First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Blot the oil with a clean, dry white cloth or white paper towels, and don't rub.
- Pretest any remover on a hidden spot first, and stop if the color transfers.
- Keep heat away from the pillow, with no dryer, iron or hot air, until the stain is gone.
- Take off the pillowcase and any protector, then read the care label.
Oil on a pillow usually comes from hair, scalp or skin, and the right wash depends on what the pillow is filled with. Cold or lukewarm water is the starting point, since hot water is a no here, and a down pillow with a dry-clean-only shell should go to a cleaner first, because dry cleaning can strip the down's natural oils. Drying a stained pillow in a machine can lock the mark in, so check it fully before any drying.
An enzyme laundry pretreater is the one for hair oil stains on pillowcases, worked in before the wash. Grease stains on pillowcases can take a prewash stain remover spray or stick before the cold wash. Old stains that have set on a pillow may need a few rounds, and a professional is the safer call if they won't budge.
Before you start
What pillows can take
Use with care6
- Water
- Soaking
- Solvents (alcohol, spot removers)
- Acids (vinegar, lemon)
- Scrubbing and abrasives
- Heat, once the stain is out
Avoid2
- Hot water
- Chlorine bleach
6 items
What you'll need
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- Clean, dry white cloth or white paper towelsTo blot the oil without spreading it or transferring color (opens Amazon)
- Mild detergentFor the spot pretreatment and the wash (opens Amazon)
- Warm, soapy waterFor sponging the foam itself (opens Amazon)
- Soft brushFor working problem spots on a down pillow (opens Amazon)
- Tumble dryer on low, or a flat, airy spaceTo dry the pillow through the center without heat
- Down detergent (opens Amazon)
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7 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 7
Remove the pillowcase and read the label
Take off the pillowcase and any pillow protector, then read the sewn-in care label before you do anything else. The label tells you whether the pillow can go in a washing machine at all. If the label is missing or unreadable, don't guess: blot the spot, keep heat away, and take the pillow to a professional cleaner.
Step 2 of 7
Blot the oil and pretest
Blot the oil with a clean, dry white cloth or white paper towels, pressing gently so the oil is lifted rather than pushed. Before you use any remover, test it on a hidden spot and stop if the color transfers or changes.
Tip. Choose a hidden spot, such as the inside of a seam, for the test.
Careful. Rubbing spreads the oil and can damage the fibers.
Step 3 of 7
Use cold or lukewarm water
Use cold or lukewarm water for every fill type, and keep hot water away from the pillow. Then follow the step that matches your fill: foam or hybrid, polyester or down-alternative, or down or feather. Keep heat away until the stain is gone.
Careful. Hot water can set protein stains such as milk, egg or blood.
Step 4 of 7
Treat foam or hybrid pillows
If the pillow is foam or hybrid, unzip the cover and machine wash only the cover on a cold, delicate cycle. Lay the cover flat to dry, without a dryer. Sponge the foam itself with warm, soapy water, working from the edge of the stain inward.
Careful. Never machine wash or submerge the foam, because it can trap water and grow mold.
Step 5 of 7
Wash polyester or down-alternative pillows
If the pillow is polyester, down-alternative or hollow-fiber, dab a little detergent directly on the stain. Machine wash it on a gentle or delicate cycle in cold water. Wash two pillows together so the machine stays balanced.
Step 6 of 7
Wash down or feather pillows carefully
For down or feather fill, machine wash only if the care label allows it, using a detergent made for down at a low temperature with an extra rinse. Leftover detergent can reduce fill power, so rinse well.
To hand-wash instead, use lukewarm water and a little detergent, work problem spots with a soft brush, and rinse until the suds are gone. Press the water out by hand before drying.
Careful. Never twist or wring a wet down pillow.
Step 7 of 7
Check, then dry on low
Before any machine drying, make sure the stain is completely gone, and keep the pillow out of the dryer if any of it is still visible. Tumble dry on low, or air-fluff with no heat, until the center is completely dry. Down may need several low-heat cycles, and a cool, damp spot in the middle means it isn't dry yet.
Careful. Dryer heat makes a stain more permanent.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for oil on pillows
Use a detergent made for down on down or feather pillows, and a mild detergent on synthetic fill. Choose a detergent without chlorine bleach, since pillows can't take it.
Shout Triple-Acting Laundry Stain Remover
Clorox 2 Laundry Stain Remover and Color Booster Powder, 49.2 Ounces
How we picked these: each product is made for this type of stain, its maker doesn't warn against using it on pillows, and its directions fit the steps above.
Finished the steps? How does it look?
Nice work. Let it dry completely and check it again in good light before using any heat. Here is what done looks like:
How to tell it's really gone →A faint mark usually needs one more round, not a stronger product.
