A highlighter stain can be scary looking as it’s neon color, and the look of it instantly spreads in to clothing like it. However, knowing how to get highlighter out of clothes is less about scrubbing harder and more about treating the ink correctly before it becomes more difficult to remove.
When learning how to get highlighter out of clothes, it helps to know that most highlighters use water-based fluorescent ink, although formulas vary by brand and product. The variability also means that there isn’t one specific remedy that will perform magic on all fabrics. The surest path is knowing your fabric, testing your stain remover, moving the ink out of, not around in, the cloth and laundering only after Pretreatment.
The American Cleaning Institute suggests you Pretreat stains quickly, Pretreat garments before laundering and inspect them before placing in a dryer, following recommended ink stain removal practices for certain ink stains.
Why Highlighter Stains Can Be Difficult to Remove
Highlighter ink made to be bright and noticeable. As with many types of inks and paints, contact with fabric can cause the fluorescence dye to spread around the areas between fibers. What makes these different from other simple soils is that the highlighter mark is more an ink stain than anything merely resting on the surface of the fabric.
In such cases, rubbing can cause the ink to bleed more, not less.
Henceforth, treat it as getting the ink out of the fabric rather than scrubbing it off.
When considering how to get highlighter out of clothes, it is also important to distinguish between a fresh stain and one that has already been washed or dried.Newer ink may give you a better chance of getting it out of the fabric before the ink fully seeps in and dries. According to The American Cleaning Institute, speed is important, and a stain that has been through a dryer is very likely more difficult to remove or is permanently there.
Before You Treat the Stain, Check the Clothing
Before reaching for rubbing alcohol, stain remover, or another household product, read the garment’s care label.
Look for information about:
- Washing temperature
- Bleach restrictions
- Dry-clean-only instructions
- Fabric composition
- Special care requirements
This is important because what’s safest on a cotton t-shirt is likely damaging to silk, acetate, wool, or fragile synthetic fabric. If you aren’t sure if the product will alter the dye on your garment, try a bit of it on an inconspicuous seam or area first, and then let that section dry before applying it to the visible stain.
You are not just trying to remove the highlighter; you want to remove it without harming the item.
How to Get Highlighter Out of Clothes Step by Step
For a typical washable cotton or synthetic shirt, start with a controlled treatment rather than immediately putting the garment through another wash cycle.
Step 1: Blot fresh ink
If the highlighter mark is still wet, gently blot the area with a clean white cloth or paper towel.
Do not make back and forth movements.
If a garment is stained, if possible to cover the stain from below an absorbent to take more ink, to leave it to go everywhere else on the garment.
Do not hesitate to use different parts of the cloth or of the kitchen towel when they are dirty.
It’s better to remove maximum quantity before using the other one.
Step 2: Place the stain face down
For a transferable ink stain, placing the stained area face down against clean paper towels can help move the ink away from the fabric rather than deeper into it.
When learning how to get highlighter out of clothes, the American Cleaning Institute recommends a general approach for ink stains: place the stained area facedown on clean paper towels, apply an appropriate treatment to the back of the stain, replace the paper towels as they absorb the ink, then rinse and launder the garment.
This principle is useful because the absorbent material acts as a destination for the dissolved ink.
Step 3: Test rubbing alcohol
Rubbing alcohol is one of the more familiar remedies for ink stains. When suggesting remedies for ink stains on your clothes, the American Cleaning Institute explicitly recommended the use of rubbing alcohol. Test the rubbing alcohol somewhere inconspicuous to determine if your fabric will become discolored before you even apply it to the visible stain.
If it passes that test, apply a tiny bit of the rubbing alcohol to a white cloth and carefully dab the stained spot on the fabric.
This process is not to be confused with soaking the fabric in the product. As you continue to lift the stain and more ink comes onto your rag, either switch to another spot on the rag or replace the paper towel under the stain. Do not assume that because the stain disappears brightly the very first time that you can keep pour more alcohol on it.
Step 4: Rinse thoroughly
After the ink has lifted as much as possible, rinse the treated area thoroughly.
This helps remove loosened ink and residual cleaning product before the garment goes into the washing machine.
If the stain is still clearly visible, repeat the treatment rather than assuming that one attempt should remove everything.
Step 5: Apply laundry detergent or stain remover
After treating the ink as directed initially, brush any remaining discoloration with a liquid laundry detergent or a pre-wash stain remover. Gently work into the fabric according to product label. The American Cleaning Institute suggests pre-treating all stains with laundry and identifies prewash stain removers and liquid laundry detergents as pretreating solutions. Let the treatment stay on as long as directed on the label.
Step 6: Wash according to the care label
Wash the garment using the temperature and cycle recommended for the fabric.
Do not automatically choose the hottest possible setting. The safest temperature depends on the garment.
After washing, inspect the stain while the clothing is still wet.
