First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Put on gloves before you touch the sheet.
- Scrape off solids gently without pushing them deeper.
- Rinse the stain in cold water, not hot.
- Wash your hands with soap and water afterward.
Rushing a poop stain on sheets is the fastest way to make it worse, because it's protein-based and reacts badly to heat. Heat sets it, so the sheet can't go in the dryer or near an iron until the mark is gone, and once it dries the job gets much harder. If the sheets are dry-clean only, the label settles the route before anything else.
Pre-treat the mark with an enzyme laundry pretreater before it goes anywhere near the washer. If a mark lingers on white sheets, an oxygen bleach powder soak is the sensible step after that. Diarrhea on sheets and baby poop on sheets respond to the same treatment.
Before you start
What sheets, towels & table linens can take
Safe to use3
- Water
- Soaking
- Enzyme cleaners
Use with care6
- Hot water
- Chlorine bleach
- Oxygen bleach
- Solvents (alcohol, spot removers)
- Acids (vinegar, lemon)
- Scrubbing and abrasives
Avoid1
- Heat, once the stain is out
6 items
What you'll need
Tap an item to get it on Amazon, or tick what you already have.
- Rubber or disposable glovesKeeps the stain off your skin while you handle the sheet. (opens Amazon)
- Heavy-duty liquid detergentMakes the paste for the stain and the main wash. (opens Amazon)
- Oxygen bleach powderUsed for the hot soak and the main wash. (opens Amazon)
- Commercial pre-wash spotPretreats the stain before the wash. (opens Amazon)
- Stain remover (opens Amazon)
- Chlorine bleach (optional)Only for colorfast white cotton whose care label allows it. (opens Amazon)
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
6 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 6
Scrape off solids and rinse cold
Put on gloves and lift off any solid matter gently, so you don't push it deeper into the fibers. Then rinse the back of the stain with cold water until the water runs clear.
Careful. Don't shake the sheet, and don't handle it bare-handed.
Step 2 of 6
Work a detergent paste into the stain
Mix heavy-duty liquid detergent into a thick paste and spread it over the stain. Work it in by blotting, not rubbing, and leave it on while you set up the hot water.
Step 3 of 630 minutes
Soak in hot oxygen-bleach water
Dissolve oxygen bleach in the hottest water the care label allows, then soak the sheet in it. Keep the whole stained area under the water so it doesn't dry out.
Tip. Turn the sheet now and then so the water reaches every part of the stain.
Careful. Check the care label for the hottest allowed temperature before you set the water.
Step 4 of 61 minute
Treat with pre-wash spot remover
Apply a commercial pre-wash spot and stain remover to the stain on both the front and back of the sheet. Wait 1 minute before you go on to the wash.
Careful. Don't leave the remover on longer than its label says.
Step 5 of 6
Wash in detergent and oxygen bleach
Wash the sheet in heavy-duty liquid detergent with oxygen bleach. This is the main wash, and it's the bleach to rely on for any sheet that chlorine can't be used on. Rinse the sheet fully afterward.
Step 6 of 6
Finish with chlorine on white cotton
Only if the sheet is white cotton and the care label allows chlorine, launder it once more with chlorine bleach after everything else is rinsed out. Test the bleach on a hidden corner first, and skip this final wash for any other sheet.
Careful. Chlorine bleach is not for wool, silk or spandex, or for any sheet that isn't colorfast.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for poop on sheets, towels & table linens
Look for a pre-wash spot and stain remover made for stains, and an oxygen bleach powder. Read the label on each before you use it on sheets.
Puracy Laundry Stain Remover
ECOS OXO Brite Stain & Odor Remover Pre-Wash Spray
OdoBan Odor Eliminator & Disinfectant Concentrate
How we picked these: each product is made for this type of stain, its maker doesn't warn against using it on sheets, towels & table linens, 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
A fresh mark should look lighter once the soak is done and fade further after the first wash, so check the sheet while it's still damp in good light. If a shadow is left, treat it again rather than heading for the dryer, and once repeated rounds stop lightening it, the stain has likely set.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your sheets, towels & table linens
Diarrhea on sheets
Diarrhea is runnier than solid poop, so it soaks deeper into the sheet and spreads into a wider stain. Blot up as much as you can with a towel, since there's usually little solid to scrape off.
Start with the cold rinse from the back of the sheet, and expect to pretreat a wider area than you think. Repeat the detergent paste and spot remover on the whole spread before the hot soak.
Poop on white sheets
On white sheets, the bleach steps do most of the lifting, so the final chlorine wash is worth trying when the cotton is colorfast and the label allows it. Check the label first, because some white sheets can't take chlorine at all.
