Are you tired of throwing out sheets because they're dreadfully stained by massage oil? Have you ever had your massage sheets smoking after they came out of the dryer? I know how you feel because I've been there! Over the years if I added up all the sets of massage sheets that I've thrown out, there would be enough to supply a mid-size hotel. Not to mention the dryer fires! No kidding, one day driving home in my car, I started to cough from the smoke coming from the backseat of my car. Holy Cow, my sheets were on fire! At first, I blamed this on the high-temperature dryers at the laundromat but now I know better. If you're sick and tired of running through massage sheets because they are ruined by oil stains and or burn marks from the dryer, here's what I suggest:
If you are busy enough and you can cover the overhead, I recommend using a linen service. This is especially great because you don't have to spend your time in a laundromat or have high utility bills from all the extra appliance use at home. Also, if the sheets get stained or ripped, it's not your problem. The main drawback to this is that you need to have an actual office location. The linen services will not deliver to a home, they want to pick up and drop off at a business location. The other bummer is that you have to commit to a weekly delivery quota. This means that you have to pay for new sheets every week regardless of whether you used up your previous supply. May I suggest that if you still want to go this route, partner up with someone who already has an account with a linen service and then you can help to split the costs.
So, I tried the linen service through a friend that has an acupuncture clinic and that was fine. I wanted to get back to washing my own sheets so I wouldn't have to bother my friend every time, I ran out of sheets. This time, I did some research to find out how to get the massage oil out of sheets and to stop ruining my sheets so I had to toss them out. There didn't seem to be much information on the Internet on this subject so between trial and error and talking with friends, here's what I came up with.
1. Start with fresh new sheets. I know it feels wasteful to throw out sheets, but if they look bad, that gives our clients a lousy impression. If you can't bear to throw them out, then donate them somewhere. I buying recommend industry grade sheets. The ones that the hotels and hospitals and linen services use are typically T-180 sheets. I like to buy the ones that would be as close as you can get to the dimensions of twin sheets. They may seem stiff but the soften up faster than you think they will.
2. Before you use the sheets for the first time, wash them in hot water and dry them completely. They will be nice and soft when they come out of the dryer. After you use your sheets for the first time, this is when it's crucial to follow the next instructions.
3. Wash all your sheets in hot water.
4. Wash only a maximum of 3 sets of sheets together at a time. You want your sheets to get clean so avoid stuffing your machine.
5. Add a towel in the wash with your sheets. I always set aside my light-colored bath towels and hand towels to throw in with my sheets. They do a nice job of scrubbing the oil from the sheets.
6. If they seem a little on the oily side, add 1 regular box of regular size baking soda. When I add baking soda, I usually like to add a small box of peroxide with it. The baking soda and peroxide make a great paste for cleaning and brightening.
7. Spot treat stains on sheets and let them sit for a while before throwing them in the wash. They can always go in the next load.
8. Alternate your laundry detergents, Just like shampoo build-up, I think the laundry soap needs to be rotated as well. Sometimes, I use laundry soap and sometimes, I use a dish soap with a degreaser.
9. Avoid letting your sheets sit with oil in them for too long. I've noticed that if I let my sheets sit too long before washing them, the oil is harder to get out because it's become set. Also, be careful about letting dirty sheets be exposed to direct sunlight. If your sheets are sitting in direct sunlight, the sun will burn the oil and it will be set in your sheets. It will smell rancid and you will never be able to get it out.
10. Hang your sheets to dry. This will probably be unpopular with many people but it is what has saved me from throwing out any more sheets. You never want to put your massage sheets in the dryer because if you didn't get the oil out the first time, you will set the oil in the sheets and it can cause future fires in your dryer. One day I was driving home to find my car filling up with smoke. As It turns out, my sheets were on fire in the back seat of my car. I hope this never happens to you! If you have a sheet that has dried but it isn't looking as clean as you like, throw it in the next load of sheets with a cup of stain remover.
Again, this approach isn't for everyone but if you prefer to wash your own sheets, this is how you can keep them in good shape for a long time. I hope this helps you in your quest to get the massage oil out of your sheets.
