How to Remove Facial Tissues from Washed Clothes

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: October 26, 2022 Tested

There is a real "oh no" moment when you pull the clothes out of the washing machine to discover that facial tissue has spread itself all over the clothing. The mistake can remind you to check your pockets before doing laundry in the future, at least. You can address the problem by putting the clothes in the dryer, using a mixture of aspirin and hot water, or by simply picking tissue off by hand.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Shaking or Drying the Clothes

1
Shake the clothes out. Be sure to do this over a trash can or somewhere else that is easy to clean. Shake several times to get as much tissue removed as possible.^{[1]
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- Use a fabric brush to dislodge any pieces that are still stuck to your clothes.
2
Sweep up the excess tissue. Sweep up all the bits that fall on the floor and dispose of them. This can get rid of the initial easy-to-remove pieces. Collect the pieces off the ground if doing this outside. Many tissues are dyed and the chemicals should not be allowed to leach out into the environment.^{[2]
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3
Place the clothes in the dryer. The lint collector will remove most, if not all, of the tissue pieces for you.
- Allow the clothes to spin dry a second time to catch the last pieces.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Using Aspirin

1
Place the tissue-covered clothing in hot water. Get a plastic bucket, and put four aspirin tablets into the water. The amount of water is dependent on the amount of clothing, but typically you would use 2 gallons.
2
Mix until the aspirin is dissolved. Aspirin dissolves facial tissues instantly. It's especially useful when tissue adheres inside the pockets and inner lining as well as on the outside of the garment. Aspirin will not harm clothing; it is completely safe.
3
Dry the soaked clothing. After letting the clothes soak overnight, dry them in a dryer machine on its lowest setting. This way, the clothes can gently return to their clean and ready-to-wear states.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Picking Tissue off by Hand

1
Pick off pieces that the dryer missed. These pieces tend to be more difficult to remove as they will have stuck to the fabric. Once they are loosened by the dryer, they should come off in one piece and will be easier to remove by hand.
2
Use tape to remove tissue. Masking tape will work, and duct tape is even better due to its strength. Wrap the tape around your hand with the adhesive side facing outward, and dab the clothing. The tissue should stick to the tape, easily removing it from your clothes.
3
Use a lint roller. A lint roller is inexpensive and can be purchased at almost any convenient store. Roll it along your clothing, and the tissue and lint should stick to it.^{[3]
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Community Q&A

Question

Can I substitute Ibuprofen for aspirin to remove tissue from clothing?

Community Answer

No, because aspirin is effervescent so the bubbles lift the tissue through fizzing. If you need a substitute, bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) would work better.
Question

Can I use baby aspirin and put it in the washer?

Community Answer

Yes, but soak it first in the dissolved aspirin and then put the clothing in the washer. Check here for help: http://www.yourstylishlife.com/throw-an-aspirin-into-the-washing-machine-the-effect-is-perfect/
Question

What should I do if I only have a short time to remove the pieces of tissue from clothing?

Community Answer

First toss in dryer; this will remove a lot of the tissue. Lint rollers are best for this problem. Duct tape rolled around your hand (sticky side out) also works.