First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Blot wet drool with a clean white cloth; don't rub.
- Rinse or sponge with cool or lukewarm water.
- Keep the sheet out of the dryer until the spot is gone.
- Test any treatment on a hidden seam first.
Saliva soaked into a sheet is a body-fluid stain, and a dryer is the fastest way to lock it in. A fresh patch usually lifts with cool water and a gentle wash, so the first hour matters most. Once it has dried and gone through the dryer, expect a longer soak and a few rounds instead of a single wash.
Pull the sheet off the bed and rinse the patch from the back so the spit doesn't push deeper into the fabric. Before the wash, work an enzyme laundry pretreater into drool stains on sheets and let it sit. If an old spot still shows after the wash, an oxygen bleach powder can handle what's left, but check the care label first.
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
4 items
What you'll need
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- Clean white cloth or paper towelsPlain white holds up to blotting and shows you when the spot is lifting. (opens Amazon)
- Liquid laundry detergentIt works into the drool and is the main cleaner in the steps. (opens Amazon)
- Dull knifeIt lifts crusted solids without tearing the fabric.
- Enzyme laundry presoakIt breaks down protein for a shadow that survives the wash. (opens Amazon)
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6 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 6
Blot up the wet drool
Press a clean white cloth or paper towel onto the wet spot and lift the liquid away. Work from the edges toward the center so the drool doesn't spread, and scrape off any solid bits with a dull knife.
Careful. Colored cloths and sponges can bleed dye onto the sheet.
Step 2 of 6
Rinse the spot in cool water
Flush the back of the spot with cool or lukewarm water so the drool moves out of the fibers. Keep rinsing until the water runs clear, then move on.
Tip. Work from the wrong side so the drool exits the way it came in.
Step 3 of 6
Check the label and a hidden seam
Read the care label first; if the sheet is dry-clean only, take it to a dry cleaner promptly rather than treating it at home. For a washable sheet, test your cleaner on a hidden seam or hem and stop if the color changes or the fabric is damaged.
Step 4 of 630 minutes
Soak in cold water
Submerge the stained section in cold water for about 30 minutes. It loosens the drool before any detergent goes on, and it is the safe starting point when you are not sure what the stain is.
Step 5 of 6
Work in detergent, then wash
Work a little liquid laundry detergent into the spot and leave it for about 30 minutes, then rinse. Wash the sheet in liquid detergent at lukewarm temperature, or hotter only if the care label allows it and the spot has lifted, then rinse and let it air-dry.
Step 6 of 6
Overnight enzyme presoak if needed
If a shadow survives the wash, soak the sheet overnight in an enzyme laundry presoak, following the package directions. Wash it again afterward and let it air-dry.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for saliva on sheets, towels & table linens
Pick a liquid laundry detergent and an enzyme laundry presoak, and skip bar soap. Choose an all-fabric oxygen bleach only if its label says it is safe for colorfast fabric.
Puracy Laundry Stain Remover
ECOS OXO Brite Stain & Odor Remover Pre-Wash Spray
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 fading drool mark turns from a shiny, wet-looking spot into a faint, flat ring that lightens with each soak. Look at it only once the sheet is fully dry, since damp cotton hides a lot of residue. If the mark hasn't lightened after an overnight enzyme presoak and a second wash, move to the section on old stains.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your sheets, towels & table linens
Drool on bed sheets
Bed sheets are large, so work on one section at a time and keep the rest of the sheet out of the water. A fitted sheet can be folded so the stained corner sits on top while you blot and rinse.
Only the soak and wash change here: soak just the one section rather than the whole bed, then wash the full sheet once the spot has lifted. Keep the stained area on top during the detergent step so the cleaner reaches the drool.
Saliva on sheets
Colored and printed sheets need a little more caution, because dyes can vary across a pattern. Test every product, including the detergent, on a hidden seam before it touches the spot.
On a solid color the same steps apply, but skip any bleach unless the hidden test passes. Patterned sheets can shift in color, so check the test area after the soak as well as after the wash.
Drool on sheets
If the sheet has already been through the dryer, the heat has likely set some of the drool, so expect a longer job. Start with the cold soak anyway, and plan on more than one round of the detergent and presoak steps.
