# Can salicylic acid bleach clothes? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 17, 2017, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-salicylic-acid-bleach-clothes/784638 "2017-04-17T17:12:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TSBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TSBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TSBG)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2017, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-salicylic-acid-bleach-clothes/784638/1 "2017-04-17T17:12:30Z")
I’m talking about the kind found in OTC skin treatments. Will it bleach (or stain?) clothes? ---
**Author:** ![wombattver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b77776/32.png) [@wombattver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wombattver)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2017, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-salicylic-acid-bleach-clothes/784638/2 "2017-04-17T17:27:14Z")
Yes. Whenever I’ve used acne washes and treatments with salicylic acid, my hand towels and pillowcases have become bleached. I would then use only old towels for my face. I just had a neighbor remark that her daughter’s towels were losing color and bleaching. I told her it was due to salicylic acid products and she should switch to white towels and pillowcases. I have never had a problem with clothes, but I would think if one were using the products on the body, it would affect clothes in the same way. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![MissTake](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misstake/32/3189_2.png) [@MissTake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissTake)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2017, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-salicylic-acid-bleach-clothes/784638/3 "2017-04-17T17:31:59Z")
Yes. Like **wombattver** , I lost a lot of nice towels and washcloths when my daughter was using salicylic acid. She lost a few pairs of pants by wiping her hands across her rear. ---
**Author:** ![TSBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TSBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TSBG)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2017, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-salicylic-acid-bleach-clothes/784638/4 "2017-04-17T18:06:25Z")
Thank you.