Prep first
Before you start
- Blot with a clean white cloth before anything else.
- Check the care label before any liquid touches the sheet.
- Keep acid descalers off fabric; they can damage it.
- Work from the gentlest step, and move up only if the mark is still there.
White marks on sheets are usually detergent or mineral residue that didn't rinse out, and they often look worse while the fabric is damp. Cotton and linen handle a cold soak well, but heat from the dryer or an iron sets the mark, so the first wash decides a lot. Fresh marks usually come out in one round, while older ones may need an enzyme presoak or an oxygen bleach.
White stains on bed sheets need a gentle hand if the fabric is colored, printed or silk, so check the label before you start. Don't wring the sheet hard before you've looked at it closely. If one round doesn't shift the mark, an oxygen bleach powder is the next product to try.
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
8 items
What you'll need
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- Clean white cloth or paper towelBlots the liquid without transferring dye. (opens Amazon)
- Dull knifeLifts off solid bits without rubbing the fabric.
- Liquid laundry detergentWorks into the mark and washes it out. (opens Amazon)
- Enzyme laundry presoakBreaks down protein-based marks during an overnight soak. (opens Amazon)
- Pretreatment spray or dry-cleaning solventLoosens marks that survive the washing steps. (opens Amazon)
- All-fabric (oxygen) bleachGentler on colors than chlorine, but only after a colorfast test. (opens Amazon)
- Rust removerNeeded before any bleach if you suspect rust. (opens Amazon)
- Dilute chlorine bleachA last resort for colorfast white sheets only. (opens Amazon)
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7 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 7
Blot and scrape off solids
Lay the sheet flat and press a clean white cloth or paper towel onto the wet area to lift the liquid. Scrape off any solid bits gently with a dull knife, working from the edge of the mark toward the middle.
Step 2 of 7
Check the label and test
Read the care label before anything else. If it says dry-clean only, take the sheet to a dry cleaner promptly instead of treating it at home. For a washable sheet, test whatever you plan to use on a hidden seam or hem first, and if the color changes or the fabric looks damaged, don't use that product on the mark.
Step 3 of 730 minutes
Soak the sheet in cold water
Submerge the stained area in cold water and leave it for about 30 minutes. Cold water is the safe starting point when you don't yet know what the mark is.
Step 4 of 730 minutes
Work in liquid laundry detergent
Work a little liquid laundry detergent gently into the stain with your fingers, then leave it for about 30 minutes. Rinse the area, then wash the sheet in liquid detergent at the warmest temperature the label allows, and let it air-dry.
Tip. Once the sheet has air-dried, check the mark in daylight before going on.
Step 5 of 7
Try an overnight enzyme presoak
If the mark is still there, soak the sheet overnight in an enzyme laundry presoak. Wash it again afterward, then check the mark before the sheet dries.
Step 6 of 7
Pretreat, then oxygen bleach
If the mark persists, work a pretreatment spray or dry-cleaning solvent into it from the wrong side, using the spot technique. Then use an all-fabric (oxygen) bleach that has passed a colorfastness test on a hidden area, and if you suspect rust, use a rust remover before any bleach.
Careful. Leave liquid or aerosol pretreatments on only as long as the label recommends.
Step 7 of 7
Chlorine bleach as a last resort
Only if the sheet is colorfast to chlorine and the label allows it, use a dilute chlorine bleach solution made to the package directions. Do this only after everything else has been rinsed out of the fabric.
Careful. Chlorine bleach makes rust stains more intense or permanent, and it isn't for wool, silk, mohair, leather or spandex.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for white marks on sheets, towels & table linens
Look for liquid laundry detergent, an enzyme laundry presoak and an all-fabric (oxygen) bleach; those three cover this job. For colored sheets, pick oxygen bleach over chlorine.
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.
Heavy buildup usually takes more than one round.
Heavy or long-standing buildup →When to call a professional →How to tell it's working
A residue mark should lighten during the cold soak and loosen as the detergent works in, so you should see some progress before the wash ends. Check the fabric while it's still damp, and don't dry it to make a decision. If a trace survives the wash, pretreat it again rather than letting the sheet dry.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your sheets, towels & table linens
Colored or printed sheets
Colored sheets change the steps most. Use chlorine bleach only if the sheet is colorfast to it, and rely on an all-fabric oxygen bleach that has passed a test on a hidden area.
If the test area changes color, stop and use only the cold soak and detergent steps. Hot water is fine only where the label allows it, so check the label before you go higher.
Silk sheets
Silk is the most restrictive fiber here. Keep oxygen bleach and chlorine bleach off it, and don't use alcohol or dish soap on it.
Stick to the cold soak and a gentle liquid detergent work-in, and test the detergent on a hidden seam first. If the mark is still there, take the sheet to a dry cleaner rather than moving to the stronger steps.
