Does listerine stain clothes

Does mouthwash stain clothes?

If you have accidentally spilled mouthwash like Listerine on your clothes after you brush your teeth, you need to act fast. It is important that you avoid rubbing the stained part since this might only further embed the mouthwash stain in the fibers of the fabric.

What is Listerine made of

Listerine is a type of mouthwash that helps keep your breath fresh as this can kill all the nasty germs present in your mouth. However, you might not be aware that the liquid’s original purpose was not to be a mouthwash at all.

The developer of Listerine, Joseph Lawrence, created the product not as a type of mouthwash and instead, it was a surgical antiseptic and general germicide. 

Listerine is a name that is a tribute to Joseph Lister, the English doctor who discovered the antiseptics such as carbolic acid that helped lessen infections after surgery.

After it was initially used as a form of surgical antiseptic, this was used by dentists for oral care. Soon enough, the product was made available over the counter. Thanks to its marketing campaign for being a cure for bad breath or chronic halitosis, Listerine became a household name.

Out of all the active ingredients present in Listerine, most of them are essential oils such as eucalyptol, methyl salicylate, thymol, and menthol. Ethanol or alcohol is the primary  single active ingredient in Listerine.

How does Listerine work

The ingredients in every Listerine product may vary slightly since different variants also work for specific purposes and uses.

Listerine kills bacteria with the use of antiseptic ingredients such as alcohol, eucalyptol, and menthol. These ingredients find their way to the crevices between the teeth as well as hard to reach areas such as very back part of your mouth to kill the filmy bacteria that might have accumulated there.

Listerine may sting a bit and feel a bit harsh once you taste them and this is why it sometimes stings every time you use it.

Some Listerine variants also claim to help strengthen the tooth enamel with their fluoride content. Listerine variants with fluoride may help bring down the number of cavities.

The fluoride additives in Listerine are the same to the oral rinses you get after a dental cleaning. These ingredients can coat the teeth and get absorbed to the tooth enamel for your teeth to be more resistant to plaque and more durable as well.

Will Listerine stain clothes

Sadly, Listerine may leave behind some stained marks on your clothes, whether you accidentally spilled it or it dripped down from your mouth while washing.

Does Listerine damage clothes

The good news is that Listerine doesn’t damage clothes and you can remove the stains as long as you deal with it properly.

Can stains from Listerine be remove

Yes, you can remove Listerine stains even if these are among the toughest stains out there. With just a few tips, you can get rid of these stubborn stains out of your favorite clothes.

What can remove Listerine stains from clothes

It is not that difficult to get Listerine stains from your clothes. Be sure to wipe up the spill as soon as it occurs and blot up the remaining liquid as much as possible. Use a clean towel or paper towel to soak up any excess Listerine.

Spray a small amount of clear water on the stained area. Dab and blot to bring out some of the mouthwash and the moisture at the same time.

Continue to do it until you can no longer see any color from Listerine. Blot the spot until it is almost dry to touch.

If there is still some leftover Listerine stain on your clothes, prepare a spray made up of some drops of detergent and water. Spray it on the affected spot and use a paper towel to blot it up. Avoid rubbing the fabric too much to prevent it from stretching. Use the clear water spray again to rinse out the stained spot. Get rid of the remaining Listerine stain and all the suds in the fabric. Continue until there is no longer any suds that come from the fabric.

You can also prepare a mixture of vinegar and water using a half and half ratio. Spray this solution on the Listerine stain and blot if off until you remove the remaining traces of mouthwash coloring and detergent from the fabric. Wash and dry the garment.

How do you remove Listerine stains from clothes

Follow these simple and easy steps to remove Listerine stains from your clothes:

1. Start by removing any excess Listerine from the garment. Do this by turning the garment inside out and placing the stained spot under cold running water. It will help flush out the lingering mouthwash and make it easier to lift the stain. Ensure that the water is cold before you place the stain under it because hot water will just further set the stain into the garment.
2. Use liquid laundry detergent for pre-treating the stain. Pour a small amount of detergent directly over the stain and let it soak for up to 15 minutes. Afterwards, rub the liquid detergent gently using soft bristled brush to help loosen it. Soak it for another 15 minutes.
3. Check the care label and use the appropriate hottest wash setting. Avoid rinsing the pre-treatment liquid laundry detergent from the garment before you wash it because this will help with the final step of stain removal.
4. Once the cycle is completed, take the garment out to check if the stain was lifted.  Repeat the above steps if the stain remains. The drying process can follow after the stain is removed.
5. Air dry or tumble-dry your garment. If the garment is white and has remnants of Listerine stain, you can dry it under direct sunlight to help lift any remaining stain.

How to remove Listerine stains on denim

If you have accidentally spilled Listerine on your denim, it will mostly likely dry down into an invisible stain. However, if the stain ends up noticeable, you need to act fast so it will not become a permanent mark.

Turn the stained part around and place the back portion of the fabric under the tap. Turn on the tap and let cool water push through the stained spot of the denim. Hold this for one to two minutes until there are no longer stains visible on the other side.  If there is still some remaining color, you can try rubbing a bar soap on the stain and rub both stained of the denim together for a bit. Rinse it off afterwards.

The good news is that most of the contents in Listerine is water soluble. Repeatedly blotting it with a wet washcloth and following it up with some blots using a dry washcloth is sometimes enough to remove Listerine stains on denim.

Listerine Stains FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions about Listerine stains that you need to know if ever you find yourself using this mouthwash.

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