Which Skin Care Products Can Bleach Your Clothes?

So, you’ve completed your skin care routine and look down to find a bleach stain on your favorite shirt. Bummer! While you’re probably freaking out about how that could have happened, there's a simple explanation: some skin care products can bleach fabric. The key is to find out which skin care products are causing bleach stains so you can start taking preventative measures to keep your clothes, towels, and the rest of the bleachable fabrics in your life in tip-top shape. And as always, we’re here to help. Whether you have to swap out your favorite facial cleanser or tweak your morning skin care routine, there is a way to save your clothing. Below, we’re sharing which skin care products can bleach your clothes, plus a few tips to avoid stains in the future.

WILL BENZOYL PEROXIDE BLEACH MY CLOTHES?

If you’ve ever dealt with acne blemishes, then you’re likely familiar with benzoyl peroxide. The common skin care ingredient is used in various skin care products to help manage acne. And unfortunately, it can bleach your clothes. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), the most common adverse side effect of benzoyl peroxide is its bleaching quality, which can cause discoloration in colored fabrics.

Further, have you found yourself asking, “Does benzoyl peroxide bleach your towels?” Well, the answer is yes. See, benzoyl peroxide can linger on your skin post-cleansing. And, of course, you may use towels to pat your face dry, which can lead to those pesky stains.

5 TIPS FOR AVOIDING BLEACH STAINS

It’s time to explore different ways to keep your fabrics bleach-free. Keep reading for five tips for avoiding bleach stains.

1. USE WHITE LINENS

One of the great things about the color white is that it can’t really be bleached out. So, while it can be a bit of a challenge to keep benzoyl peroxide from coming in contact with your clothing, opt for white fabrics when you can. Skip your colored linens and switch to white sheets to help reduce the risk of bleach stains.

2. BUY BENZOYL PEROXIDE-RESISTANT TOWELS

As the saying goes, “Where there is a will, there is a way,” and thanks to benzoyl peroxide-resistant towels, bleach stains don’t even have to be a factor. Best of all, if you’re not too fond of the color white, you can purchase these towels in various colors.

3. CLEANSE YOUR SKIN BEFORE GETTING DRESSED

While we don’t recommend skipping out on cleansing, make things easier on yourself, and get dressed after you complete your skin care routine. This easy tip can help to keep your favorite clothes bleach-free.

4. APPLY BENZOYL PEROXIDE AT NIGHT

If there is a way to tweak your skin care routine so you can only use your benzoyl peroxide products at night, it’s well worth a try. Chances are, you’ll mind less if your pajamas get stained, and if you follow our previous tip of using white linens, you’ll be good to go!

5. WEAR WHITE UNDERSHIRTS

We’re all too aware that back acne and chest acne are a reality. And if you’re using skin care products on your neck, chest, and back area, it’s easy to end up with bleach stains on your clothing. Here’s our tip: Before you slip on a colored shirt, put on a white undershirt.

CAN BENZOYL PEROXIDE BLEACH YOUR HAIR AND EYEBROWS?

Before we wrap things up here, let’s answer another question that may have popped into your mind—if benzoyl peroxide bleaches clothes, can it bleach hair? As it turns out, it can. The FDA recommends avoiding contact between benzoyl peroxide and hair because it can cause lightening. This means you’ll want to be careful when applying any products on your face. Use cotton swabs to apply product without getting too close to your eyebrows and keep a bit of distance from your hairline to be safe. It’s also wise to pull your hair up and out of the way until after your products are applied and absorbed.

Now that you know which skin care products can bleach your clothes, it may be worth revisiting your acne skin care routine. For guidance, read our article, How to Help Manage Acne-Prone Skin.