How to Remove White Out From Clothes

Treat white-out stains promptly for best results.

White-out, also known as Liquid Paper, is used to correct mistakes on paper. An applicator brush is used to brush the white-out over the error, then when it dries the correct text can be printed or typed right over it. White-out is handy to have in the office, but is also messy to work with. If you find white-out on your clothing, don’t worry—there’s no need to throw it out. With the right products and methods you can remove white-out from your clothes successfully.

Things You'll Need

• Plastic spoon
• Household lubricating spray or glass cleaner
• Rags
• Acetone nail polish remover
• Dish soap
• Laundry pretreatment spray

Instructions

1. Scoop up as much of the white-out from the clothing as possible using a plastic spoon. Do this carefully so you don’t spread the white-out further.

2. Saturate the white-out stain with household lubricating spray or glass cleaner. Make sure to spray both the front and back sides of the stained clothing.

3. Rub the lubricating spray or glass cleaner into the stain with your fingers. Let it sit on the stain for about five minutes.

4. Scrub the clothing gently with a damp rag. Apply more lubricating spray or glass cleaner as necessary. Switch to clean portions of the rag as one part becomes filled with white-out. Scrub until the white-out stain is gone.

5. Sponge the stain with acetone nail polish remover for especially stubborn white-out stains. Put a clean rag on the underside of the stained clothing. Moisten a rag with acetone nail polish remover and dab it onto both sides of the clothing until the stain is gone.

6. Wash the affected area of the clothing with a rag and soapy water to remove any residue from the cleaning products. Apply a laundry pretreatment spray to the area and launder the clothing as usual.

Tips & Warnings

• Always test the product you are using on a small, inconspicuous area of the clothing before using it on a more noticeable area.

References

• How to Clean Stuff: How to Remove White-Out From Clothing