Discussions

So while sunscreen is good to use to keep from getting sunburnt it has stained some of my children's clothing.. we have been using the copper tone for kids SPF 60. It has stained some of their white or light coloured clothing. Is there any tried and true method of getting these stains out? They have been washed but not heat dried just on the line. I'm wondering if there is a way to get the stains out? Also is there a sunscreen for kids that you use that is not prone to this?

Same thing happened to our clothes! After some internet research, I discovered it's the ingredient avobenzone (there are other trade names it goes by, google it) in regular sunscreens that react with iron in the water that causes the stains. No way to get them out that I have found and I have tried several things. Wrecked some pretty good clothes. We now use mineral sunscreen (zinc oxide or titanium dioxide based) and haven't had any issues. Triple the price, extremely thick and hard to put on and nearly impossible to find in stores, but it works! I think hedleys health hut had some selection, if your not an online shopper. I recently bought a spray one called "boo bamboo skincare" online, that is my favourite so far. Seems to be a little runnier, so easier to rub in! Good luck!

You can get coppertone sensitive skin 50 spf at Walmart. It is not a spray and is thick, it works good and has no avebenzone. We have not found a way to get out the stains either .

I tried soaking in Blue Dawn dish soap( my stand in for everything, even wash my LVP with it) and vinegar and line dried. Didn't work.. I'm assuming clothes are ruined. It's too bad too cause these garments were pretty nice too. I'll have to do more research on this additive too. Can't afford to keep replacing clothes!! My children can't wear them like they are..

What colour are the stains? My husband's work shirts have rust coloured stains on them (faded denim shirts) and I suggested it was the sunscreen lotion but he thinks not. He uses the coppertone sensitive lotion quite liberally as he has needed some spots treated from many years of working in the sun.

We are on a well but as recently as the first week in July a water test proofed there is no iron in our water.. it's very upsetting as the clothes are now garbage from the looks of things.

We are in Souris and on town water. I've never noticed such stains before but he never used as much sunscreen before. I suspected the sunscreen because the collars are quite brown.