How to Remove White-Out Stains From Clothes

By
Sarah Aguirre
Sarah Aguirre
Sarah Aguirre is a housekeeping expert with over 20 years of experience cleaning residentially and commercially. Over that time, she has been writing about tips and tricks for housekeeping and organizing a home for national publications.
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Updated on 09/29/23
How to Remove White-Out Stains From Clothing

The Spruce / Joules Garcia

In This Article
Project Overview
  • Working Time: 10 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hr, 30 mins
  • Skill Level: Beginner
  • Estimated Cost: $10 to 20

White-out, or brand name "Wite-Out," is a quick-drying correction fluid used for covering up paper typos that stains fabric easily and can be challenging to remove. A small drip can easily grow more extensive because it spreads as you try to remove it. Unlike many other stains, where it's better to remove the stain while wet, let the correction fluid dry when it makes contact with the fabric.

A trick to white-out removal is to work from outside the stain toward the center to prevent it from spreading. If a white-out droplet or spill makes contact with a stiffer, less porous material, like vinyl or leather, use a cotton swab or pointed utensil to lift the wet fluid from the surface. Never put a stained item in the dryer since the high heat will set the stain, potentially making it permanent.

Removing white-out stains takes patience and care, but you can get the stain out with materials that you might already have on hand at home.

Stain type Chemical-based
Detergent type Regular
Water temperature Warm
Cycle type Varies depending on the type of fabric 
The 8 Best Stain Removers for Clothes of 2024, Tested and Reviewed

What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

  • 2 cotton swabs

Materials

  • 1 bottle adhesive remover or solvent
  • 1 bottle laundry stain remover
  • 1 bottle laundry detergent

Instructions

materials for removing a white out stain
The Spruce / Cielito Vivas

How to Remove White-Out From Clothing

White-out fluid is mainly made of water, titanium dioxide, latex, soap, resins, preservatives, and potentially more chemicals. Countermeasures include adhesive remover, stain remover, and laundry detergent.

  1. Apply a Solvent

    • Dip a cotton swab into a commercial adhesive remover (such as Motsenbocker's Lift Off) or a household solvent, such as rubbing alcohol or an acetone-based nail polish remover.
    • Dab the white-out stain with the swab, working from outside the stain toward the center.

    Warning

    Do not rub the white-out stain; it will spread out and become more extensive. Dab only.

    dabbing a garment with a cotton swab
    The Spruce / Cielito Vivas 

  2. Reapply the Solvent

    • Let the treated stain sit for one minute or as directed by the manufacturer.
    • Dab again with a swab and the remover until the white-out is dissolved and the stain is mostly gone.
    used cotton swabs and stain on garment
    The Spruce / Cielito Vivas 

  3. Rinse the Fabric

    rinsing the affected garment under water
    The Spruce / Cielito Vivas 

  4. Pretreat the Stain

    • Apply your favorite laundry stain remover to the stained area.
    • Let it sit for 15 minutes or as directed.
    treating the stain with laundry detergent
    The Spruce / Cielito Vivas 

  5. Wash and Dry

    Wash the clothing in warm water using your regular detergent. Confirm that the white-out stain is completely gone before drying the clothing. If you're unsure if the stain is completely gone, air-dry, then recheck the stain. Air drying does not set a stain like the heat of a clothes dryer.

    hand-washing the stained garment
    The Spruce / Cielito Vivas  

Additional Tips for Handling a White-Out Stain

  • Read the label: Always check the clothing's care label to see what material it is made of and how to care for it. If it is dry-clean-only, take it to a professional dry cleaner and ask them to remove the stain.
  • Try other commercial adhesive removers: Goo Gone is a commercial gunk remover that can also remove white-out stains.
  • Test an inconspicuous spot: Before applying any stain removers or solvents, find a small, hidden area on your clothing before using since it could cause discoloration on fabric and other materials.
  • Always work from the outside inward: Once you apply a remover to the dried white-out, it will dissolve into a slurry similar to diluted white paint. Always work from the outside to the center of the stain to keep the slurry contained while you lift it from the surface.
  • Removing white-out stains from rigid materials: Generally, you must be more careful with fabric and other soft materials than with hard surfaces. Lubricants such as WD-40 work on fabric, but they're petroleum-based and can leave an oily stain on the material. Always spot-test first to be sure.
  • Beware when cleaning delicate or synthetic fabrics: Acetone can dissolve acetate, triacetate, or modacrylic fabrics.
FAQ
  • Is a white-out stain permanent?

    White-out does not have to be permanent, especially if handled quickly. Old, dried stains that have gone through a high-heat clothes dryer several times may be harder to remove and become permanent.

  • Can acetone remove white-out?

    Acetone is an effective solvent for breaking down correction fluid and removing a white-out stain.

  • Is cleaning off white-out hazardous?

    In a liquid state, white-out is flammable and toxic to ingest and inhale. It is less harmful when dried on a material. It takes about two minutes to air dry.

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  1. Safety Data Sheet: Wite-Out Brand Correction Fluid. University of California-Davis.