If you love a summer glow all year-round and live and die by your fake tan schedule, these are the three vital housekeeping tasks you should be doing regularly.
I’m a professional cleaner and instead of battling to remove stubborn orange stains from your linens and bedding after the fact, use waterproof liners, designate tanning sheets, and take special precautions when doing your laundry.
3 things to do regularly if you fake tan before bed
1. Line your mattress with a waterproof protector
Let’s start with the most obvious vital task: Line your mattress with a waterproof protector.
Sheets won’t stop a spill from seeping all the way through, but using one of the best mattress protectors creates a safe barrier between your tan and the often-costly mattress.
It’s a small step to keeping your best mattress looking brand new and free from stains, streaks, and everything in between.
Voted the best waterproof mattress by Homes & Garden’s sleep editor, Emilia Hitching, she rated this highly for being ‘breathable and affordable’, whilst more than 200,000 shoppers love it for its comfortable and fail-safe waterproof design.
2. Use designated tan sheets and pillowcases
I personally keep one set of dark brown or navy sheets tucked away just for tanning nights. I also use them when I apply at-home hair dye.
It saves my best bed sheets and pillowcases from getting ruined, and the darker fabric doesn’t hold onto stains the same way lighter ones do.
They're easy to toss in the wash and less likely to show bronzer buildup.
Available in 45 colors and highly affordable, these sheets are rated as our best affordable microfiber bedding as they wash and dry well, with more than 200,000 shoppers loving them and raving about how wrinkle-resistant they are.
3. Rinse sheets with cold water before washing
Washing bed sheets in hot water, where fake tan stains are concerned, is an invitation for the unwanted marks to settle in for good. Once DHA (dihydroxyacetone), the main active ingredient in many tanning products, oxidizes, heat will lock it in.
Using the quick cold rinse cycle buys you time and makes your stain remover work harder.
Just make sure you know how to make sense of laundry symbols, and the functions on your washer, including the pre-rinse cycle.
BONUS TIP: Keep makeup remover wipes by your bedside. Having a pack within arm’s reach means you can quickly spot-clean areas like your palms, ankles, or elbows if you realize you’ve over-applied or accidentally touched something you shouldn’t have mid-application.
The goal is to catch the mess before it drips or dries, because once fake tan sets, it takes way more effort to lift. A few quick swipes can prevent long-term stains and reduce the need to clean upholstery, too.
Homes & Gardens recommends Cetaphil’s gentle makeup removing wipes, available at Amazon for rapid delivery.
What to shop
Banish stains with this oxygen whitener and give bleach a wide berth. Gentle on skin and those with allergies, while tough on stains such as fake tan and oils.
The inner coating of this cute and collapsible laundry basket is waterproof, making it a fabulous dedicated hamper for all things fake tan.
This four-piece tan applicator kit is perfect for hard to reach spots, areas like your face that need a lighter touch and machine washable mitts you can reuse time and again.
Setting up a stain station can help quickly clean up spills before they set, be it clearing fake tan or getting hair dye off the carpet, your upholstery, or clothing.
