How to Remove Wood Stain from Skin

Products designed to stain or dye a surface can be particularly difficult to remove from skin if you accidentally get some on you. However, keep in mind that skin will naturally exfoliate and remove the stain overtime by itself, so even if you can’t get it off right away, the stain won’t be there forever. There are a few things you can try to remove the stain more quickly though. Follow the steps below.

• A cleaning solution:
  • Isopropyl alcohol
  • Hair spray
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Drinking alcohol (such as vodka)
  • Lemon juice
  • Vinegar (white or cider)
  • Hydrogen peroxide
  • Toothpaste
  • Cooking oil
• A cloth
• Salt
• Soap
• Water

1. Select a cleaner from the list above.
2. Apply the cleaner onto the stain.
3. Rub the stain with a damp cloth (if using one of the liquid cleaners, you can just put that on the cloth instead of water). Be sure to use a cloth that you don’t mind throwing away.
4. As the stain transfers to the cloth, rotate it to a clean section.
5. For additional scrubbing powder, use some salt.
6. After much of the stain has been removed, use soap and water to wash the area.
7. Repeat the process as many times as needed.

• Be careful not to scrub so hard that you hurt yourself.
• Other products you can try using to remove the stain are makeup remover wipes or acetone nail polish remover.
• If you absolutely must remove the stain immediately for an emergency like a job interview, there is one other idea you can try, but we advise against it. Put 1/2 teaspoon of chlorine bleach in a cup of water, then quickly use the bleach water to clean the area. Do not leave the bleach solution on your hands for very long or you may get chemical burns. Thoroughly wash the area afterward with soap to remove the bleach residue.
• Never mix chlorine bleach with an acid or with ammonia (commonly found in dish liquid), as either combination can create toxic fumes. If you tried cleaning an area with an acid and now want to try using bleach, be sure to thoroughly wash the area first as even the acid residue is enough to create a reaction.
• One of our site users (Thanks!) submitted the suggestion for cooking oil after finding it successful.

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