How to remove Foundation Makeup from Brick
First 60 seconds
Move fast, but move carefully. Scrape away the excess foundation makeup from the brick, lifting solids off the surface without pressing them further in. A blend of oil, pigment and mineral powder that needs a solvent before soap can rinse it out, and a fired clay material porous enough to pull stains in deep if they are left to soak.
What you'll need
- Rubbing alcohol
- Dish soap
- WD-40 or a similar lubricant
Step by step
- Gather your materials before you start — set out everything so you are not searching mid-treatment.
- Rubbing alcohol: dab with alcohol on a cotton pad, working from the edge in.
- Dish soap: mix a few drops with cold water into a light suds.
- WD-40 or a similar lubricant: spray lightly, wait a minute, then wipe from the outside in.
- Rinse and blot dry with a clean cloth, then press with dry towels and change them until no more transfers onto the towel.
Do not do this
- Hot water as a first step. It spreads oil-based stains before they can be lifted.
- Rubbing the spot. It pushes the stain deeper and spreads it outward.
Common questions
Can I use hot water to remove foundation makeup from brick?
Hot water is not usually necessary, but on brick it is safer to stay with cool water regardless, since a fired clay material porous enough to pull stains in deep if they are left to soak.
Is it safe to scrub the stain out?
Scrubbing usually makes things worse. Blot or lift instead of rubbing, working from the outer edge inward so the stain does not spread.
What if the foundation makeup stain has already dried?
A dried stain takes longer and may need repeated treatments, but the same agents still work — just re-wet the area gently first to reactivate the stain before treating it.