How to get drool stains out of pillow is a troublesome thing for most people. Removing drool stains can be a tedious process for people who don’t know the effective methods.
Different pillow materials require different approaches. There are a few simple solutions that you can try like using vinegar, rubbing alcohol and lemon and baking soda, etc.
Keep reading and you’ll have all the knowledge you need to tackle those blemishes and keep your pillows in top condition.
How to Get Drool Stains Out of Pillow

The biggest headache is that if a pillow has saliva stains then you need to deal with three of the following items to clean pillows:
- Pillowcase
- Pillow Fabric
- Pillow
You need to use different methods in order to fully clean the whole pillow. Baking soda, distilled vinegar solution, warm water, and sponges are best suited for cleaning the pillowcase stain removal easier. While rubbing alcohol and laundry detergent penetrates deep into the pillow and cleans it from the inside. Let’s get some quick answers!
Get Drool Stains Out of Pillowcase

Here’s how to get drool stains out:
- Start by putting the pillowcase on a table and putting a generous amount of soda in the machine washing for stain removal. Make sure to cover all of the blemishes.
- Next thing is to spray the vinegar solution on the soda and wait for a couple of minutes for the solution to work its magic.
- You should then clean off the solution with a damp cloth. If the stain remains, then you should repeat the above method with warm water to clean the pillow successfully.
- In the end, clean it with cold water and you will have a stainless pillow cover.
Get Drool Stains Out of Pillow Fabric

Cleaning the fabric is a whole other story as you need to use some different things for the pillow’s materials.
- The first thing that you need is a few drops of mild dish detergent and mix it with cool water.
- Spray this enzyme-containing liquid detergent solution onto the pillow stain and make sure to cover every part.
- Leave this solution for 30 minutes and clean the marks with a cloth soaked in water for the initial wash.
- Keep repeating Steps 2-3 until the whole fabric is cleaned.
Get Drool Stains Out of Pillow

It is important to clean the stuffing of the pillow as well and get out the stubborn stains from the inside. It mainly depends on the type of pillow you have, but you can either get it cleaned by a professional or do it yourself.
You should use cold water for cleaning the pillow and to remove drool stains. There are these different methods like using vinegar, alcohol, and lemon to get the stains out. We have further explained these methods and their instructions down below.
1. Vinegar Method – Effectively Remove Drool Stains

The distilled vinegar solution is one of the easiest ways to clean up saliva stains. This is because of the highly acidic nature of vinegar that breaks down the saliva proteins. For boosting this process, you can also use a bit of dish soap as well.
You will need
Time: 25 Minutes | |
Required Items: | |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | – 1/4 Cup – Just enough for a thin layer – 1 Teaspoon – 1 Item – 1-2 items |
Step 1: Prepare the Solution
Firstly you need to prepare the solution. For that, mix 1 teaspoon of liquid soap with a quarter cup of vinegar in cold water. Stir it up and then fill it up in a spray bottle.
Step 2: Put the Pillow Onto the Table
Put the pillow onto the table with the marks facing upward. This is important as you need to get rid of all of the protein stains.
Step 3: Sprinkle Baking Soda
Put a thin layer of soda directly on the stained areas.
Step 4: Sprinkle Pillow with Solution
Using the spray bottle, put the solution onto the affected areas to start the chemical reaction.
Step 5: Wait
Wait for about 15 mins.
Step 6: Remove Solutions
Remove all of the excess solutions using a clean cloth or a sponge
Step 7: Dry Pillow
Leave the pillow to dry and then check for any marks.
If there are some still remaining then repeat Steps 3-6 until it is fully cleaned.
2. Rubbing Alcohol Method

The vinegar solution and baking soda solution are pretty powerful pillow stains remover and are not recommended for every fabric. You can achieve the same result by using rubbing alcohol as well with hot water.
If you want to remove drool then this is also a very fast solution. When you clean pillows with alcohol, the drool is broken down quickly and you get a clean pillow at the end.
You will need
Time: 15 Minutes | |
Required Items: | |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | – 1 bottle is enough – 1 Item – 1 Item – 1 Item |
Step 1: Fill Spray Bottle With Rubbing Alcohol
Fill out a spray bottle completely with rubbing alcohol. If you don’t have a spray bottle, you can use a sponge instead.
Step 2: Sprinkle Rubbing Alcohol onto Pillow
Completely soak all the blemishes with rubbing alcohol. Make sure no area is left uncovered.
Step 3: Wait
Leave the alcohol on for about 7 or 10 mins before initial washing.
Step 4: Remove Alcohol
With the help of a sponge, remove the alcohol and the stain from the fabric.
Step 5: Use a Toothbrush
If there’s a microfiber, then a toothbrush will allow you to fluff up the cloth for more efficiency.
Step 6: Dry
Dry the pillow well in the fresh air.
Step 7: Use a Protective Сover
If the protective cover or the fabric has any dried saliva stains, then repeat Steps 2-4 to remove the stain from the pillow successfully.
3. Lemon and Baking Soda Method

