What are these stains on my pillow covers?
November 13, 2013 10:40 AM Subscribe
I have blue stains on my new pillowcases, and I'm scared it could be mildew. But I don't understand how it could have got there so fast, and I don't know what to do now. Can anyone confirm what it is, and give me ideas for what to try next?
On Saturday, I noticed some stains on my pillowcases and sheet; they looked a little like diluted blue inkstains from a fountain pen. I thought that was odd, but I washed them on a hot cycle, and the stains were still visible, but they'd faded a bit. On Monday, I saw that they'd become more pronounced again, and there were slightly peach-coloured stains along with the blue ones. Worse, when I left one pillow lying on top of the other, after a few hours the stains had transferred to the other pillow as well.
After searching online, I thought the stains might be a sign of mildew. I freaked out, threw out the pillows, pillowcases and sheets (including a new fitted sheet), and bought new ones. The new pillows I bought were advertised as being mildew-resistant.
That was yesterday. Today, I have the same ink-blue and peach-coloured stains on my brand new pillowcases. But! The pillows underneath are fine, and have no stains on them at all. The stains are dry, not damp, and completely odourless. So far, the sheets are fine, and the mattress below them has always been sealed in a plasticky mite-proof cover, which also looks fine and unstained. I've had some problems on and off with black mildew on my shower curtain and bathroom grouting, but no problems so far anywhere else in the house. I don't notice any mildewy smell in my house. So I don't understand where the mildew, if that's what it is, could be coming from! I haven't changed my shampoo or detergent, and I have no idea what else these stains could be.
Pictures are here.
What can I do now? I don't want to be breathing in spores at night...
On Saturday, I noticed some stains on my pillowcases and sheet; they looked a little like diluted blue inkstains from a fountain pen. I thought that was odd, but I washed them on a hot cycle, and the stains were still visible, but they'd faded a bit. On Monday, I saw that they'd become more pronounced again, and there were slightly peach-coloured stains along with the blue ones. Worse, when I left one pillow lying on top of the other, after a few hours the stains had transferred to the other pillow as well.
After searching online, I thought the stains might be a sign of mildew. I freaked out, threw out the pillows, pillowcases and sheets (including a new fitted sheet), and bought new ones. The new pillows I bought were advertised as being mildew-resistant.
That was yesterday. Today, I have the same ink-blue and peach-coloured stains on my brand new pillowcases. But! The pillows underneath are fine, and have no stains on them at all. The stains are dry, not damp, and completely odourless. So far, the sheets are fine, and the mattress below them has always been sealed in a plasticky mite-proof cover, which also looks fine and unstained. I've had some problems on and off with black mildew on my shower curtain and bathroom grouting, but no problems so far anywhere else in the house. I don't notice any mildewy smell in my house. So I don't understand where the mildew, if that's what it is, could be coming from! I haven't changed my shampoo or detergent, and I have no idea what else these stains could be.
Pictures are here.
What can I do now? I don't want to be breathing in spores at night...
Fall asleep on the pillow with makeup on?
Grease transfer from moisturizer?
Wash the pillowcases with a pair of dark wash blue jeans?
Dog eat a crayon and then sit on your pillow and lick himself? (THIS HAPPENS.)
posted by phunniemee at 10:43 AM on November 13, 2013 [1 favorite]
Grease transfer from moisturizer?
Wash the pillowcases with a pair of dark wash blue jeans?
Dog eat a crayon and then sit on your pillow and lick himself? (THIS HAPPENS.)
posted by phunniemee at 10:43 AM on November 13, 2013 [1 favorite]
Do you have pets who sleep on the bed?
posted by something something at 10:43 AM on November 13, 2013
posted by something something at 10:43 AM on November 13, 2013
Best answer: It takes a very long time for fabric to mildew, and it has to get and stay wet. You'd notice that. Mildew is like 50th on the list of what that might be. (I think you might be thinking of mold scare stories and thinking your shower curtain mildew is mold and has infested your house. It hasn't.)
That looks like a greasy stain to me, so you may want to wipe out the inside of your washing machine with a white washcloth and see if you can find any fabric softener or artifact of a mistakenly washed item. Also rinse out any of the dispensers - fabric softener, bleach, detergent if there is one. Ditto the dryer - run a white washcloth or paper towel around the inside to see if any color comes off on it.
And if that isn't it, and you're not washing whites with colors, it's coming off of you or some mammal in your house. What in your house/cosmetics is blue or peach?
posted by Lyn Never at 10:48 AM on November 13, 2013 [2 favorites]
That looks like a greasy stain to me, so you may want to wipe out the inside of your washing machine with a white washcloth and see if you can find any fabric softener or artifact of a mistakenly washed item. Also rinse out any of the dispensers - fabric softener, bleach, detergent if there is one. Ditto the dryer - run a white washcloth or paper towel around the inside to see if any color comes off on it.
