Quick answer: To get self tanner out of sheets, treat it before it ever sees the dryer. Run cold water through the back of the stain, blot it with warm water and dish soap from the edges in, rinse, and wash as usual. If a mark remains, pretreat with liquid laundry detergent and wash again. For a set-in stain, soak the sheet in an oxygen bleach solution for a few hours, then wash. Air-dry until it’s fully gone.
Orange streaks on a pillowcase are a common side effect of a fresh tan. They usually respond to ordinary laundry steps, as long as heat doesn’t lock them in. How easily you can get self tanner out of sheets comes down to two things: how old the stain is and what the sheets are made of.
Why self tanner stains sheets
The FDA explains that dihydroxyacetone (DHA), a common ingredient in sunless tanners, is a color additive that darkens skin by reacting with amino acids in the skin’s surface. Clarins notes that the instant color many tanners show is a “guide colour” that marks where you applied it, and that, depending on the product, the tan can keep developing for up to 24 hours. Speed Queen describes self-tanners as typically oil-based with added dye, and says both parts need treating: the oily base first, then the color.
Fresh or set-in? Check the stain’s age first
Speed Queen and the American Cleaning Institute (ACI) agree that the sooner you treat a stain, the easier it is to remove. Find your stain below, then use the matching steps.
| Stain age | What it usually means | Where to start |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh (you just noticed it) | Best odds of full removal | Cold rinse from the back, then dish soap (fresh-stain steps) |
| Dried overnight, not washed yet | Color has had time to soak in | Fresh-stain steps, with a longer detergent pretreat |
| Washed once, still visible, never dried | Stubborn but still treatable | Repeat the fresh-stain steps, then an oxygen bleach soak (set-in steps) if needed |
| Went through the dryer | Speed Queen warns dryer heat sets the stain, making it nearly impossible to remove | A long oxygen bleach soak, but it may not fully come out |
What you need
- Cold running water (a sink or tub)
- Liquid dish soap and a bowl of warm water
- A clean sponge or white cloth
- Liquid laundry detergent or a prewash stain remover
- An oxygen bleach product (a powder you dissolve in water)
- A bucket, laundry sink, or bathtub for soaking
- Rubber gloves
How to get fresh self tanner out of sheets
This method follows Speed Queen’s self-tanner steps, plus pretreating advice from the ACI.
- Strip the bed right away. Speed Queen says the longer a self-tanner stain sits, the less likely it is to come out.
- Rinse from the back with cold water. Hold the stain face down under cold running water. Speed Queen says this pushes the stain out instead of deeper into the fabric.
- Blot with dish soap and warm water. Mix a little dish soap into warm water, dip a sponge, and gently blot from the outer edges toward the center so the stain doesn’t spread. This lifts the oily base.
- Rinse with cold water again.
- Pretreat what’s left. For cosmetics, the ACI suggests a prewash stain remover, liquid laundry detergent, a paste of powder detergent and water, or rubbing with bar soap.
- Wash as usual. Follow the care label. The ACI says regular stains should come out in cold water, while tough ones may need the warmest water that’s safe for the fabric.
- Check before drying. Look at the wet spot in good light. If you still see color, repeat the steps. Speed Queen and the ACI both say to keep it out of the dryer until the stain is gone.
How to remove set-in self tanner stains
A stain that dried overnight or survived one wash isn’t hopeless. Speed Queen’s last-resort step is an overnight soak in oxygen bleach and cold water. OxiClean’s directions for set-in stains call for a 1 to 6 hour soak, with 6 hours for best results.
- Test first. OxiClean says to test its products on an inconspicuous area before use, such as a hem or corner.
- Mix the soak. Dissolve the oxygen bleach product following its package directions. Speed Queen suggests cold water, while the ACI notes oxygen bleaches work best in warm-to-hot water. Stay within what your care label allows.
- Soak. Submerge the stained area, or the whole sheet for big stains, for several hours or as long as the product label allows.
- Wash and inspect. Launder with your regular detergent, then check the spot before drying. If it’s lighter but not gone, soak again.