If a faint shadow is left after the final wash, repeat the hot oxygen-bleach soak before anything else. Keep going at the first sign of lightening, since a light mark often comes out on a second pass.
Baby poop on sheets
Baby poop is often softer and wetter, so the cold rinse and blotting matter more than the scraping. Fresh stains are much easier to remove than old ones, so treat the sheet as soon as you can.
Use the same paste, soak and wash order, but rinse a little longer before the hot soak so the softer matter doesn't cloud the water. Keep the sheet apart from other laundry until it has been pretreated, since soiled laundry can carry germs.
Old, dried or set-in stains
An old poop stain that has had time to set needs more than one pass. Scrape or brush off any crusted matter first, then soak the sheet in cold water with a detergent or enzyme presoak.
Dried stains need a longer soak, and an enzyme presoak can be left overnight. If the stain is still there, soak for 1 or 2 days, stirring occasionally, then wash again and air-dry.
If the sheet has already been through the dryer, the heat has likely set the stain and it will take more rounds. Run the paste and spot remover again before each new soak, and use an oxygen-bleach soak before relaundering. Some marks won't come out completely, so judge what's realistic before you give up on the sheet.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on poop on sheets, towels & table linens?
Most home remedies don't belong on a poop stain, and a few can set it or damage the sheet. Detergent and oxygen bleach already do this job, so the other remedies are safe to skip.
Helps1Skip5
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.
Chlorine bleach + Oxygen bleach (OxiClean)
Both makers advise against combining them: OxiClean says not to mix it with chlorine bleach, and Clorox says the two bleaches cancel each other out.
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 rub it into the weave
Rubbing pushes the stain deeper into the sheet's fibers and spreads it outward. Blot with a cloth and lift with gentle pressure instead.
Don't reach for bar soap
Bar soap sets many stains, so it can make this one harder to lift. Use the heavy-duty liquid detergent paste instead, and rinse it out before the hot soak.
Don't bundle it with clean laundry
Soiled laundry can carry germs, so bag the sheet on its own from the moment you take it off. Keep it apart from clean linens until it has been pretreated and washed.
Don't skip the test on colored sheets
Colored sheets can change tone under bleach, so dab a hidden seam with the bleach you plan to use and check it after a few minutes. Only colorfast sheets that pass that test should get the stronger chlorine treatment.
Don't let it dry before you rinse
Dried matter sits deep in the weave, and a quick rinse won't reach it, so it turns a simple job into a long soak. Get cold water on the spot as soon as you can, even if the rest of the job has to wait.
Don't leave a liquid pretreatment on too long
Liquid and aerosol pretreaters have a label time, and leaving them past it can fade or shift bright dyes. Gels need only a few minutes on bright or fluorescent sheets, so set a timer.
When to call a professional
Dry-clean-only sheets belong with a dry cleaner as soon as possible, and you should name the stain as poop along with the fiber content and every product you've already used. Washable sheets that are very large, bulky or fragile are worth the same trip if the stain spreads across a wide area.
Questions
Does poop stain sheets?
No, it can't, so keep heat away from it, especially if it dries before you treat it. Rinse it in cold water right away and follow the paste, soak and wash order, and leave the sheet off the line and out of the machine's hot cycle until the stain is gone.
Will it come out of cotton sheets?
Usually, if you treat it while it's fresh. Rinse it in cold water, follow each product in order, and expect to repeat the soak if a faint mark is left.
Can I just throw the sheet in the wash?
You can, but skipping the cold rinse and pretreatment often leaves a mark behind. The soak and spot remover do most of the lifting, so do them before the main wash.
How long does the whole process take?
Plan on about 40 minutes of hands-on time, including the 30-minute hot soak, plus your wash cycle. Stubborn or dried stains can take a day or two because of the longer soaks.
What if the stain is still there after washing?
Repeat the treatment with the longer soaks before you give up. Dried or old stains often need several rounds, and keeping the sheet out of the dryer until it's clear gives you the best chance.
Can I leave soiled sheets soaking overnight?
Yes, an overnight soak in an enzyme laundry presoak is a reasonable way to loosen an old protein stain. Liquid and spray pretreatments are a different case, since they have a label time and can fade some dyes if left on too long.
Is it safe to use chlorine on colored sheets?
Chlorine is only an option when the sheets are colorfast and the care label doesn't rule it out. If a hidden-seam test shows any color change, skip it and use an oxygen-based soak, which is the gentler choice for dyed fabric.
Can I put white sheets through the hottest cycle after the mark is out?
Yes, once the stain is gone, white cotton or linen can usually handle the hottest setting the care label allows. Until then, keep the presoak and first rinse cold, because heat can lock protein residue into the fibers.
Poop on other materials
Other stains on sheets, towels & table linens
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.