And if that isn't it, and you're not washing whites with colors, it's coming off of you or some mammal in your house. What in your house/cosmetics is blue or peach?
posted by Lyn Never at 10:48 AM on November 13, 2013 [2 favorites]
They kind of look like fabric softener stains to me. Do you use liquid fabric softener?
posted by MadamM at 10:50 AM on November 13, 2013
posted by MadamM at 10:50 AM on November 13, 2013
Best answer: I wish I could remember the details of this better!
SOMETHING my sister was using was reacting with bleach, leaving weird blue stains on pillowcases and sheets. moisturizer? conditioner? some kind of beach spray?
I really can't recall, but there was nothing blue involved and the stains were blue.
posted by euphoria066 at 10:50 AM on November 13, 2013 [1 favorite]
SOMETHING my sister was using was reacting with bleach, leaving weird blue stains on pillowcases and sheets. moisturizer? conditioner? some kind of beach spray?
I really can't recall, but there was nothing blue involved and the stains were blue.
posted by euphoria066 at 10:50 AM on November 13, 2013 [1 favorite]
Might you have dyed your hair recently? I had something not unlike this when I coloured my hair a few months ago and it wouldn't wash off entirely either.
posted by Dragonness at 10:55 AM on November 13, 2013
posted by Dragonness at 10:55 AM on November 13, 2013
Could it be hair dye? If you (or someone in your house) is using a brunette/black hair dye, it sometimes will leave blue-based stains on pillowcases.
posted by Susan PG at 10:56 AM on November 13, 2013
posted by Susan PG at 10:56 AM on November 13, 2013
Response by poster: Thank you thank you for saying it's probably not mold! I was indeed worried that my whole apartment was getting contaminated from the bathroom. I did think it looked like fabric softener or detergent stains, but I don't use fabric softener, and I put the latest batch of pillows and pillowcases on without washing them first so nothing could have transferred to them from the washing machine.
I don't have any pets, I haven't had anyone else sleep over, and I don't use makeup or hairdye, so idk. The only things that I can think of that might do this are either toothpaste remnants, if I'm drooling in my sleep, or maybe the facecream I use in the mornings (which isn't new, but who knows). The facecream is tinted (so that might be the peach colour), and contains moisturizing agents...I can try testing both of those tonight.
posted by jlibera at 10:59 AM on November 13, 2013
I don't have any pets, I haven't had anyone else sleep over, and I don't use makeup or hairdye, so idk. The only things that I can think of that might do this are either toothpaste remnants, if I'm drooling in my sleep, or maybe the facecream I use in the mornings (which isn't new, but who knows). The facecream is tinted (so that might be the peach colour), and contains moisturizing agents...I can try testing both of those tonight.
posted by jlibera at 10:59 AM on November 13, 2013
Do you use anything containing benzoyl peroxide on your face or body, usually for acne? BP will bleach or stain fabric easily, including white fabric.
posted by nicebookrack at 11:08 AM on November 13, 2013
posted by nicebookrack at 11:08 AM on November 13, 2013
It's probably your facecream or something else you're wearing before bed. I got very similar stains from using this Kiehls eye cream before bed. It could also be something you put on your hands, if you ever sleep with your hands under or on your pillow.
posted by melissasaurus at 11:08 AM on November 13, 2013
posted by melissasaurus at 11:08 AM on November 13, 2013
Do you have your own washer and dryer in your apartment, or is it a shared laundry room or laundromat?
**YOU** may not use fabric softener, but others in your apartment complex / others who use the same laundromat may, and it could be transferring between their wash loads and yours.
(If you have your own washer and dryer in the apartment, I'd rule out a previous tenant unless you've been in the apartment for a month or less.)
posted by tckma at 11:14 AM on November 13, 2013
**YOU** may not use fabric softener, but others in your apartment complex / others who use the same laundromat may, and it could be transferring between their wash loads and yours.
(If you have your own washer and dryer in the apartment, I'd rule out a previous tenant unless you've been in the apartment for a month or less.)
posted by tckma at 11:14 AM on November 13, 2013
Best answer: Do you use a sleep mask? This blogger reports that at least one type of sleep mask began causing orange stains for some people, and blue / black for others (see here, for example, and a photo).
posted by taz at 11:58 AM on November 13, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by taz at 11:58 AM on November 13, 2013 [1 favorite]
My very old washing machine sometimes leaves me surprises on clothing and bedding that look similar to that.
posted by sarajane at 1:00 PM on November 13, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by sarajane at 1:00 PM on November 13, 2013 [1 favorite]
Have you started using any new products recently? Different shampoo, conditioner, lotion, hairspray? Started using way more moisturizer because the season's changing? Used a heated (sock of rice) microwave neck-warmer? Cough drops or Nyquil right before bed? Aspercreme on sore muscles?
posted by aimedwander at 2:21 PM on November 13, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by aimedwander at 2:21 PM on November 13, 2013 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Whoa, I do use a sleep mask! And those stains look a lot like the ones on my pillows. I cycle between several different ones, and I recently washed the one I'm using right now, which might explain why I'm only seeing stains now. Thank you!
posted by jlibera at 7:55 AM on November 14, 2013
posted by jlibera at 7:55 AM on November 14, 2013
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 10:43 AM on November 13, 2013