Need laundry help - waxy residue on bedsheet

[yellowtomato]

Hello wise laundry people
When I wash my cotton bottom sheet, one corner always ends up with this residue on it. It is grey and waxy and never appears on any other laundry. I had tried cleaning my washing machine door and run high temp clean and used a product to clean the machine.
Yesterday I got a new machine......and it still happened.
I've tried liquid detergent instead of powder.....I contacted persil and the washing machine company and they just offer a voucher!
Please help me, what could it be?

Oh I've no idea on that one. Sorry, I know that's not helpful...

Is it on there when the sheet goes in?
Can you remove it from the sheet?
Is it always the same corner?
What else goes in the same load as the sheet?

Could it possibly be something getting on the sheet before you wash it? Does someone that sleeps on that sheet put any creams or anything on before bed? Foot cream? Athletes foot stuff? Something like that? Or face / hair stuff if it's the top corner?

I've had times where a reaction with oxy powder or the detergent has made a stain appear when it's reacted with suncream or similar. Nothing visible before washing, but stains after it's been in the machine.

You didn’t need help that much then OP?

Have you tried pre soaking the sheet in bio powder?

I'm sorry, for not replying.......I do appreciate your thoughts/ideas.
PacifyLulu - this has been going on for years and is driving my crazy.
It's not there when the sheet goes in, it is kind of waxy, I can scrape/pick the main lumps off with a fingernail but it smears a bit and leaves residue behind. I've tried washing sheets on their own. I don't think it is always the same corner.........I haven't tried pre-soaking, maybe a pre-wash would help.
I used to think it was my husbands hair product but he doesn't use it anymore, doesn't happen on my daughters bedsheet so sounds like it must be something to do with a moisturising cream or other product.

It's the conditioner. Don't use it on 100% cotton high thread count. I stopped using all in one capsules and use bio gel instead, solved problem

Interesting, I use persil powder and separate fabric conditioner. So I could leave out the conditioner and see if that helps.

I think I would try sewing a little colourful stitch at the hem of one corner of the sheet and then always put that on the same corner of the bed. That will tell you if it’s the same corner of the sheet/ same corner of the bed. So, you’ll know if it’s your face / your husband’s feet

Is it a fitted sheet? Is it maybe coming off the elastic?

For the actual washing I would wash the sheet on it’s own, with a pre-wash and extra-rinse and see what happens. But if it’s only ever on the corner I can’t really see it being the fabric softener as it would be all over the sheet.

Yes it is a fitted sheet. A good idea about a stich. There is a label and I try to put in the same way round so I remember but I keep forgetting. The one that is on now, I wrote down which way round it is on so might get at least a clue when I do that one.
I will try a pre-wash extra rinse too.....thank you.

Does it happen with all the sheets from that bed or just one particular sheet?
I am far too invested in your laundry now OP

Is it something on the bed under the mattress that is essentially on invisible until you wash it and then it shows up? If it's a spring frame maybe oil or something?

I get this when I do a wool wash or delicates - it's so annoying. I always end up having to rinse everything again.

Following to see if you get any solutions (I don't use fabric conditioner so at least in my case it isn't that).

PacifyLulu
It's has only every been the bottom sheet.
I don't think it is to do with the mattress as it's stayed the same through different mattresses. It really is most annoying either having to do an extra rinse or if the answer is washing separately with pre-wash/rinse etc. Doing laundry Friday so will at least know from that example whether it is head/foot. I just can't imagine what hair/moisture product could be that resistant to washing and cause that sort of waxy residue.

I don't know and apologies if you get offended but could it perhaps be some post coital clean up substance 😂

thanks for the suggestion but I don't think so.......

News just in, latest washing in not as bad as normal but is in location of DH's head! He has vvv short hair and doesn't use styling products...doesn't use a pillow either...

Does he have a greasy head?

Do you use non-bio or bio washing powder? It’s it’s something from DH’s head then maybe try bio?
Also, is it bad that I’m finding this quite funny now?

Bio.
Not a greasy head. How would a head get greasy?
If I find a solution happy to provide amusement

Ok, these are my follow up questions:

Does DH have a beard?
What skin care does he use?
Please tell me it’s not earwax!
Doe you have one bottom sheet that you wash, dry and put back on the same day or is it happening on each of the bottom sheets?
Are you sure there’s no marks before the sheet goes in to the machine?
Is it the same corner next time?

Thanks OP - I really feel like I need to see this through to the end now 🤣🤣

Does it happen all year round? Does he put sun cream on his head in summer if his hair is v short?

Do you have more than one sheet it happens to? As in, do you take off the sheet to wash and put a different one on or do you wash the sheet and put it straight back on the bed?

Ok, I’ve had this sometimes in the past. My thoughts, and I don’t know if it was right are:
The cotton sheets are very high thread count, and any ‘bulky residue’ doesn’t wash through the fabric, but gets caught like a very fine sieve catching any skin flakes, moisturiser, fabric softener etc. The corner is a prime candidate for catching this stuff, if you have fitted sheets. But I’ve sometimes seen it in other bits if that part was caught up.
I switched from liquid to powder, put less washing in the machine at a time, and sometimes put the sheets on for another rinse.
I also found that the stuff brushes off once dry.

And it only happens on my super lovely tightly woven sheets, not other washing, because that is looser weave and tiny particles can rinse out as they should.

I say earwax