First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Brush off any excess.
- Rinse under cold running water. Higher water pressure helps.
- Don't let it dry into the fabric, and keep it out of the dryer until the stain is gone.
- Blot rather than rub.
Sunscreen stains on sheets are usually an oily film, and some formulas leave an orange mark as well. The oily part behaves like other oil stains and lifts with a few rounds of treatment, but the orange comes from avobenzone reacting with iron in hard water, and synthetic sheets hold that rust far more tightly than cotton. A fresh oily mark usually comes out in one wash, while an orange mark that has dried in may only fade, so check the spot in good light before you choose a product.
Work a laundry pretreater into a fresh oily mark before it goes in the wash. Sunscreen out of towels and swimwear responds to the same pretreat. If the orange stays after one wash, skip the dryer until it is gone.
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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- Liquid dishwashing detergentIt breaks down the oily part of the sunscreen. (opens Amazon)
- Color-safe stain removerIt goes in the wash after the pretreatment. (opens Amazon)
- Cold running waterIt rinses the stain without setting the oil.
- Clean white clothYou blot with it, so the stain doesn't spread. (opens Amazon)
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5 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 5
Rinse out the excess sunscreen
Brush off any loose sunscreen first. Then hold the stained area under cold running water, working from the back of the sheet so the sunscreen pushes out instead of deeper into the weave. Higher water pressure helps the rinse do more of the work.
Careful. Keep the rinse cold and don't let the sunscreen dry into the fabric.
Step 2 of 55-10 minutes
Work in liquid dishwashing detergent
Put liquid dishwashing detergent directly on the stain and work it in with your fingertips. Blot rather than rub, then leave it for 5-10 minutes so it can break down the oily film.
Tip. Treat only the stained spot, not the whole sheet.
Careful. Don't rub the spot with bar soap, since soap sets many stains.
Step 3 of 5
Rinse the detergent out completely
Rinse under cold running water from the back of the sheet until no suds come out. Then check the spot in good light before you move on.
Step 4 of 5
Wash on the hottest safe setting
Wash the sheet on the hottest setting the care label recommends, with your usual detergent and a color-safe stain remover. Don't overload the washer, so the sheet gets a full rinse.
Tip. Check the spot again once the wash finishes, and air dry the sheet if any mark is left.
Careful. If the mark is still there, repeat the detergent step before washing again.
Step 5 of 5
Air dry and check again
Hang or lay the sheet flat to air dry. Look at the spot in daylight, since a faint orange or oily shadow is easy to miss indoors.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for sunscreen on sheets, towels & table linens
Use a liquid dishwashing detergent for the pretreatment and a color-safe stain remover in the wash. If you need a rust remover, choose one labeled for fabric and follow its label exactly.
Shout Triple-Acting Laundry Stain Remover
Puracy 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 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
The oily film should be gone after the detergent and first wash, and the spot should look even with the rest of the sheet while it's still damp. An orange tint that lightens after each rust-remover round means the treatment is working, so keep going only while it keeps lifting. If it stops changing after a couple of rounds, the rust has set, and that's the point to switch to the set-in section.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your sheets, towels & table linens
Cotton sheets
Cotton handles the hottest wash the care label allows, which is fine for cotton. Run the steps in order, and let the detergent and the wash do most of the work.
An orange mark is more likely to fade on cotton than on synthetics, since synthetics hold rust more. If a mark stays after the wash, use the rust remover option after a colorfastness test.
Polyester and microfiber sheets
Synthetics hold rust more than cotton, so an orange mark can be stubborn on these. Follow the same steps and don't skip the cold rinse.
Test any rust remover on a hidden area first, and wash the sheet again after treating an orange mark. Keep the sheet out of the dryer until both marks are gone.
Colored sheets
Colored sheets need a colorfastness test before any stronger product, including the rust remover. Use only the detergent steps on the stain itself.
Use a color-safe stain remover in the wash, and skip vinegar, which can change the color.
Sheets with an orange mark
An orange mark is the rust part of the sunscreen, and it needs the rust remover option. Use a commercial rust remover per label, wearing heavy-duty rubber gloves, because these are strong acids.
Do a colorfastness test first, then rinse thoroughly and wash the sheet again. Check the mark in daylight before it goes near any heat.
Sheets with no care label
Without a care label you can't know how hot the wash can go, so skip hot water and bleach. Use cold water for the rinse and the detergent step.
