When you’re applying makeup, you may be so focused on applying it perfectly to your face that you may not notice when you’ve mistakenly applied it to other surfaces. Nothing’s more frustrating than makeup stains on clothing, carpet, upholstery and other surfaces. Whether you simply dropped your eyeshadow applicator on the floor, your mascara wand on your top or your 4-year-old channeled his inner Kevyn Aucoin on the carpet, there’s usually a solution to getting out your tough makeup stains. First, the no-nos: If you’ve spilled makeup on delicate fabrics, such as silk or linen, leave the stain-busting to the professionals by taking it to the dry cleaners and explaining exactly what you spilled. The same goes for nail polish stains. It’s best not to risk soaking a spot with caustic nail polish remover. A powdery cosmetic is the easiest to remove – simply brush off excess product and wipe with either a baby wipe, or for tough stains, try an oxygen-based stain-removing wipe, like OxyClean Versatile.

Apply a stain remover like Shout if the stain still appears, and launder as usual. For oil-based makeup, like mascara, lipstick and cream blush, you’ll need to apply a stain remover that breaks up the greasy mess. First, try an eye makeup remover. Apply to a soft, white cloth and dab on stain. If that doesn’t work, then try a dishwashing liquid like Dawn (it’s what they use to wash animals doused in oil when oil tankers spill). Add a few drops of water to a bit of Dawn and rub until suds appear. And if all else fails, apply straight ammonia with an eye dropper and launder as usual. Don’t try this with fabrics that shouldn’t be washed, however. For upholstery and carpets, the Woolite Oxy Deep Pod is a great little gadget. The cleaner is inside an applicator that has a sponge and brush so you can squeeze the product and apply it. Then apply gentle pressure to brush it out. Whatever you do, just make sure that when you spill makeup, you try to remove it immediately. Otherwise, you’ll have a set-in stain, which is tougher to remove.