WellnessCouncil Oils are used for massage because they enable the hands to move smoothly along the body.
This helps to easily manipulate the muscles to offer relief from pain, exhaustion, or muscle tension.
Without massage oils, massages would be rough and the resulting friction could cause more harm than goodEssential as they are, during a massage, oils can get onto the massage table sheets and they can leave stains.
After the massage, the sheets need to be cleaned to remove the oil before using them with another client.
Massage table sheets play an essential role in the massage process. Colors and textures leave an impression on the client and comfortable sheets make the massage session much more pleasurable.
Removing Oil Stains
What you need
- Baby powder
- Liquid laundry detergent
- Aerosol petroleum-based stain remover
- A quarter cup of ammonia
Method
Step 1: Sprinkle the baby powder onto the massage oil stain ensuring it completely covers the area. Leave for about 20 minutes to allow the powder to soak up the oil. Brush off and dispose of the powder.
Step 2: Spray the petroleum-based stain remover onto the oil stain. This stain remover is formulated to remove oil and grease stains effectively.
Rub the stain remover into the oil stain site before leaving it to soak into the fabric. Leave it for 15 minutes to work on the stain.
Step 3: Launder the massage sheets in hot water. Liquid detergents work better on oil stains than powder detergents. Add the ¼ cup of ammonia to your wash cycle. This helps to lift the oil stains from the fabric fibers.
Step 4: Check the massage sheets to ensure that the stains are completely removed before you transfer them to the dryer.
If there are any remaining visible stains, repeat the above process until they are completely removed. Once the stain is gone, you can place the sheet in the dryer or hang it to dry.
Tips for Avoiding Oil Stains
The best way to avoid going through the above cleaning process every time you do a massage is to avoid staining the sheets.
- Try not o use massage products with almond oil as it stains the easiest and is hard to clean.
- While cotton sheets are comfortable, they can be hard to clean when they get oil stains. Consider using sheets made from percale fabric instead. Go for sheets with a ‘stain-resistant’ tag and ones that have a high thread count. This ensures a tight weave, which makes it hard for oils to penetrate the fabric.
- Instead of pouring oil directly onto the body, first pour the oil onto your hands then apply to the recipient’s body. This makes it less likely that excess oil will trickle onto the sheets.
- Use off-white or beige sheets as they are easy to bleach without risking discoloration.
- Alternatively, use disposable sheets to avoid the hassle of washing sheets altogether.
Caring for Your Massage Sheets
Sheet rotation – with constant washing, the color of the sheets can fade and become unattractive. To ensure you can use your sheets for longer, it is advisable to have a good number of sheets that you can rotate. Have a system of storing the sheets to ensure they are appropriately rotated to avoid using one or a few sheets too often.
Oil choice – the type of oil you use will determine the life of your massage sheets. Go for hypoallergenic oils that do not stain. You can find this information on the bottle.
Promptness – avoid allowing the stain to remain on the sheet for too long. It is harder to remove the stain once it has set on the fabric. Do not leave the stained sheets in direct sunlight. The sun reacts with the oil, making it even harder to get out. The best thing to do is to wash the sheets immediately after use.
Rinsing the sheets – after washing in hot water, always rinse the sheets in warm water. Since most washing machines do not offer this option, ensure you change the selector during the rinse cycle. This allows the soap contained in the soapy water to drain from the tub. Rinsing in cold water will make any leftover stains glue more to the sheet fibers.
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