Air dry the sheet and check it in daylight. If the fiber is unknown and the stain stays, take the sheet to a dry cleaner and tell them what the stain is.
Old, dried or set-in stains
If the sunscreen has dried or the sheet has been through a wash already, it's an older stain and needs more time. Work the detergent into the spot, leave it for 5-10 minutes, rinse, and wash hot with detergent and a color-safe stain remover.
If the sheet has already been through the dryer, the heat has set the oily part and it may be impossible to remove completely. Repeat the detergent treatment, then air dry the sheet again before you judge what's left.
If an orange mark is still there after the wash, it's the rust part. Use a commercial rust remover after a colorfastness test, wearing heavy-duty rubber gloves, then rinse and wash the sheet again. Keep it out of the dryer until the mark is gone.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on sunscreen on sheets, towels & table linens?
Most household remedies either do nothing for the oily part or are too harsh for sheets. Liquid dishwashing detergent is the one home remedy worth using on sheets, so skip the others. Stick to the steps in order so you don't end up mixing products.
Works1Skip5
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't use chlorine bleach on the orange mark
Chlorine bleach sets rust and makes the orange mark more intense or permanent. Never mix it with vinegar or an acidic rust remover, since they release chlorine gas.
Don't rub in bar soap
Bar soap is a common reflex, but it sets many stains, including this oily film. Liquid dishwashing detergent is the pretreatment this stain needs.
Don't overload the washer
A crowded washer doesn't rinse the sheet properly, so detergent and the oily film can stay behind. Give the sheet room to move so the rinse can do its job.
Don't pair vinegar with chlorine bleach
Vinegar is an acid, and chlorine bleach mixed with an acid gives off chlorine gas. Rinse the sheet thoroughly between any two products so they never meet in the fabric.
Don't leave a rust remover on past the label
Rust removers are strong acids, so wear heavy-duty rubber gloves and stop at the time the label gives. Leaving one on longer doesn't speed things up, and the extra time only adds risk to the fabric.
Don't skip the colorfastness test
A rust remover can change or fade a colored sheet, so test a hidden corner before you treat the orange mark. If the test spot shifts at all, stop and find another route for the mark.
When to call a professional
Send a dry-clean-only sheet, or a bulky piece stained across a large area, to a professional soon, because old stains are harder to lift the longer they sit. Tell the cleaner the fiber content, that the stain is sunscreen, and whether there's an orange mark.
Questions
Why did my sunscreen turn orange on the sheets?
Some sunscreens contain avobenzone, which can react with iron in hard water and leave an orange, rust-colored mark. The oily part is a separate stain, so treat both with the steps above. A rust mark that doesn't wash out needs the rust remover option.
Can I use vinegar on sunscreen stains on sheets?
No, vinegar is the wrong tool for an oily film, since it's an acid. Stick with the detergent steps, which handle the oil without that risk.
Do synthetic sheets stain worse than cotton?
Yes, synthetics hold rust more than cotton, so an orange mark can take longer to clear. The same steps apply, but test the rust remover on a hidden spot before using it.
What if the sunscreen has already been through the dryer?
The heat has set the oily part, so it may be impossible to remove completely. Repeat the detergent treatment and air dry the sheet again. Then judge what is left.
How do I know the rust remover is safe for my sheets?
Test it on a hidden area first, then follow the label exactly. Wear heavy-duty rubber gloves because these are strong acids, and rinse thoroughly afterward.
How many treatments will it take?
It depends on how old and set the stain is. Fresh stains are much easier to remove than old ones, so a fresh mark often clears in one pretreatment and wash. Old or dried marks may need repeat treatments.
Should I wash white sunscreen sheets in hot water?
Once the oily part has lifted, a hot wash is the right next step, because cotton and linen can take the hottest setting on the care label. Before that, keep the sheet in cold water, since heat can set any part of the stain you haven't identified yet.
Is it safe to bleach colored sheets with a sunscreen mark?
Only if the sheets are colorfast and the care label allows bleach, and only diluted. Try it on a corner nobody sees, and if the dye moves even a little, leave chlorine bleach off the sheet. Chlorine bleach is never the choice for an orange mark, because it makes rust more intense or permanent.
Can a sunscreen-stained sheet soak overnight?
A cold-water soak is the safe overnight choice, since you may not know whether there's a protein part in the mix. An enzyme presoak is allowed overnight too, but the oily film responds more to detergent. Liquid and spray pretreatments are different, so don't leave them on longer than the label says.
Sunscreen 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.