Lipstick and greasy rims
from glasses

A glass comes out of the dishwasher with the lipstick still on it. Or there’s a greasy rim from fingers and milk that won’t come off. Below, you’ll learn why lipstick is so stubborn, how to remove it at home and in the hospitality industry, what to use, and how to prevent it from sticking around.

Wax and oil: degrease firstPre-rinse in hot waterNo rinse aid
Clear glass without marks
LIPSTICK ✶ GREASY RIM ✶ GLASSES ✶ CLEANING ✶ GLAZEN.NL ✶

Why it sticks

Lipstick is made of wax, oil and pigment, and long-wearing formulas are designed not to come off. Water alone won’t remove it; neither will the dishwasher if the water isn’t hot enough or the cycle is short. The wax only melts at around 60 degrees and still needs a degreaser to come off. A greasy rim from fingers, milk or butter works the same way: grease only comes off with hot water and soap.

So a mark left behind after washing is almost always dried lipstick or grease that the machine hasn’t loosened.

How to remove it

At home: hold the rim under the hottest tap water, apply a drop of dish soap directly to the spot, rub it with your thumb or a soft sponge, then rinse. For stubborn marks: apply a little toothpaste or a paste made from baking soda to the rim, leave for a minute, then rub off. Then just put it in the dishwasher. Don’t use a scouring pad; it scratches the glass.

In the hospitality industry: before putting glasses with lipstick into the glass washer, briefly dip them in a tub of hot water with degreaser and brush around the rim. Many glass washers can’t remove lipstick in a single 90-second cycle. A glass brush on a stand beside the sink is the tried-and-true solution.

Preventing and polishing

Rinse glasses as soon as possible after use, before the grease hardens. Use a glass cleaner in the glass washer, and don’t use rinse aid with beer glasses because it leaves a film of its own. Polish glasses with a microfiber cloth, never with a tea towel washed with fabric softener.

If the glass is still cloudy after all this, it’s not grease but limescale or corrosion. Read about it in our article on cloudy glasses. And learn everything about keeping a glass truly clean in our article on a grease-free beer glass. Take a look at the bar tools.

The right tools

With the Bar Professional polishing rod and cloth, you can clean a rim without getting fingerprints on the inside. Arcoroc's Islande tumbler is tempered glass that can withstand hot water and degreaser. Find everything in the bar tools collection.

Bar Professional Glass Polishing Rod with Polishing Cloth
Our pick 01

Bar Professional Glass Polishing Rod with Polishing Cloth

€ 30,95per piece · fast delivery on business days
Arcoroc Islande Tumbler 30 cl (6 pieces)
Our pick 02

Arcoroc Islande Tumbler 30 cl (6 pieces)

€ 14,95per set · fast delivery on business days

Good to know

Does vinegar work against lipstick?

Hardly. Vinegar dissolves limescale, not wax. Hot water and dish soap or a degreaser do work.

Why is there still a ring after the dishwasher?

The temperature is too low or the cycle is too short. Put glasses with lipstick on an intensive cycle or rinse the rim by hand first.

How do you remove milk residue from a latte glass?

Rinse immediately with warm water. Dried-on milk loosens in hot water with dish soap. Read more in our article about coffee glasses.

Frequently asked questions

How do you get lipstick off a glass?

Hold under the hottest tap, put a drop of dish soap on the rim, rub and rinse. For stubborn marks: leave toothpaste or baking soda on for a minute. Check out our bar tools.

Why doesn't the dishwasher remove lipstick?

Lipstick is wax that only melts at around 60 degrees and needs a degreaser. A short or cool cycle won't do the job.

How do you remove a greasy rim from a glass?

Hot water and soap. Grease doesn't dissolve in cold water or vinegar.

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