Prep first
Before you start
- Check the care label and the fill before you wet the pillow.
- Blot fresh marks with cool water, working from the back of the stain.
- Test any remover on a hidden spot before using it on the visible stain.
- Work out the likely cause of the color before you reach for a stronger step.
Purple, blue, pink, red and orange marks on a pillow look different, but the color alone doesn't tell you what caused them. Keep hot water away from the pillow, and avoid the dryer, because machine drying makes a stain more permanent. If the mark won't lift, the pillow may be due for replacing, since stains and smells that can't be removed are a sign it's time.
Work a prewash stain remover spray into the spot and let it sit before you rinse. Purple stains on a pillow after sleeping tend to respond to that first pass, so give it a fair try. If the blue stains on your pillow still show after that, let the pillow air dry flat and check it again before you decide what's next.
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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- Oxygen bleach powderThe bleach used in the soaks. (opens Amazon)
- Heavy-duty laundry detergentFor the wash after the first soak. (opens Amazon)
- Liquid hand dishwashing detergentUsed in the vinegar soak. (opens Amazon)
- Plain white vinegarUsed in the vinegar soak; colored vinegar can leave a stain. (opens Amazon)
- 70% isopropyl or 90% denatured alcoholFor the sponge step, with no added color or fragrance. (opens Amazon)
- Clean clothsFor blotting and sponging without moving the color around.
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5 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 5
Rinse the stain with cool water
Start with cool water and blot the stain from the back, so the color moves out of the fabric instead of spreading through it. Work gently and don't scrub yet. If the mark is old, rinse it the same way and carry on, since the later steps handle stubborn marks.
Tip. Switch to a clean patch of cloth each time it picks up color.
Step 2 of 515-30 minutes
Soak the stain in oxygen bleach
Dissolve oxygen bleach powder in warm water and soak the stained part for 15-30 minutes. Then launder on a cold gentle cycle with heavy-duty detergent.
Careful. Foam and hybrid pillows can't be fully submerged, because the foam can't release all the water it absorbs and can grow mold.
Step 3 of 515 minutes
Try the vinegar soak next
If color is still there after laundering, mix 1 quart warm water, 1/2 teaspoon liquid hand dishwashing detergent and 1 tablespoon white vinegar. Soak the stained area in it for 15 minutes, then rinse with water.
Tip. Use plain white vinegar, since colored vinegar can leave a stain of its own.
Step 4 of 5
Sponge the stain with alcohol
Rinse the area with water, then sponge only the stained spot with 70% isopropyl alcohol or 90% denatured alcohol that has no added color or fragrance. Once it's done, wash the cover as usual on a cold gentle cycle.
Tip. Dab rather than rub, so the dye stays where it belongs.
Careful. Rubbing alcohol can strip untested dyes and damage silk, so pretest a hidden spot first.
Step 5 of 530 minutes
Finish with the longer soak
If the stain still shows after the wash, soak the cover in 1 quart warm water with 1 tablespoon oxygen bleach powder for 30 minutes. Then wash it on a cold gentle cycle.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for orange on pillows
Look for a plain powdered oxygen bleach and a heavy-duty laundry detergent, and skip any product that mixes in chlorine.
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.
Heavy buildup usually takes more than one round.
Heavy or long-standing buildup →When to call a professional →How to tell it's working
The stain is lifting when the color fades into the cover's own shade and stays faded once it dries. If the mark looks just as dark after two rounds of soaking, stop and move to the set-in options rather than repeating the same soak.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your pillows
Blue on a pillow
Blue doesn't point to a known cause, so don't guess from the color. Check the care label and the fill, then test a hidden spot before anything gets wet.
If the test holds, the steps don't change: rinse, soak, and move to the vinegar soak only if color is left after laundering.
Waking up with blue on a pillow
A mark you only find after sleeping is treated the same way as any other blue mark. What changes is where you look first: check the removable cover before the pillow itself.
If the cover comes clean, you can stop there. If the mark sits on the pillow's own fill, treat only the surface and leave the fill alone.
Purple on a pillow after sleeping
Purple has no known cause, so the hidden-spot test comes before any step. Check the cover first, and treat the pillow itself only if the mark is on the fill.
Once the test is clean, work through the steps in order and stop when the cover looks clean.
Pink on a pillow
Pink and red don't always mean rust, since color describes the mark rather than the cause. Check the care label and fill first, then rinse with cool water before anything else.
From there the steps are the same, and you should stop once the pillow looks clean.
Orange on a pillow
Orange marks are most often iron, which can come from water or rusting metal. That's why the steps are built around the oxygen bleach soak.
Rinse promptly with cool water, since fresh marks are the easiest to lift.
Pink on a pillow after sleeping
A pink mark you find after sleeping is handled like any other pink mark. Look at the cover first, since the removable fabric is the part you can soak safely.