Let the sheet air-dry between rounds, and only move to the set-in routine if the spot is still visible.
Old, dried or set-in stains
Old drool that has dried for a while needs more than a single soak. Scrape off any crusted matter first, then soak in cold water with detergent or an enzyme presoak.
If the sheet has been through the dryer, the heat has set it, and it can take several rounds to lift. Repeat the cold soak and detergent steps between rounds, and rinse thoroughly each time.
For a stubborn shadow, an all-fabric oxygen bleach can be used on a colorfast sheet after a test on a hidden area, following the package directions. Chlorine bleach is the last resort, only if the sheet is colorfast and the label allows it, and it goes on after everything is rinsed out. Some marks may fade rather than vanish completely, so be realistic about the result.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on saliva on sheets, towels & table linens?
Plenty of household cleaners get suggested for drool, but most of them aren't needed. Cool water, liquid detergent and an enzyme presoak are what work on drool, so most others can stay on the shelf.
Helps1Skip5
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't rub the drool in
Rubbing pushes the wet drool deeper into the weave and spreads it over a wider area. Blot and press instead, and keep your hands off the spot until it is lifting.
Don't use bar soap on it
Bar soap can set a fresh stain, so it does more harm than good on drool. Use liquid laundry detergent, which you can work in gently, as the steps describe.
Don't wait until it dries
Fresh drool is far easier to lift than dried drool. Start as soon as you notice it rather than leaving the sheet with the spot untreated.
Don't pick at a crusted spot
Digging at dried drool with a fingernail roughens the weave and pushes the crust deeper into the fibers. Soften it with cool water first, then lift the loosened residue with a dull knife.
Don't blot with a colored towel
A colored towel or sponge can transfer dye onto the sheet, so you end up with a second mark on top of the drool. Use plain white cotton or white paper towel, pressing and lifting rather than dragging it across the fabric.
Don't assume the sheet can take bleach
Printed and blended sheets may not be colorfast, and chlorine can strip the dye from them. Check the care label and test a hidden seam before you reach for any bleach at all.
When to call a professional
A drool stain on a dry-clean-only set, or on a silk or other delicate sheet, belongs with a dry cleaner rather than your washing machine. Tell them it's saliva, what fiber the sheet is made of, and how long it sat before you treated it. A large, dried-in patch on an expensive set is also worth handing over.
Questions
Does drool stain sheets permanently?
Usually not, if it is treated while it is fresh. Once it has dried and been heated, it can take several rounds, and a faint shadow may be left behind.
What if I don't know what my sheets are made of?
Don't guess. Start with the cold-water soak, which is the safe first step for an unknown stain, and test any detergent or presoak on a hidden seam first. If the label gives no fiber details, a professional cleaner can identify the fabric.
Can I use a pretreatment spray on drool?
Yes, a pretreatment spray or dry-cleaning solvent can be used with the spot technique from the wrong side if the set-in routine calls for it. Don't leave it on longer than the package allows.
Should the enzyme presoak go on before the detergent?
No. The detergent and wash come first, and the enzyme presoak is only needed for a shadow that is left after that.
Can I wash a drool-stained sheet in hot water once it looks white?
Not until the stain is completely gone, and even then check the care label first. Hot water can set any protein residue that's still in the weave, so keep the sheet on a cool or lukewarm cycle until you can't see a trace. Once it's clear, cotton and linen can usually take the hottest setting the label allows.
Will bleach brighten the drool spot on colored sheets?
Usually it's not worth the risk, because chlorine can strip dye from colored or printed sheets. If the label says the sheet is colorfast, test a hidden seam first and skip chlorine if the color shifts at all. An oxygen bleach is the gentler option for colors, though it still needs the same hidden-seam test.
How long can wet drool sit before it becomes a problem?
The sooner you treat it, the better, because wet drool lifts far more easily than a crusted patch. Once it dries, you can still work on it, but expect a longer cold soak and possibly an overnight enzyme presoak before the wash. Keep the sheet out of the dryer the whole time, since heat is what fixes the mark in place.
Saliva 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.