Step 7: Do not use the dryer until the stain is gone
This step is easy to overlook but extremely important.
If you can still see highlighter after washing, do not put the garment in the dryer simply because it has already been washed.
The American Cleaning Institute specifically advises checking for remaining stains before drying because dryer heat can set stains and make them more difficult to remove, making proper stain pretreatment techniques an important part of the process.
Instead, repeat an appropriate pretreatment and wash again.
How to Remove Highlighter From White Clothes
The white color is more versatile when treatments are considered, because you don’t have to deal with getting the original dye out like on a colored fabric. White doesn’t automatically mean you can safely use a bleach or solvent. Treat gently with the least aggressive treatment that you think will work; blot for fresh ink, try rubbing alcohol (where applicable), rinse, pre-treat with laundry detergent or stain remover, then machine wash (use laundry instructions for the garments) if it will come out or be lightened more by this treatment alone.
When learning how to get highlighter out of clothes, an oxygen-bleach product may be appropriate for some stubborn stains on washable white fabrics. The American Cleaning Institute recommends oxygen bleach for certain persistent stains when it is safe for the fabric.
Always follow the product label rather than assuming that increasing the concentration will improve the result.
How to Get Highlighter Out of Colored Clothes
Colored clothes are more challenging as some stain removers may affect some of the colours on your item of clothing. Try to first conduct a spot test somewhere that is not visible to see if any color transfer occurs or it bleeds/ fades the colour. If colour changes happen do not attempt that treatment.
If it’s suitable to be put in water you may use a small amount of isopropyl alcohol for an ink mark IF you are happy to do so.
Don’t work it in too fast or allow the bled pigment to stain elsewhere! Rinse well and then wash as normal. Use chlorine based products only if specified on product & item directions.
What If the Highlighter Stain Has Already Dried?
A dried-in highlighter stain can present a more difficult task to remove, although by no means always an impossible one. Firstly, ascertain if the garment has already been dried in a dryer; where a stain has been subject to dryer heat it may necessitate multiple applications of the cleaning solution. Apply a suitable ink pretreatment – on a washably fabric this could involve test treated rubbing alcohol for example – allowing the ink to soak through to clean absorbent cloths.
Rinse well and wash with laundry detergent or an appropriate stain remover.
The item should then be dried and checked to see if the stain has been successfully removed. If color remains and the item needs further treatment then use again before attempting stronger, harsher chemical combinations. The American Cleaning Institute also reports that even older stains may respond to treatment, where immediate removal is more likely to bring the best results.
Can You Use Hand Sanitizer on Highlighter Stains?
While some hand sanitizers are alcohol-based and that’s why people occasionally mention hand sanitizers for ink stains, it is specifically designed to be used on the skin. So it might leave residue on the fabric. Therefore when a fabric can safely take rubbin alcohol, a specially formulated ink remover or stain removers designed for fabrics is a fairly safe option. You should also be aware that hand sanitizers shouldn’t be blindly applied in the event of a stain if its the only alternative you have handy .
Can Hairspray Remove Highlighter From Clothes?
Hairspray is one of the most common DIY ink-removal suggestions of all time, due to the fact that older hairsprays used to have high proportions of alcohol in them. New hair sprays may have extremely diverse formulas and some of the chemicals within the product will have no relevance in terms of removing stains, making hair spray not a desirable solution, rather a test solution. The best type of stain remover-an acceptable laundry stain removers, or tested rubbing alcohol would be the optimal starting solution to combat the stain.
Should You Use Acetone or Nail Polish Remover?
Although it will dissolve inks and dyes, it isn’t a healthy all-purpose fabric care solution. Not every fiber is tolerant of acetone. The American Cleaning Institute says acetone should never be used on triacetate or acetate for nail-polish stains.
Because many highlighter stains won’t require going the heavy-duty solvent route, it shouldn’t be your immediate go-to product.
For delicate clothing that isn’t made of natural fiber, be careful about attempting to use powerful solvents until they’ve been deemed acceptable by the maker.
Why You Should Not Scrub a Highlighter Stain
Rubbing makes intuitive sense in that you’ve got colored mark and you feel an urge to eliminate the visual object through action. The flaw with this assumption and the colored mark is that ink can travel. Over-rubbing a mark will, at worst, drive and further smear the pigment outward, create a bigger stain, push coloring deeper into the material of the weave, or abrasion can damage the integrity of the delicate fibers in the item.
Instead blotting and controlled transfer seem like more sensible, effective approaches.
If you try to remove wet paint off of a sponge, putting something else absorbent onto the wet surface is going to pull some of that pigment from the sponge’s surface, grinding it against another surface will only redistribute it and make a bigger mess. The overall concept applies many liquid stains.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Putting the garment straight into the dryer
This is one of the biggest mistakes because heat can make remaining stains more difficult to remove.
Using too much rubbing alcohol
More solvent does not automatically mean better stain removal. Excessive application can increase the risk of affecting dyes or surrounding materials.