If you are looking for a fast and effective way to remove drool stains within half an hour then lemon and baking soda solution is the quickest of them all. The acid in the lemon breaks them while soda scrubs them away from the surface.
You will need
Time: 10 Minutes | |
Required Items: | |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | – 1 is enough – Enough to form a thin layer – 1 Item – 1 Item |
Step 1: Sprinkle Baking Soda
Take one cup of baking soda and sprinkle it on top. Make sure there is no excess present.
Step 2: Squeeze the Lemon
After squeezing the lemon, use an eye dropper to carefully drop the lemon onto the stains. This will cause the baking soda to bubble up.
Step 3: Wait
Leave this solution for about 5 min tops to clean sweat.
Step 4: Wipe off the Stain
Using a clean sponge, wipe off the stain.
Step 5: Clean Stains
You need to gently swipe the sponge to clean the stains. Don’t use too much force and rub it on the surface as it might damage it.
Step 6: Dry
Leave the pillow to dry and repeat Steps 1-4 if the stains aren’t removed completely.
How Often Should You Wash Your Pillows?
Generally, it would be best if you wash your pillows every 6 months to a year. Washing pillows more frequently is also good if they start giving off an unpleasant odor. But, mainly the time to wash your pillows depends upon their material and the label instructions.
Synthetic pillows can easily be washed more often. Furthermore, it is a good thing to just wash the pillowcases more often so that the pillows need less washing.
How to Wash Pillows?

Pillows on our beds can become the home for bacteria and other pathogens without consistent hygiene. You can easily prevent any health issues by simply keeping your bed and pillows clean.
Method
The method of washing your various pillows varies as the market differs with the material and the label’s cycle recommendation. Dry cleaning is probably the best way of cleaning pillows.
If you have foam pillows then don’t make the mistake of putting them in a machine even in a gentle cycle for spot cleaning. Foam pillows lose their ideal form in that case and the best thing is to just vacuum the stain.
Frequency
Pillows can be washed in a time period of about 3 to 6 months. It depends upon different factors like your usage, spot cleaning, label instructions, etc.
We have provided you with the best three methods of cleaning your pillows. All of those processes take no longer than 30 minutes and are easy to follow. So, the best way is to use any of the three methods to fully clean your pillows.
Drying
Air drying is the best way to dry a pillow. However, you should keep in your mind that different materials react differently to heat. There are some that might get damaged due to excessive heat. Your main objective is to fully dry out the pillow to avoid any fungal growth and therefore, air drying is a safer option.
When should you replace your pillow?
A clean pillow helps to increase your sleep quality. If it is kept clean properly and regularly, then you should only replace your pillow after 2 to 3 years to avoid fungal growth. If you are properly taking care of the pillows, then they can last you for as long as 5 years. The ideal time to replace a pillow is either when it doesn’t no longer hold its shape or there is a fungus growth.
FAQ
Do drool stains come out?
Stains do come out by using different methods like vinegar & baking soda, rubbing alcohol, lemon and & baking soda, etc.
Does drool stain pillow cases?
Yes, the protein-based stains can get into the pillowcases. So, in order to avoid any fungal growth, better to clean them after a few months.
Are drool stains permanent?
Drool stains remain permanent if you don’t treat them promptly. The best course of action is to quickly get rid of them as soon as you spot specific stains.
Conclusion
It is very unhealthy to sleep on a dirty pillow and, therefore, should be cleaned as quickly as possible. You can use any of the above-mentioned methods such as rubbing alcohol, vinegar solution, or lemon soda mixture to clean your pillows.
Be mindful that solutions vary depending on the type of how materials that respond to the resulting stains. Through regular cleaning, you can easily extend the lifetime of your pillow.
Do you have any other tips for removing stains from pillows? Please share them in the comments below!