Dry-clean-only sheets
If the care label says dry-clean only, the home steps stop here. Take the sheet to a dry cleaner promptly, and tell them the fiber content and the stain.
Don't try the home steps on it first. Taking it in promptly gives the best chance of a clean result.
Sheets with an unknown fiber
If you can't tell what the sheet is made of, don't guess and don't reach for stronger products. Start with the cold soak and the detergent work-in, which are safe for unknown stains.
Test any product on a hidden seam or hem, and skip oxygen bleach, chlorine and alcohol until you know the fiber. If you can't identify it, ask a dry cleaner before trying anything stronger.
Pillowcases
Pillowcases follow the same steps as sheets, so start with the blot and the cold soak. Check the care label on each case, because some are made of fabrics that need the gentler route.
The same rules for hot water and bleach apply, so don't skip the colorfast test. For the pillow itself, see our Pillows guide.
Heavy or long-standing buildup
An old white mark has usually been through a few washes, and it takes longer to lift than a fresh one. Start with the cold soak and detergent work-in, then move to the enzyme presoak before anything stronger.
If the mark has dried, soften it in cold water for longer and scrape again before washing, since dried deposits don't loosen from a dry sheet. Then work through the pretreatment and oxygen bleach steps, which come before chlorine.
A mark that has been through the dryer is set by the heat, so expect it to fade rather than vanish. If it's still there after every step, the sheet may be permanently marked, because some white marks are permanent damage that no treatment can undo.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on white marks on sheets, towels & table linens?
You'll find plenty of home remedies for white marks, from vinegar to club soda. Many are made for other stains or surfaces, so only some belong on sheets.
Works1Skip5
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 scrub the mark hard
Blot rather than rub, since hard rubbing can damage the sheet. Work the detergent in gently with your fingers instead.
Don't reach for bar soap
Soap sets many stains, so it's the wrong choice for a fresh mark. Use the liquid detergent described in the steps instead, and keep bar soap off the sheet.
Don't use colored cloths or sponges
They can bleed dye into the sheet and leave a new mark on top of the old one. Stick to a clean white cloth or paper towel for blotting, every time.
Don't leave a gel on bright sheets too long
Bright and fluorescent colors can change or fade if a gel or liquid pretreatment sits longer than recommended, and that damage doesn't reverse. Keep gels to a few minutes and follow the time limit printed on any spray.
Don't use chlorine bleach on silk or wool
Chlorine bleach is off-limits on wool, silk, mohair, leather and spandex, so a white mark on a silk sheet calls for the cold soak and a gentle detergent only. Read the label before you reach for a bleach bottle.
Don't use bleach on a rust-tinged mark
Chlorine bleach makes rust more intense or permanent, so if the white mark has a rusty edge, use a rust remover before any bleach. Rinse the sheet thoroughly between products.
When to call a professional
Dry-clean-only sheets belong with a professional dry cleaner, so tell them the fiber content before anything else. Silk and other delicate fabrics also deserve a shop's attention once a home cold soak hasn't lifted the mark. Let them know which products you've already tried so they don't stack another one on top.
Questions
What causes white marks on sheets?
Most are mineral deposits left when water dries, or residue from something else, such as deodorant or undissolved detergent. A few are damage rather than deposits, and those won't wash off.
Can white marks on sheets come out for good?
Often yes, when the mark is a deposit or residue and you work through the steps in order. Some marks are permanent damage, though, and if one is still there after the full sequence, it may be as clean as it will get.
Can deodorant leave white marks on sheets?
Yes, deodorant residue is one of the common causes of white marks on fabric. Keep heat away from the mark and work it with the cold soak and detergent steps first, since heat can set it.
Why does the mark reappear after washing?
Water alone only hides some white marks, such as efflorescence, for a while, so the mark can look back once the fabric dries. Work the liquid detergent and the enzyme presoak into the spot to remove what's left.
Should I wash white sheets in hot water to lift the mark?
Not until the mark is gone. Hot water can set protein stains, so give the sheet a cold soak first. Once the mark has lifted, cotton and linen can handle a hot cycle as long as the care label agrees.
Is oxygen bleach safe on colored sheets?
Yes, but only if the dye is colorfast. Oxygen-based bleach is the milder choice for dyed fabric, though you should test a hidden seam first and stop if the color shifts at all. Wash it out fully before the sheet goes anywhere near a dryer.
Can a sheet sit in an enzyme presoak overnight?
Yes, an enzyme presoak is made for that kind of soak, and it suits old protein marks well. Liquid and spray pretreatments are different, though, and shouldn't sit longer than the label allows. Soak in cold water with the detergent or enzyme, then rinse before you wash.
White Marks 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.