn’t damage the fabric, you can test the alcohol before applying it. Test the alcohol in a hidden area of ​​the fabric. Then, apply alcohol to the stain. Rub it gently with a soft-bristle toothbrush.

Let the alcohol soak into the stain for about 15 minutes (depending on how stubborn the stain is).

Step 3: Pretreat the stain

After soaking the alcohol, treat the stain on the fabric with laundry liquid. Rub the solution gently so that the fabric soaks up the solution.

Step 4: Wash the clothes.

Wash the fabric as usual after cleaning the stain. Dry the fabric in the dryer only when the stain is gone.

Method 6: Using Stain Remover

The stain remover is the right choice if you are afraid of stubborn oil stains. Just a few simple steps with this solution, you can remove stains quickly.

Tools and Materials

• Stain Remover
• A clean cloth
• A dull knife

Instructions

Step 1: Lift off the ointment lands

Rubbing the fabric is not recommended to avoid the stain spreading to other areas of the fabric. Only a dull knife or clean cloth should be used to remove Aquaphor.

Step 2: Pretreat the stain

Use gel or spray stain remover products applied directly to the stain. The lipase enzyme in these products gives way to stubborn stains, especially oil stains on synthetic fabrics like polyester. Use two fingers or a soft-bristled brush to rub the stain.

Leave it on for 15 minutes. Rinse the area with water before washing.

Step 3: Wash the fabric as usual

Once the stain removers have been removed, rest assured and proceed to wash the fabric as usual. Recheck the process before placing it in the dryer.

Tips And Warnings

I have compiled some common mistakes made in the removal process of Aquaphor stains to help you get rid of them in the best way. Keep these things in mind to make cleaning easier.

Cold, Warm or Hot Water

Always remember, the oily stain might not go well with hot water. When removing Aquaphor stains, always treat them with cold or warm water (depending on the fabric).

Note, the ideal temperature for hot water is between 120 – 140 degrees F, warm water is between 85 – 105 degrees F, and water below 60 degrees F is not suitable for oil stains.

Mix Stain Removers

Mixing chemicals is not recommended, although sometimes you can mix a few things more effectively. However, make sure you understand their ingredients and chemical reactions before mixing them. Because if you don’t grasp it, bad things will happen.

For example, mixing vinegar and hydrogen peroxide should be avoided ⁽²⁾, as they form an extremely toxic, corrosive chemical called peracetic acid. This chemical can harm the eyes, skin, nose, and throat.

Check Label Care

Some stain removers have a chemical composition that is unsuitable for fabrics, so it is essential to check the label before applying any method. For oil stain removal methods like Aquaphor, not all materials are suitable for washing in hot water.

Therefore, you can choose another option, such as washing with warm water.

Speed

Unlike removing other contaminants such as candle wax or playdough, Aquaphor should be treated as quickly as possible. Oil stains often leave an oily patch that is darker than the surrounding fabric.

The longer you leave the oil stain on, the more severe the dark spot will become. Also, if left alone for a while without any treatment, the stain can form permanently.

Rely On Dryer

It is best when dealing with stains on clothes, you should not dry them with a dryer but let them dry naturally. Stains that remain after the washing and drying process is complete will make it difficult to remove them later.

FAQs

This section is a compilation of frequently asked questions during stain removal from Aquaphor. Follow closely; there will be the answer you want to hear. Don’t miss it.

Speed Is The Key

Speed is critical in removing stains from Aquaphor, so it’s a good idea to keep this in mind for a better cleaning process. The faster you get rid of stains, the more you can increase the likelihood of a thorough cleaning.

I’m sure my instructions can make you feel relieved in the face of Aquaphor stains. If you have any ideas about my Aquaphor removal, comment below, and I promise to answer you as quickly as possible.

References

1. “Aquaphor – Wikipedia”. En.Wikipedia.Org, 2021
2. “When Is It Safe To Mix Household Cleaning Products? – Kera News”. keranews.org, 2021