Suggestions on stained white bedsheets?

[Himani4]

I discovered after washing the bedsheets that one of them has a big stain on it so I can't use it again unless I bleach it out. Any Suggestions?

[Bhumika]

Hey @Himani4 ,

Welcome to the Airbnb Community Center!

I wanted to let you know that I interchanged the content of your post to keep the title a bit shorter and easy for members to view. I hope it is okay!

[Himani4]

Thanks Bhumika

I am new to this forum.

[Ana2038]

@Himani4 , that’s one of the downsides of using white bedsheets/linens. I also use white and have dealt with stains etc….some wash out and others are here to stay. I would bleach it out and hope it does not damage the sheet (I’ve found the lower quality sheets don’t hold up to a good bleaching) hence the reason I purchase higher quality sheets. I’m also able to save a sheet if the stain is small and located in an area that is tucked under the bed and/or not visible to guest unless they strip the bed. 

I also make it a habit, once guest(s) have checked out, to carry a bottle of Shout Out (stain remover) with me and as I inspect linens for any “stains,” I spray all of the bed linens (pillow cases, flat/fitted sheets). Every so often I miss a spot but for the most part I’m able to keep cost associated with bedsheets/linens down.

Best of luck!

[Himani4]

Thanks. I always check my white towels before putting them in the wash and spray with stain remover if there are any. I have not done with my sheets or pillow cases but I can try that. Having stains on the sheets is pretty rare so I guess I have not scrutinized them. The cleaners alerted me when they were making the beds with the recently washed sheets. Just one had a stain. I soaked it in some water and bleach yesterday then put it in the wash. I will check today to see how it did.

Himani

[Sammy-L-0 · Accepted solution]

@Himani4 Keep stain remover on hand and try that before you wash it l. We also use Oxyclean powdered laundry sanitizer and hot water in everything. It doesn't seem to damage the sheets and it whitens as well as sanitizing. If you can't get it out, throw away the sheet or cut it up and use it for cleaning cloths.

[Himani4]

I will try the Oxyclean. I think I have some in the cupboard.

Thank you.

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Himani4 Go shopping I am afraid. Once you have locked in a stain (especially blood) by washing it is near impossible to remove. We started with some lovely 400tc cotton sheets from a posh brand but now use 180tc sheets at £14 a time from a local store. We find we get a run of 2 or 3 sheets trashed in quick succession, get annoyed and then go 6 months without an issue! Also do make sure you have waterproof mattress protector......

[Himani4]

I do have a mattress cover but need to check if it is waterproof.

[Deb216]

@Himani4 , Wet the stain/spot with water then squeeze some LEMON JUICE directly onto the spot,  Allow it to sit in sunlight.  Check on it every 30 min. or so.  Then wash as usual.

You will be surprised how well lemon juice works!  

[Himani4]

Great thanks for that!

[John5097]

@Himani4

It's pretty rare when I can remove a stain. 

Use stain remover first. I use Spray and Wash, and try to get it out by hand, rubbing fabric together. If that doesn't get it all out, then soak it in a cleaning bucket of water with a scoop of oxy clean overnight. Goes a long way. Then just dump it all into the washing machine. 

I quit using bleach. I used to also add it to the wash if there was a stain but guest mentioned they could smell it. I find I don't need it and for some stains if the oxy soak does't get it out, adding bleach won't. 

Sometimes a stain sneaks though. I iron sheets, although not very well, and sometimes notice a spot. I usually hit it with Clorox bathroom cleaner, that happens to be where I iron, and scrub it in, let it sit an hour and wash with other sheets. Usually that's enough to get it out.  I even tried Lysol bathroom cleaner for really tough stains that I had given up on, and had some success. 

I don't know why but whenever I introduce new sheets they get stained! So tend to try and make them last as long as possible, and even keep some as a back up, incase brand new ones get ruined. 

Sorry for long post but tend to be removing stains at every change over. I usually carry extra pillow cases and extra sheets if I'm not sure if a stain was removed and may need to treat it again. 

[John5097]

** For large stain even after a washing would soak overnight in Oxy Clean. If you have clean with steam option on washing machine can use that as well and wash sheet by its self, and if washed by itself could use bleach, although I haven't needed that in a long time, but might add it for stubborn stain on new sheets.

I'm also going to try some of the other options mentioned here. It's a real challenge providing nice cotton sheets. Sometimes new ones get ruined and nothing will get the stains out. Almost always food, something unrecognizable, hair dye, or something weird. 

[Himani4]

Fortunately it is not that often. I think I was successful with soaking in chlorine water then doing a regular wash after having sprayed it with  Oxi clean. I do have Oxi clean powder but have not used it. I will now.

Thank you.