Self tanner stains by sheet fabric
| Fabric | Okay to try | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| White cotton or linen | Dish soap, detergent pretreat, oxygen bleach soak; chlorine bleach only if the care label allows it | The dryer before the stain is gone |
| Colored cotton or linen | Dish soap, detergent pretreat, oxygen bleach after a hidden-spot test | Chlorine bleach, unless the label allows it and the fabric passes a colorfastness test |
| Polyester, microfiber, and blends | Dish soap, detergent pretreat, oxygen bleach per the product label | Chlorine bleach on spandex blends unless the label says it’s safe |
| Silk or wool | Gentle care exactly as the label says, or a professional cleaner | Chlorine bleach, which the ACI says isn’t for wools or silks, and OxiClean products, which OxiClean says not to use on silk or wool |
| Dry clean only | Gentle blotting, then a professional cleaner | Home soaks; OxiClean says not to use its products on dry-clean-only fabrics |
White vs. colored sheets: White isn’t automatically bleach-safe. The ACI says fiber content (including spandex), finishes, and trims all matter. Clorox adds that you can’t judge colored fabric just by looking. Its test: stir 2 teaspoons of chlorine bleach into 1/4 cup of water, put a tiny drop on a hidden seam, wait 1 minute, then rinse and blot. Any color change means no chlorine bleach. Test each color separately.
What if it won’t come out?
- Repeat the steps. Speed Queen’s advice for a stain that survives the wash is simply to treat it again.
- Soak longer. When bleach isn’t an option, the ACI suggests presoaking in detergent or a presoak product for at least 30 minutes, and up to overnight.
- Chlorine bleach, bleach-safe fabrics only. For many other stains, such as coffee and grass, the ACI lists chlorine bleach as an option only if it’s safe for the fabric, and oxygen bleach otherwise. Check the label and do the Clorox test first.
- Buy some time. If you can’t wash right away, the ACI says treating makeup stains with a stain stick or stain-removal wipe puts them on hold for up to a week. Washing sooner is still better.
- Call a pro. If the sheet went through a hot dryer, shows no change after several rounds, or is silk or dry clean only, take it to a professional cleaner.
Safety: Never mix chlorine bleach with ammonia, ammonia-based products, or acidic products like vinegar. The ACI warns the combination can be dangerous or even deadly. Use one product at a time and rinse well in between. Follow the care label and every product label, test each cleaner on a hidden spot for colorfastness, as UGA Extension advises, and use chlorine bleach only where the care label allows it. Wear gloves, keep the room ventilated, and store laundry products out of reach of children and pets.
How to keep self tanner off your sheets
- Let it dry. Give the tanner time to dry before you get dressed or get into bed.
- Cover up. Loose, long-sleeved pajamas or an old sleep shirt put a layer between your skin and the sheets while your tan develops.
- Rinse on time. Follow your product’s directions for how long to leave the tan on before rinsing.
- Keep a “tan night” set. Older or darker sheets hide transfer better than crisp whites.
- Treat it the same morning. OxiClean calls prompt pretreating one of the best ways to keep stains from setting.
Grease on your clothes instead? See how to get bike grease out of jeans.
For a label-first overview across fabrics and furniture, see our stain removal guide before choosing another treatment.
FAQ
Does self tanner come out of sheets?
Usually, if you treat it before the sheet goes in the dryer. Speed Queen says self-tanner stains can be removed with the right technique: a cold rinse from the back, a dish soap blot, and a normal wash, repeated if needed.
Should I use hot or cold water on self tanner stains?
Start with cold. Speed Queen recommends cold water for rinsing and warm, soapy water only for blotting. For the wash, the ACI says regular stains should come out in cold, while tough ones may need the warmest water the label allows.
Can I bleach self tanner stains out of white sheets?
Try oxygen bleach first. The ACI calls it the gentler type, safe on all washable fabrics, but still follow the product label. Chlorine bleach is stronger. It isn’t for wool or silk, and white fabric isn’t automatically bleach-safe. Check the label, test a hidden spot, and never combine it with other cleaners.
Have other bedroom messes to deal with? Our guide on removing candle wax from velvet walks through another tricky stain step by step.
Sources
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration – Sunless Tanners & Bronzers
- Clarins – How to Remove Fake Tan: The Expert Guide
- Speed Queen – Triumph Over Self-Tanner Stains
- American Cleaning Institute – Stain Removal Guide
- American Cleaning Institute – How to Use Bleach
- American Cleaning Institute – Ask ACI: Make Up Stains
- University of Georgia Extension – Remove Stains From Cosmetics/Makeup/Sunscreen
- Clorox – How to Test Fabric for Colorfastness to Bleach
- OxiClean – How to Remove Set-in Stains and Old Stains on Clothes
Last reviewed: October 13, 2026. Always follow your product’s care label and manufacturer instructions.