I use bamboo sheets in my Loft. I didn’t know what these stains were until a younger person suggested it could be from condoms. Two of my fitted sheets I can no longer use because of this.
Has anyone successfully removed them? I have tried vinegar, baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and soaking them in oxiclean to no avail.
I am tempted to put something in my house rules about using water based condoms not silicone based ones as I can’t afford to keep buying new sheets.
How have you all dealt with this issue?
Thanks for any suggestions,
Judy
Bamboo sheets? Honestly, I have never heard of such.
(It’s gotta smart.)
Hi Sandy,
Bamboo sheets are so great - they are cool to the touch in summer and warm to the touch in winter. They are wrinkle free when smoothed out on the bed. The pillowcases never need ironing.
They dry very quickly. That’s why I like using them!
How do bamboo sheets hold up vs cotton? I’ll probably be buying new sheets in the next few months.
I found this link http://learn.condomdepot.com/2014/04/14/removing-lube-stains/. It has a few of the things you’ve already tried, but a couple that you haven’t. The sex toy cleaner was a surprise go-to.
I had a wonderful set of bamboo sheets until a guest slept on them with baby oil on her body. Couldn’t remove it with all the “degreaser” stain remover I could find. Early days in my hosting - didn’t contact her about it. I replaced them with cotton Costco sheets which come out of the dryer wrinkled and stay wrinkled . I miss my bamboo sheets!!!
Thanks ~ I learned something new! I’m not much of a shopper but will check them out…for my own bed. (I stopped doing solid colored sheets in the rental a long time ago…any color variation is just too noticeable.)
Hi Sarah,
So far mine are holding up very well! I have been using them since last Sept. with no issues until these 2 episodes. I thought something was wrong with my washing machine!
Yes, I just switched to white towels for the same reason!
Thanks for the link Suite Retreat - I’ll check some of them out!
My guess is that your guests used an oil based lubricant such as petroleum jelly instead of the recommended water based lubricants. Water based lubricants in addition to not clogging delicate pores should wash right out of bedding. Has this happened to you more than once? If not, I’d assume those guests were unusual in their choice of lubricants. Also, polite men lube up over the toilet, not in bed.
Thanks Ellen,
It has happened twice now! Can I post something in my house rules or is that considered inappropriate?
Personally, I wouldn’t consider it inappropriate, but others who are less comfortable discussing sex might want to weigh in. I would put it in my house guide, not in the house rules posted on your listing.
(Wow, I didn’t know that (pre-lubing)…second thing I learned today!)
I say yes, in the house guide section. Something maybe to the effect that unremovable stains anywhere in the house will be charged against the deposit? At @konacoconutz is a word smith, she may be able to chime in with some cleverly worded…‘no oil based lube’ house rules.
Dawn dishsoap might work. I used it to remove salad dressing stains from my table cloth.
I tried Dawn - it didn’t help at all.
Dawn dish soap is the best. Don’t use cheap dishwashing liquid, use original blue Dawn. It will get the lube out, it’s oil based. Dawn is excellent for anything with oil/grease.
Good luck!
I had a silicone-based lube stain in my sheets a couple of times and it washed out eventually with dawn dishwashing liquid (took 2 washes and lots of scrubbing). It took quite a bit of effort and time & I was really fn annoyed. I called a local sex-shop for suggestions about how to get it out and they rec Dawn as well.
However, I would really recommend against using the word “lubricant” in your house rules as I think that it underscores for potential guests that hundreds of people (depending on how long you’ve hosted) have likely come on your sheets. That’s the reality of staying anywhere, of course, but I don’t think anyone wants it in their faces, so to speak. IMO, it’s not a pleasant thought that assures me that this is the place I want to book.
Thanks NYC, I love the original blue dawn - I make my own cleaner with that, vinegar and lemon juice, which does a great job cleaning the bathroom, floors, sinks, etc.
Chicagohost - I used Dawn on my sheets but it didn’t remove the stains. I wonder if it is because they are bamboo, you are not suppose to scrub them. I will try again because I can’t use them the way they are. I have washed both of them about 4 or 5 times now. One has quite a few stains.
You make a really good valid point about not using the word lubricant. Thank you for pointing that out, I was just so annoyed that another sheet has been ruined and was trying to prevent it from happening again. I guess this is one of the hazards of hosting.
Thanks everyone for your suggestions, much appreciated!
Also try spot treating. Let it stay on the spot for a while and then wash. Gosh if it won’t come out after all that, I just don’t know. Air guests will ruin your sheets fast, lube or no lube… that I do know.
Agree with the others. Don’t mention anything about this in your rules. It might be a bit disturbing to read as a potential guest!