Pillows

Remove ‘common stains' from pillows without using ‘harsh chemicals' - it's an ‘easy fix'

Stains from wet hair, lotions, oils, sebum, sweat and fake tan can be unsightly causing unattractive yellow, orange and even brown marks on your pillows. Sweat is one of the worst offenders when it comes to yellow stains because sweat contains a chemical called urea which is a byproduct of sweat.

ther common stains include sebum, which is in our skin and hair, sweat or saliva, and fake tan.

Kathleen Bell, smol's sustainable cleaning expert, has shared exclusively with Express.co.uk how to remove yellow stains from pillows.

Before tackling yellow stains, Kathleen recommended first identifying the cause of the staining so you can use the right treatment.

These are some of the most "common stains" found on pillows and how to get rid of them.

Sebum

Your skin and hair contain oil called sebum, which can produce yellow staining.

If you think your bedding is suffering from this kind of yellow staining, "easy fix" for this is actually shampoo.

The expert explained: "Apply the shampoo to the stain, and leave to soak in warm water.

"Once you've given it a good scrub, add it to the wash as normal."

Sweat or saliva

Many people can experience sweating, or even dribbling, in their sleep, which is another common cause of staining to bedding.

Both types of stain can be remedied with a mixture of water and white vinegar in a spray bottle.

Kathleen said: "Let your pillowcases soak for around half an hour, before adding to your wash as normal.

"Another tip if some of the stains remain, is to leave the cases hanging outside or by a window for the day, as UV from the sun can break down the stain and even help kill germs."

Fake tan

If you like a golden glow every now and then, you may resort to fake tan occasionally.

While this may appear dry after you've put it on, it can leave stains on pillows without you even realising. To remove this, Kathleen recommended using washing-up liquid.

She explained: "With a reduced amount of natural light over the winter, many of us turn to fake tan to cheat that summer glow - but it can leave behind marks on our clothes and sheets!

"To remove fake tan stains, apply a mix of washing up liquid and water, in circular motions, and work until the stain begins to fade.

"Rinse with cold water before adding to the wash as normal."

If you've given all these methods a good go but your yellow stain still won't budge, then you can also try using a stain gel.

Kathleen recommended opting for one that is enzyme-based and bleach-free to break down the proteins of common stains.

The reason for this is most stain removers simply bleach clothes clean by using "high concentrations of harsh chemicals that can damage fabrics and even irritate skin".