Top Tips to Remove Sweat Stains & Odor From Your Clothes
Sweat stains and odors are common problems that everyone deals with at least once in their lives. Sweat is a natural substance produced by our bodies, but unfortunately, the stains (and smell) leftover can be obvious and embarrassing. Even the cleanest people deal with these unsightly stains and odors in the armpits of their shirts. So, how do you get rid of them? With a little bit more elbow grease than regular washing! Below our experts are sharing tips and tricks on how to get the sweat smell and stains out of your clothes.
How to Wash Sweat Stains Out of Clothes
Armpit stains on clothes happen when the proteins in sweat react with the aluminum and other chemicals in antiperspirant. Many antiperspirants contain aluminum compounds to reduce wetness, and it’s the aluminum that causes the yellowing on your white shirts. You can reduce the appearance of the yellowing by treating and washing your white shirts properly every time.
To remove yellow stains from your clothing, our experts recommend the following methods:
Baking soda paste - Probably one of the most effective methods, a paste made with baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and salt can help zap those unsightly stains. Mix one tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide with one tablespoon of salt, and ½ cup of baking soda. Apply directly to the stain with a toothbrush, rub, and let the mixture sit for at least an hour, then wash as normal.
Oxygen bleach - Aside from the baking soda paste, this method is just as useful for removing yellow stains. Mix one part of oxygen-based bleach with one part of ammonia in a non-metal bowl. Be sure to wear gloves during this application. Rub into the fabric with a toothbrush and allow the solution to sit for at least ten minutes before laundering as normal.
Stain remover or detergent - Similar to underarm stains, stains on collars can be just as hard to remove. The best way to tackle this stain is to pretreat the area using a solvent-based stain removing agent or detergent. Work the product into the collar with a toothbrush and allow it to sit for at least ten minutes before washing.
Tips to Treat and Prevent Armpit Stains
To avoid yellow stains altogether, your garment needs to be pretreated before it’s washed. Keeping a stain remover or laundry soap bar near your hamper can jumpstart the stain removal process. You can also pretreat underarm stains with undiluted white vinegar. Keep a spray bottle handy and spray the underarms of your shirts before washing. The vinegar method works best if you let it soak for ten to fifteen minutes before washing.
There are two ways you can prevent yellowing on your favorite light-colored shirts, and both involve your deodorant. The first is switching to an aluminum-free deodorant to avoid the reaction with your sweat. The second is allowing your deodorant to dry before dressing to avoid any product rubbing off on the fabric.
How to Get the Sweat Smell Out of Clothes
Now that you know the tips and tricks to treat and prevent the stains, it’s time to tackle the odor. If you notice lingering smells after washing, there are a few tricks you can use to boost the power of your laundry detergent. The first is pre-soaking your whites in a baking soda mixture. Dissolve one cup of baking soda in warm water. Fill your washing machine or large bucket with cold water and add the dissolved baking soda. Submerge your clothes in the solution and allow them to soak overnight. The next day, you can wash as usual.
Another tried and true method is white vinegar. If you notice stink or stiffness on the underarms of your darker-colored shirts, this method can help. You’ll begin by pretreating clothes in a one-to-one solution of white distilled vinegar and water. Use a toothbrush to scrub the underarm area before soaking. Fill a large bucket or washing machine with cool water and one cup of white vinegar. Allow clothes to soak in the mixture for thirty minutes, and then you can launder normally with a heavy-duty detergent.
Sweat stains are normal, and with a little bit of extra work, you can treat and avoid these unsightly stains from appearing on your clothes. If you’re looking for a 24-hour laundromat near me that provides state-of-the-art washers and dryers, laundry supply vending machines, wash, dry, fold, and dry cleaning drop-off services, you’ve come to the right place. The Laundry Cafe is ready to help you with all your laundry needs.