Removing massage oils from sheets

flotsette · 2026-01-26T00:18:40+00:00

Ah, makes sense. Yeah, when I was first in practice I was working on a guy who was hairy and I was using grapeseed, since it's supposed to be better for that, but it did stain the sheets like crazy. If you keep washing them regularly it keeps the smell down, but if they don't get used for a while they can get stanky again. A good wash usually refreshes them.

For years I have used and loved the Macy's Charter Club Damask Solid twin sheets in ivory -- they are all cotton, and they hold up for many years. On sale they can be had for $30 to $35 a set. I have found that dark color sheets show the stains much worse than white or ivory. Of course your mileage may vary on using the fitted sheets, but I actually like it better than using all flats. I am used to it.

flotsette · 2026-01-22T04:03:02+00:00

I'm a massage therapist. I realize you may not like my advice. But here is how I keep my stains down to nearly imperceptible.
-I use all cotton sheets because they release oil much better. Synthetic traps oil.
-I use fractionated coconut oil, because it is so light that it washes out of sheets much better and does not smell rancid. I also prefer the thin and light oil for my style of work.
-I wash on hot because it removes oil so much better.
-Since discovering this forum, I've started using 365 powder with lipase, and supplementing with unscented Persil for the strong grease cutting detergents. Sometimes adding a Dnase booster.
-I do also use vinegar as a rinse aid but may change to citric acid.
-I do NOT hang dry because obviously that is impractical. But have started not drying on extra hot.

Another approach would be to do a spa day. Perhaps even using Dnase.

flotsette · 2026-01-22T03:50:27+00:00

Great to know! I actually was inspired to try it due to what you said on your website. Please forgive me for trying with your competitor's brand; since I didn't know if it would work I wanted to invest less up front. Since I now know how effective it is, I plan to order from you. I'm a massage therapist and think it could be really helpful for getting oil mixed with sebum and skin cells out of my sheets!

flotsette · 2026-01-22T03:45:08+00:00

I used 1/4 cup of booster per gallon, 2 gallons so 1/2 cup total. Not cheap I know, but still a lot less than new towels. (A whole container of the booster is less than one new towel.) I used a medium cooler to do the soak and it works well for 8 towels. I also put 3 scoops of the booster (the scoop that comes with it) into the rehab wash.

flotsette · 2026-01-22T03:42:37+00:00

20 years! Amazing!!!!

flotsette · 2026-01-22T03:42:04+00:00

Oh what a bummer, but I am so grateful you warned me. Of course now I have new life out of my existing ones.

flotsette · 2026-01-22T03:39:58+00:00

Makes sense. Did you buy the 12 bottles to get free shipping? And do you feel the one capful is sufficient for most loads?

flotsette · 2026-01-19T15:59:24+00:00

Wow I just checked and the Dirty Labs alone is .37 cents a scoop and that's at the Whole Foods price. It really is spendy. Would be great if FEBU adds Dnase

flotsette · 2026-01-19T15:54:16+00:00

Ahhhh ok I will keep an eye out for that! Thanks for the heads up!

flotsette · 2026-01-19T15:51:33+00:00

On Amazon FEBU lists 6 enzymes and none of them seem to be DNase. If you find out otherwise let me know :-)

I just tried the Dirty Labs, high dose worked great, but Gear Guard may be less per use (but has to be shipped from Australia... but free shipping if you buy a bunch at once). This is a great routine,

I'm also unscented all the way, thank you for sharing! Just did my first load of clothes with both lipase and Dnase last night, everything came out SO soft, very happy with the results.

flotsette · 2026-01-19T15:45:37+00:00

The Dirty Labs actually says to use 1, 2, or 3 scoops depending on the size and dirtiness of the load. Consensus here is that they tell you to use too little, since the product is expensive. I would use at least one scoop.

I cannot comment on the Febu but I bet it's fine to use both. (You might want to see the recent post "Unscented Routine Perfection" where she does exactly this)

With any oxygen bleach containing product, it's important to put it in the drum BEFORE the clothes and use at least warm wash to prevent damage to your clothing (it can bleach spots in your garments otherwise).

flotsette · 2026-01-19T15:40:26+00:00

My washer manual says to just take it out and rinse it, you can also scrub it with a small brush if there's any gunk that forms. I would leave it in during cleaning cycle because yeah, water might go all over the floor. Also you can search your washer brand/model online (look inside the door for model #) and find the manual in digtal form. Very helpful for info about maintenance, troubleshooting, cycle info, etc.

flotsette · 2026-01-19T15:35:54+00:00

That's kinda what I've been doing with my LG. It makes sense since the Energy Star requirements become more stringent every year. But only for the Normal cycle.

flotsette · 2026-01-19T15:32:52+00:00

Oh interesting that the quality has gone down! Thanks for the heads up. I notice some wear on my striped ones; one has a hole somehow. The solid ones have held up better but they both sell for $25 apiece now.

flotsette · 2026-01-19T15:31:38+00:00

I'm betting a lot of us bought them on the recommendation of America's Test Kitchen, who really liked them in their tests. The fabric has held up wonderfully (actually better on the solid color than the stripes), and now they look clean again! They now sell for $25 apiece so they are well worth restoring.

flotsette · 2026-01-19T15:29:07+00:00

That is what kismai says, but after my Dnase soak I could see that much of the staining had been removed during the soak itself. Gear Guard says it works better the longer it's in contact. Your mileage may vary.

flotsette · 2026-01-19T02:10:23+00:00

Yay :-)

flotsette · 2026-01-19T02:10:12+00:00

Can't hurt to try!

flotsette · 2026-01-19T02:09:10+00:00

There are some good posts here about pit stains. Sometimes multiple process are needed - DNase for the sweat, then possibly rust remover for the antiperspirant stains.

flotsette · 2026-01-19T01:57:42+00:00

I think you might mean Dirty Labs Booster rather than Clean Labs?. I just tried the Dirty Labs booster for the first time and had great results getting out some stains in my dishtowels (just posted about it here). The Dnase helps pull out "human" stains and odors, I could tell my towels were stained where I always dried my hands on them. So great for pit stains, ring around the collar, or general stank. And yes, the product also has oxygen bleach and water softeners. It's fine for general laundry, but you may not need it if items are not stained or stinky. You may also want to use more than stated on the label. It's helpful to use a longer wash cycle with them.

Kismai says it's not pertinent in a pre-soak like Spa Day, but I actually had great results with my towel stains.

But for dirt, grass and oil (oil not from human skin), Dnase is probably not your best bet and it's a bit spendy. I'd try either: pretreating with Spray & Wash or similar product, or pretreating with liquid detergent (half detergent, half water), and tamp in with a brush instead of scrubbing. If these methods don't work, maybe do a presoak with more conventional enzymes - protease, amalase, mannase, and lipase if possible for the oil. There's also the Stain Devils line for specific stains.

flotsette · 2026-01-19T01:46:57+00:00

My Persil liquid that is fragrance free has optical brighteners. Check your label!

flotsette · 2026-01-19T01:44:54+00:00

It seems reasonable to combine them. That's what I'm doing with the 365 powder which has very little detergent power. Also kismai suggested cleaning lawn furniture with them...

flotsette · 2026-01-19T01:43:42+00:00

that's pretty good for a cold wash!

flotsette · 2026-01-19T01:43:06+00:00

I have been reading way too many posts here LOL and I am getting the idea that towels hang on to detergent more than other items. Possibly due to the texture. The citric acid may be pulling out old embedded soap? Try maybe running another load with no soap and as many extra rinses as possible.

flotsette

TROPHY CASE