How to Treat Stains: A Guide to Proper Stain Removal

Unfortunately, staining your sheets can be unavoidable at times. After all, we spend one-third of our lives using them so it’s only natural that unwanted spots can occur. However, if caught early and treated properly, you can become a pro at removing any type of stain and avoid forever-damaged linens. Follow our in-depth care guide for these common linen stains:

*As a general rule of thumb, we recommend treating any stain as soon as possible and not let the stain set in any longer than it needs to. Once caught, follow the correct treatment for your best chance of eliminating the stain. 

Oil / Hair or Body Care

• Immediately rinse the stain with cold water to remove as much as possible. (Note that oil and water do not mix very well, so this step is just to wash away any excess residue that may be sitting on top of the stain.)
• Saturate the oil stain with 1 or 2 teaspoons (depending on the stain’s size) of a mild, liquid, and biodegradable detergent. Rub it into the oil stain and let it sit for 10-15 minutes, then rinse with cold water. 
• Add a touch of baking soda or baby powder directly on top and let it sit for a few minutes to allow the powder to soak up any grease.
• If the stain persists, use 1 to 2 teaspoons (depending on the stain’s size) of Dawn Dishwashing Detergent®. Rub into the stain and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes. This won't damage or stain the fabric blue; it works to break down the grease further. Rinse with cold water, repeating this step twice if the stain persists.
• Follow with a proper wash in the washer as you normally would.

Sweat

Sweat stains can appear for various reasons—perhaps your body chemistry produces acidic sweat, influenced by factors like natural body chemistry, diet, salt intake, hydration, exercise, or even exposure to chlorine while swimming. We highly recommend creating a cool, comfortable environment in your bedroom to prevent night sweats. This can be achieved by setting a cooler room temperature, removing any non-breathable bedding layers (usually made of polyester or microfiber), and considering Egyptian cotton percale sheets, which are cooling and designed for hot sleepers. Remember, you're not alone; sweat stains happen so we've simplified the process of treating it!

• Sweat stains can create a yellow coloring in your linens so it’s best to start with a non-chlorine booster like OxiClean® or Borax® and mix with liquid laundry detergent in warm water to activate a paste-like mixture.
• Soak the linens in the paste mixture overnight.
• Remove from mixture and wash like normal.

Blood

• Rinse the stain with cold water only to remove the stain as much as possible. 
• Blood is a protein so add 1 to 2 teaspoons, depending on the size of the stain, of Dawn Dishwashing Detergent® to break down the stain. Rub and let sit for 10 minutes. Rinse with cold water, do not use warm water as it will set the stain in. 
• Only do this step if the stain persists, otherwise skip this step. Fill a cotton ball with a small amount of hydrogen peroxide. Lightly dab the stain area only, and allow the cotton ball to soak up the stain.
• Wash the item using the normal amount of laundry soap. Use the pre-wash cycle if available. If stain persists, do not dry, instead repeat the above steps.

Coffee / Wine

• These heavy drinks should be taken care of immediately as letting them set in can cause irreversible damage. Use cold water and wipe off any excess to avoid it spreading to other parts of the sheets.
• Use Dawn Dishwashing Detergent® or create a paste with a non-chlorine booster like OxiClean® or Borax® and mix with liquid laundry detergent in warm water. Let the item soak in the mixture or detergent. 
• Once removed from the mixture, wash as normal. Avoid washing with other items so the coffee or wine does not transfer.

Makeup

• Depending on the type of makeup stain, the approach may differ, however it’s a good idea to try using a makeup wipe or remover first to see if that helps remove a good portion of the stain.
• Follow by creating a detergent/cleaning booster paste and rub it onto the stain.
• Wash as normal.

For general maintenance on our products, visit our care guide here. Please take into consideration any body lotions, oils, hair products, and makeup when using your sheets as these can cause stains and discoloration. We recommend washing your sheets at least once a week for proper sleep hygiene in addition to any deep cleaning you may perform on specific spots and stains.