Give the mark a full pass through the steps before deciding it's set in, and use the set-in options only for what remains.
Orange on a pillow after sleeping
Orange that shows up after sleeping is still most often iron, so the same steps apply. Check whether the mark is on the cover or the fill before you decide how much to wet.
On the cover, the full steps work; on the fill, keep the treatment to the surface only.
Red on a pillow
Red describes the color, not the cause, so run the hidden-spot test first. Red can be iron, as orange often is, but it can also be something else.
Use the same steps, and stop once the pillow looks clean.
Red on a pillow after sleeping
A red mark found after sleeping is treated like any red mark, so check the cover before the fill. Whichever you find it on, the same rule holds.
If it's on the cover, the full steps work; if it's on the fill, keep the treatment to the surface only.
Heavy or long-standing buildup
An old stain that has already been through a wash needs more time, not a harsher product. Repeat the longer soak once more before you try anything else. Rinse well between rounds so the loosened color doesn't settle back into the cover.
If the stain has dried, it's more set, so soak it again instead of scrubbing hard, since hard scrubbing can damage the fabric. If the dryer has already run on it, expect a faint mark to stay, and judge it only once it's fully dry.
For an orange or reddish-brown stain that survives all of this, a commercial rust remover used per its label is the stronger option, on colorfast fabric only and after a pretest. Wear rubber gloves with it, since rust removers are strong acids and oxalic acid is poisonous. If a faint mark is still there, that's a realistic result on an older pillow.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on orange on pillows?
Most remedies people try on pillows are more risk than they're worth. Only a few remedies are gentle enough for pillow fabric, so stick with the cool rinse and the oxygen bleach soak.
Works4Skip2
Chemical safety
Never mix these
Some products in this guide react dangerously with each other. Use them one at a time and rinse with water in between.
Oxygen bleach (OxiClean) + Vinegar
OxiClean's maker says it should not be mixed with household chemicals other than detergent in the wash.
Oxygen bleach (OxiClean) + Rubbing alcohol
OxiClean's maker says it should not be mixed with household chemicals other than detergent in the wash.
If they mix by accident: Don't use the mixture; ventilate the room and avoid breathing fumes or touching it; call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 for disposal advice or if anyone feels unwell.
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't use chlorine bleach on the stain
Chlorine bleach sets and intensifies rust, so an orange or reddish-brown mark gets worse. Never mix it with vinegar or other acids either, since that releases chlorine gas.
Don't put the pillow in the dryer
Heat makes a visible stain more permanent, so keep it out of the dryer until the color is gone. When it is clean, use only low heat or air-fluff, and never a setting the care label doesn't allow.
Don't wring a wet down pillow
Twisting a wet down pillow is the wrong move, so press the water out by hand instead. Gentle pressing is enough to get most of the water out.
Don't use hot water on a stain you can't identify
Hot water can set protein stains, and you may not know yet what the mark is. Stick with cool or warm water until the cause is clear, and keep the cover on a cold gentle cycle.
Don't store the pillow while it's damp
Never use or store a pillow until its center is completely dry. Trapped moisture in natural fill causes clumping and odor, so wait until it's fully dry.
When to call a professional
If a down pillow's shell is dry-clean only, take it to a dry cleaner and describe the stain first, since dry cleaning can strip the down's natural oils. For feather pillows, professional cleaning can remove the feathers and sterilize them with UV light, which is worth asking about. If a new pillow arrives damaged, contact the maker before you clean it.
Questions
Why is there purple staining on my pillow?
Purple doesn't point to one known cause, because color names describe the mark rather than the substance behind it. Check the care label and the fill first, then test a hidden spot before you start.
Why are there blue stains on my pillow?
Blue doesn't identify a cause on its own, and nothing known pins it to a pillow. Test a hidden spot first, then follow the steps from there.
Can I soak a foam pillow to get the stain out?
Not the whole pillow. Soak only a removable fabric cover, and on the pillow itself, spot-treat just the stained area with a damp cloth and cool water. Blot the spot gently, then let the pillow dry completely before you use it again.
How can I tell if the stain is rust?
Orange to reddish-brown stains are most often iron, which can come from water or rusting metal. If the mark is that color, the steps here are built for it.
How long does the whole treatment take?
The soaks run 15-30 minutes, then 15 minutes, then 30 minutes, with rinses and washes in between. Plan on about two hours of active time, and allow extra for drying.
Can I machine wash a pillow after treating the stain?
Usually yes, if the care label allows it and the pillow isn't foam or hybrid. Use a cold, gentle cycle, since hot water is the wrong choice for pillows.
Will the stain come out completely?
Not always, especially on an older stain that has been dried or heated. If it stays after the soaks, replace the pillow when stains or smells can't be removed.
Orange 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.