sunscreen stains!!

Agencies and other headaches, keys and cleaners, running costs and contracts...in short, all the things we spend so much of our time doing behind the scenes.<br>
sarahk
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Location: Sardinia-Italy
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sunscreen stains!!

Post by sarahk »

Hello,
In my holiday house we provide for free bedlinen/towels to our guests.
Since last year I noticed that sometimes sun lotions leave on the towels (shower towels) terrible yellow indelible stains.
They can only be seen in sunlight, bu only after normal washing!
does it happen to you too? what do you do?
I managed to remove some stains (with a lot of effort) but the problem remains ..
After some decidedly ruined towels, I'm thinking of no longer providing shower towels to my guests ...
Tips?
AndrewH
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Location: Kefalonia, Greece
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Post by AndrewH »

This topic was aired on LMH 2 or 3 years ago. It prompted me to put on our 'information sheet' the following:

Please do not use RIEMANN P20 SUNFILTER, because it leaves a permanent stain on fabrics.
GillianF
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Joined: Mon Aug 20, 2012 12:06 pm
Location: Dordogne

Post by GillianF »

Welcome to our world! This comes up regularly and if you search you will find several very long threads about it - and what to do.

However, the short answer is that sunscreen stains on towels and bedding are the very devil to remove. The sunscreen will also stain your pool walls and sun loungers.

The remove it from towels and bedding you can use 'antikal' (calcaire removal for shower screens etc.) or white vinegar and soak. Then, you wash as normal and dry in sunlight. I have Vanish, white vinegar, antikal, bicarb of soda all beside my washing machine and my husband calls it my 'chemistry set'.

Not providing towels is a tricky one because guests don't usually expect to bring their own these days - especially if they fly.

You need to include 'advice' or dire warnings in your information about guests always being sure to use sunscreen but being sure to wash it off before going near your towels or bedding.
vacancesthezan
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Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 8:15 pm
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Re: sunscreen stains!!

Post by vacancesthezan »

sarahk wrote:Hello,
In my holiday house we provide for free bedlinen/towels to our guests.
Since last year I noticed that sometimes sun lotions leave on the towels (shower towels) terrible yellow indelible stains.
They can only be seen in sunlight, bu only after normal washing!
does it happen to you too? what do you do?
I managed to remove some stains (with a lot of effort) but the problem remains ..
After some decidedly ruined towels, I'm thinking of no longer providing shower towels to my guests ...
Tips?
Some or all of the tips above will work to some extent. We always have a bag of "rejects" at the end of the season. Ie sheets/towels/ pillow cases that despite 3 or more washes with various products have still remain stubbornly stained. We spend the "off season" revisiting them all to try and reclaim what we can

However we charge (or include in the total rental price) 20euros per person for the provision of sheets, towels (bath, hand and beach). Then we have covered our costs if 10 to 25% of the linen/towels become dusters at the end of the season. Not due to them being warn out but because the stains can just not be shifted.

NB If the renters have already tried to remove the stains by washing the sheet/towel or pillow case then you are doomed.....
sarahk
Posts: 37
Joined: Tue Mar 21, 2017 5:11 pm
Location: Sardinia-Italy
Contact:

Post by sarahk »

I tried with marseille soap / degreaser... (bleaching was a "pink" disaster).
Of course I wrote " please remove sunscreen with soap to avoid yellow stains", but it seems to be ignored.
Never used vinegar or antikal for stains... Let's try

I can't throw towels every season (only destroyed ones..) , too expensive... We have 5 apartments- about 3 months rental season! :shock:
vacancesthezan
Posts: 311
Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 8:15 pm
Location: France
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Post by vacancesthezan »

sarahk wrote:I tried with marseille soap / degreaser... (bleaching was a "pink" disaster).
Of course I wrote " please remove sunscreen with soap to avoid yellow stains", but it seems to be ignored.
Never used vinegar or antikal for stains... Let's try

I can't throw towels every season (only destroyed ones..) , too expensive... We have 5 apartments- about 3 months rental season! :shock:
As Gillianf said "welcome to our world".

If you are at the "pink disaster" then you are nearly there! A really hot wash with a good quality washing powder (not liquid) and you may be there. These type of stains always get worse before they get better!

What colour towels are you providing? Unless you are a hotel (B&B) ie very short stays we would suggest dark coloured towels that will not show these stains. If providing towels for round the pool then they should be cheap, patterned and throw away!

In the final instance if you cannot get the stains out they must be thrown - even if not warn out.

Your market may require that you do provide towels - even if you have to increase the price to allow for this problem

T'is a tricky dilemma! However you will soon become an expert at stain removal. It is all a part and parcel of this industry.
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