How to Get Sweat Stains Out of Sheets So They Finally Look Clean Again

At the end of a long day, it doesn’t get much better than crawling into some clean, cool sheets. However, the sight of sweat stains can quickly ruin the mood. Sweat stains can build up over time, making it difficult to catch until suddenly your sheets look worn and yellow.

Fortunately, there are ways to revive sweat-stained sheets to give them that crisp, clean look once again.

We chatted with two cleaning experts to uncover the best tips for getting rid of sweat and oil stains on sheets, whether they’ve recently appeared or have plagued your sheets for years.

Pre-Treat the Stain

The first, and most important, step to getting rid of those pesky sweat stains is to pre-treat the stain.

“[You can use] a stain remover, liquid laundry detergent, dishwashing liquid, or products you have around your home like white vinegar and baking soda,” says Frej Lewenhaupt, the co-founder of Steamery.

Taylor Riley, a long-time cleaning expert and partner with GemSmart Commercial Cleaning, prefers a paste made of baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and a little dish soap.

“The hydrogen peroxide helps lift the stain, the baking soda neutralizes odors, and the soap breaks down body oils,” he says.

No matter which solution you choose, apply it directly to the stained areas, being careful not to scrub too aggressively and damage the fabric fibers in the process. Allow the solution to sit for at least 30 minutes before moving on to the next step.

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Run Them Through the Washing Machine

Next, move your pre-treated sheets to the washing machine. Be sure to select a warm water setting, not hot.

“A lot of people crank the water temp thinking it’ll ‘cook’ the stain out, but hot water can actually set the stain deeper, especially if it’s protein based like sweat,” says Riley.

Choose a heavy-duty detergent or one designed specifically for odor-prone fabrics. You can also add a cup of white vinegar to the rinse cycle to help break down any leftover residue. However, Riley advises against using fabric softener, as it can coat the fibers and lock in stains.

Re-Check for Stains

Once the wash cycle has completed, it’s important to check the sheets to see if the sweat stains are still present.

“If the stain is still visible…you’ll need to repeat the stain removal process,” says Lewenhaupt.

However, if it looks like the stains are gone, move on to the final step.

Air-Dry the Sheets

Even if you can’t spot the sweat stains after the wash cycle, both Lewenhaupt and Riley recommend you steer clear of the dryer, as heat can make the stains harder to remove. Instead, air dry your sheets if you can.

As your sheets dry, you can verify that the stains are truly gone. If you begin to notice them again, both of our experts agree you should repeat the pre-treat and wash process a second time.

How to Get Sweat Stains Out of Sheets After They’ve Been Washed

For many types of stains, sweat stains included, you are more likely to remove the stain if you tackle it as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, sweat stains on sheets are not always obvious.

“I’ve dealt with all kinds of stains over the years, and I’ll admit sweat stains on sheets are one of the trickier ones because they don’t always show up right away,” says Riley.

Sweat stains can build up over time, and eventually you’ll notice the sheets take on a yellow hue. Fortunately, both of our experts agree that although removing set-in sweat stains from sheets may be difficult, it certainly isn’t impossible.

“You can still remove sweat and oil stains from sheets after they’ve been washed by repeating the stain removal process again,” says Lewenhaupt.

Our experts suggest treating the sweat stains with a a solution like dish soap, white vinegar, or baking soda to target and break down the oil. Instead of leaving the solution to sit for up to an hour, leave it overnight, then repeat the washing process.

“Don’t go straight to bleach,” Riley advises. “It can make things worse by reacting with the proteins in sweat and turning stains even more yellow.”