Scrubbing from the center outward
This can enlarge the stain. Controlled blotting and transfer are preferable.
Skipping the colorfastness test
A stain remover can affect fabric dye even if it successfully removes the highlighter, which is why clothing stain removal tips should always account for fabric type and colorfastness.
Mixing cleaning chemicals
Do not combine bleach, ammonia, solvents, or other cleaners simply because a homemade recipe recommends it. Chemical combinations can create hazardous reactions or damage clothing.
Treating every fabric the same way
Cotton, polyester, wool, silk, acetate, and specialty fabrics can respond differently to solvents and cleaning products.
How to Choose the Right Treatment
A simple decision process can make stain removal much less confusing.
If the highlighter is fresh, begin by blotting away excess ink.
If the garment is washable and colorfast, carefully tested rubbing alcohol can be considered for an ink-type stain, followed by thorough rinsing and laundering.
If the stain is small and faint, laundry detergent or a prewash stain remover may be enough.
If the garment is white and washable, an appropriate oxygen-bleach product may be considered for persistent discoloration.
If the fabric is delicate, expensive, vintage, or dry-clean-only, avoid experimenting with household solvents and follow the garment’s professional-care instructions.
This approach is better than searching for one “magic” stain remover because the correct method depends on both the stain and the material.
When a Highlighter Stain May Not Come Out Completely
It is important to set realistic expectations.
When learning how to get highlighter out of clothes, keep in mind that some inks are difficult or impossible to remove completely, particularly after they have been exposed to heat or when the pigment has altered the fabric’s original color.The American Cleaning Institute points out that you may not be able to totally remove every ink stain.
There will likely still be some sort of mark there, and don’t assume that it means that the technique you used was the wrong one. In some cases the fabric itself may be discolored now by the ink and a lot of scrubing at that stage may only do more harm than good. If it is a treasured item or you simply don’t want to take chances with your very best china then get the item dry cleaned.
A Practical Highlighter-Stain Routine
For a normal washable shirt, remember this sequence:
Blot → Test → Transfer → Rinse → Pretreat → Wash → Inspect → Repeat if needed.
The most important part is the inspection stage.
Do not consider the job finished just because the shirt has completed a wash cycle. Check the stained area while it is still wet. If the fluorescent color remains, treat it again before drying.
This simple habit prevents many stain-removal attempts from becoming harder than they needed to be.
Frequently Asked Questions
1.Can rubbing alcohol remove highlighter from clothes?
Rubbing alcohol can help with some ink stains, and the American Cleaning Institute recommends it as one option for treating certain ink stains on clothing. However, fabric and dye compatibility should be checked first.
2.Will highlighter come out of clothes in the washing machine?
It may, particularly if the stain is fresh and the garment is treated before washing. For a stubborn mark, pretreatment is usually more effective than relying on the washing cycle alone.
3.Can I use rubbing alcohol on colored clothes?
It may be possible on some colorfast fabrics, but you should always test it on an inconspicuous area first. Stop if the garment’s dye transfers or changes appearance.
4.How do I remove dried highlighter stains?
Pretreat the dried stain with a suitable ink treatment, such as carefully tested rubbing alcohol for compatible fabrics, followed by thorough rinsing and laundry detergent. Repeat if necessary and avoid the dryer until the stain disappears.
5.Does hairspray remove highlighter stains?
Hairspray is sometimes suggested because some formulations contain alcohol, but modern products vary and may contain ingredients that leave residue. A fabric-appropriate stain remover or tested rubbing alcohol is generally a more controlled option.
6.Can I use bleach on a highlighter stain?
Bleach may be appropriate for some white, bleach-safe fabrics, but it should not be used indiscriminately. Check the care label and the bleach product instructions first. For colored garments, chlorine bleach can remove or alter the fabric’s dye.
7.What should I do if the highlighter stain remains after washing?
Do not put the garment in the dryer. Repeat an appropriate pretreatment, rinse, and wash again. If the stain has already been heat-dried or the fabric’s color has changed permanently, complete removal may not be possible.
Conclusion
Knowing how to get highlighter out of clothes is mainly about acting carefully before the ink has time to set. Begin by referring to the clothing’s care instructions, dabbing away any fresh excess ink, and making sure to perform any cleaning agent on a less-visible spot first. Removing highlighter could potentially involve using an appropriate stain remover or alcohol based agent to help release the mark from the material, depending on the type of material.
Do not under any circumstances try to aggressively scrub the ink, and definitely do not place in the dryer at any point during the process, if not sure that the stain has been successfully removed, as some stains become permanently set when a fabric is subjected to heat. By acting quickly and taking the necessary preventative and careful steps during washing (that we would all normally do anyway!) we are almost certain that most if not all highlighter stains could be reduced, removed and have little to no impact on the fabric of the clothing.