If the stain was already dried or set, the method changes.
Old, dried or set-in stains →When to call a professional →How to tell it's working
The stain should lighten with each round of washing, and you should see less of it when you check the pillow in good light. Once it's gone and the pillow smells clean after it is fully dry, it's safe to use again.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your pillows
Hair oil
Hair oil is an oil stain like any other on a pillow, so the blotting, cold-water and drying rules all apply. The change is in the pretreatment: work a little detergent into the spot before the wash.
On foam, sponge the spot with warm, soapy water instead of working it into the cover. Check the spot before any dryer use, since heat sets what is left.
Grease
Grease is an oil stain, so start with the same blotting and cold water. Pretreat the spot with a little detergent before the wash, and repeat the pretreatment if the spot still looks dark.
On foam, sponge the spot with warm, soapy water rather than washing the foam. Keep the pillow out of the dryer until the spot is gone, since heat makes stains more permanent.
Scalp oil
Scalp oil is still an oil stain, so the steps above apply to it without change. Blot from the outside edge toward the middle so the oil doesn't spread across the pillow.
Wash in cold water for your fill type, and check the spot before drying. Once it's dry, make sure the center is dry too, since trapped moisture causes odor.
Body and facial oil
Body and facial oils are oil stains, so use the same blotting and cold-water washing as the steps. Use only detergent on it, and leave out cooking oils and homemade mixes.
For foam, sponge the spot and machine wash only the cover. For down or polyester, follow the matching wash step, then dry only on low once the stain is gone.
Old, dried or set-in stains
Old oil is harder to remove than fresh oil, so an older stain needs more rounds rather than harsher products. Repeat the pretreatment and the wash for your fill type, one round at a time.
Dried oil is harder still, so expect several rounds before it lifts. Check the spot after every round, and keep the pillow out of the dryer while any of the stain shows.
If the stain is still there after the dryer, dryer heat makes a stain more permanent, so don't dry the pillow again until it's gone. If the stain or smell still won't come out after repeated washes, replace the pillow.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on oil on pillows?
Many home remedies are passed around for oil stains, but most don't fit a pillow's fill. Stick with a cold wash with a little detergent by fill type, and skip the rest.
Skip6
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't use cooking oil to loosen the stain.
Cooking oil used as a lubricant can leave behind a stain that ages and turns yellow if it isn't completely removed. Stick with the detergent and cold water from the steps instead.
Don't bleach or iron a down pillow.
Down can't be bleached or ironed, so keep chlorine bleach off a down pillow. Never mix chlorine bleach with ammonia, vinegar, rubbing alcohol or other cleaners, and rinse each product out with plain water before the next.
Don't store the pillow while it's damp.
Moisture trapped in natural fill causes clumping and odor, so keep the pillow out of use until the center is completely dry. Check the middle by hand, not just the outside, before you use it again.
When to call a professional
If a down pillow's shell is dry-clean-only, have it dry-cleaned and discuss the method with a reputable dry cleaner first, since dry cleaning can strip the down's natural oils. Feather pillows can also be professionally cleaned, where the feathers are removed and sterilized with UV light. If a new pillow arrives damaged, contact the maker before cleaning it.
Questions
Does Castor Oil Stain Pillowcases?
Yes, castor oil is an oil that doesn't dissolve in water, so it can leave a stain like any other oil. Blot it with a clean, dry white cloth, then follow the steps for your pillow's fill, starting with cold water.
Can I machine wash an oil-stained foam pillow?
Not the foam itself. Unzip the cover and machine wash only the cover on a cold, delicate cycle, then sponge the foam with warm, soapy water and let everything dry flat.
Will washing get the oily smell out?
The smell usually goes when the stain does, so keep washing until both are gone. If an odor stays after the center is completely dry, replace the pillow.
Can I dry an oil-stained down pillow in the dryer?
Only on low heat, and only after the stain is completely gone. Down may need several low-heat cycles before the center is fully dry.
Should I hand-wash or machine wash a down pillow?
Machine wash only if the care label allows it, using a detergent made for down. If it doesn't, hand-wash in lukewarm water with a little detergent and a soft brush.
Can I use vinegar on an oil stain on a pillow?
No. If you use any cleaner, rinse it out with plain water before the next one.
What should I do if the pillow has no care label?
Don't guess at the fill or the wash. Blot the stain with a clean, dry white cloth, keep heat away, and take the pillow to a professional cleaner.
Oil on other materials
Other stains on pillows
Start from the bigger picture
How we know this
Every method, amount and warning here comes from university extension services, industry bodies and product makers. We read them, check every step for unsafe combinations and changed amounts, and write it up so you can follow it.