We Tried the Shaving Cream Stain-Removal Trick—The Results Were Unexpected

Stain removal hacks are everywhere, and the oddball nature of these unintended uses can be a lot of fun. But while some of these hacks are sound, others are questionable at best. One hack that got our attention is the claim that shaving cream can be used as a stain-removal agent on clothing and other fabrics, including carpets, rugs, and upholstery. But does it work? We decided to find out by putting shaving cream to the test on six tricky stains.

Before Getting Started

Shaving cream is touted as a stain removal hack that is said to be particularly effective on makeup stains, as well as oil and grease stains, on clothing and fabric, including carpets, rugs, and upholstered furniture.

The type of shaving cream is important, here: It has to be foam shaving cream, as gel and cream formulas do not contain the same active ingredients that purport to make shaving cream work for stain removal. The active ingredients in foam shaving creams mirror those found in many household cleaners and stain removal agents, including surfactants, emulsifiers, and cleaning agents. 

As is true of any stain removal agent, before using it on fabric, check the care tag to determine if it is safe to use on the material to avoid damage. If there is no fabric care information available, perform a spot test on an inconspicuous area, like the inner seam of clothing or the underside of rugs or furniture cushions, to determine if the product is safe to use. 

The Shaving Cream Stain Removal Test

We've heard that foam shaving cream works as a stain remover, so we put it to a test. Six of them, to be precise! To test the effectiveness of shaving cream as a stain remover, we stained a white towel with dark lipstick, red nail polish, black coffee, olive oil, dry potting soil, and blue ink.

First, we applied enough foam shaving cream to cover the stain. Then, we gently spread the shaving cream so that it thoroughly covered the entire stain. After waiting 20 minutes for the shaving cream to penetrate and break down the stain, we used a spoon to lift most of the shaving cream off of the fabric.

Next, we used a damp white cloth to gently dab at the stains, working any shaving cream residue into the stain to help lift it. After treating the stain, we laundered the garment as usual.

The Verdict: How Well Does Shaving Cream Work as a Stain Remover?

Unfortunately, the results were unimpressive. While the coffee and olive oil stains had lightened, they were still present. The shaving cream did virtually nothing to lift the lipstick, nail polish, soil, and ink stains. Worse yet, the process of dabbing at the stains with a damp cloth caused some of them, notably the lipstick and coffee, to spread.

After laundering in warm water with laundry detergent, the results improved. The coffee, olive oil, ink, and soil stains were gone, but the lipstick and nail polish stains remained. However, it is likely that the combination of detergent, water, and the mechanical action of the washing machine was responsible for successfully removing the fresh coffee, oil, ink, and soil stains, rather than the shaving cream stain treatment.

Ultimately, we found this stain removal hack to be a dud, and we don't recommend using shaving cream to remove stains from clothing and other fabrics. Instead, consult our guide for stain removal products and techniques that really work.