July 07th, 2025

How I Saved My White Shirt from a Makeup Disaster at My Reno Hair Salon

Working at Sage Hair Studio, a busy Reno hair salon, means things can go from chill to chaos real quick. The other day, I was prepping for a client and feeling pretty good—until I looked down and saw it:
Makeup. All. Over. My. White. Linen. Shirt.
Not a tiny smudge either. I’m talking full-on “did you faceplant into your makeup bag?” levels of disaster. And of course, this happened literally five minutes before my client was scheduled to walk in.

The Panic Move That Made It Worse. I ran to the back like my life depended on it. Grabbed soap and water. Blotted furiously. And… bad move. The makeup stain bled out and left one of those telltale rings—making it way worse than it started. There was no hiding this.

So I threw on a sweater (in July, in Nevada—yep) and smiled my way through the appointment. But the second I had a moment, I remembered something I saw on Instagram: the Windex stain hack.

Enter: The Windex Hack (Yes, Really)I laid my shirt flat on the back table at the salon, grabbed some Windex from under the sink, and sprayed the stained area generously. I used the blot-and-twist method—press, twist, lift—and watched in total shock as the color started lifting out. I repeated this three times. Each round pulled more pigment out of the fabric. This stuff actually works!

No Toothbrush? No Problem (Salon Stylist Improv)At this point, I wanted to gently scrub the area—but no toothbrush in sight. But hey, I’m a hairstylist in Reno… you know what I do have? A clean tint brush. Yep, the same one we use for applying hair color. I swirled the brush around the stain and gently dabbed the area. It loosened the last of the residue without damaging the fabric.

Finishing Touches: Stain Remover + Salon Washer To be extra sure I got it all, I grabbed a cotton pad and my trusty Tressa Color Stain Remover—a staple at Sage Hair Studio. I dabbed it over the damp area one last time, then tossed the shirt into our salon washing machine for a quick cycle. And when it came out? Spotless. No more ring, no trace of makeup. It looked like nothing had ever happened.

Why This Hack is a Lifesaver for Busy Stylists
When our clients ask for our signature Lived in color, we could be foiling a client for over an hour. We have to think fast we don’t always have time to change outfits or run home when stains happen. That is why I’m a big fan of quick, professional salon hacks that actually work. Try this hack the next time you need to remove a stain!


What You’ll Need for This Stain Hack:

• Windex (or any blue window cleaner)
• Cloth or paper towel for blotting
• Clean tint brush (or soft toothbrush if you have one)
• Tressa Color Stain Remover (or any laundry stain remover)
• Access to a washing machine (or hand wash if needed)

Pro Tip from a Reno Hairstylist
If you're a stylist—or just someone who wears white way too confidently—keep a little emergency stain kit at work. Mine now includes Windex, cotton pads, and my go-to stain remover.
Whether you're a fellow hairstylist in Reno or just someone dealing with makeup mishaps on the regular, trust me: this hack is gold.