woofytalk
Well-known member
It’s just something that comes with Hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating) territory. If your sweating is bad, chances are you’ve got some stubborn sweat stains on your light clothing.
I remember when my armpit sweat stains were so bad, I was buying white tee shirts like they were disposables.
It definitely took a toll on my wallet at the time.
Maybe you know where I’m coming from?
You get those gross yellow stains on your underarms and normal bleach or detergent just can phase them out during a normal laundry cycle.
It’s true, most pit stains are just way to tenacious to go away with regular washing methods.
Here, I’ll be outlining the most effective ways to get your shirts looking like new again and save you some cash on your undershirt shopping list.
So, let’s get started with the first method and get those pit stains out!
1. Using the Right Detergents
Use liquid laundry detergent containing either oxygenated ingredients or ones that remove most protein-based stains and apply it directly to the sweat stains. Then, with your fingers, gently rub the detergent deep into the shirt fibers to cover the entire stain. Let it soak into the material for about half an hour. Wash in the laundry afterwards as you normally would.
2. Hydrogen Peroxide
This one is for white articles of clothing only. Hydrogen peroxide breaks down the protein residue in sweat stains. The results? Applying hydrogent peroxide on white clothing keep your garments from turning dark or yellowish over the armpit area over time.
Here’s what you do…
Soak the stain in a half and half mixture of water and hydrogen peroxide for half an hour. After that, wash it out with cool water and let your shirt air dry. If the stain is still visible, repeat the treatment with higher concentrations of hydrogen peroxide.
I love this treatment because the hydrogent peroxide prevents that weird texture that sweat stains can give your clothing.
You know…
I’m talking about when sweat stains are so bad, the underarms of your tee shirts feel like construction paper - no good!
3. Baking Soda Paste
If you’ve been following my tips up to now, you’re probably sick of hearing me praise the power of baking soda! - hey what can I say? It’s the swiss army knife of sweat solutions!
Well, I have one more baking soda treatment for you - removing sweat stains. Yes, it works and yes, like most of this stuff, I’ve tested it out at home.
Here’s how to make baking soda eliminate your own sweat stains…
Mix a bit of baking soda with water until you have a thick paste. Then use a toothbrush to gently brush the paste into your clothing’s sweat stains.
Leave the paste saturating the stain for 20 minutes, then rinse it out with cold water and throw your garment into the laundry on a cold cycle with an oxygenating detergent.
Just a warning, sometimes the baking soda can leave a residue on clothing after the first cycle of washing so try to save this treatment for light clothing. It’s not that big a deal - sweat stains are usually more prevalent on light clothing anyway.
4. Sunshine and Spray
This one builds off of the original recommendation, choosing a detergent with oxygenated ingredients. Although, you can really add this extra step to whatever treatment you choose.
This solution does require a sunny day, so it’s not always an alternative.
However, if the sun is cooperative, here’s what you do…
After applying your approved detergent (or hydrogen peroxide) to the sweat stains, lay your article of clothing out in the sun. You can hang it up outside as well.
Keep the stain wet by spraying it with water. As the moisture evaporates, the stain will evaporate with it. After 3 or 4 hours of leaving the garment out and spraying intermittently (yes, this is a little bit of a chore), throw the article of clothing in the laundry on a cold water cycle. Wash it out and wear your perfectly unstained outfit.
5. White Vinegar
White vinegar works wonders on colored articles of clothing. Really, it’s the first treatment you should try if you’re trying to remove sweat stains from anything other than white or off-white garments.
You want to create a solution of two cups of water and four tablespoons of white vinegar. Start with that. It’s diluted enough to protect colors and contentrated enough to go to work.
Apply the diluted white vinegar solution directly to sweat stains before washing in the laundry to kill all offensive sweat odor, prevent changes in the texture of your clothing due to sweat AND keep colors vibrant. (is this starting to sound like a “Cheer” commercial or what? ha.)
I remember when my armpit sweat stains were so bad, I was buying white tee shirts like they were disposables.
It definitely took a toll on my wallet at the time.
Maybe you know where I’m coming from?
You get those gross yellow stains on your underarms and normal bleach or detergent just can phase them out during a normal laundry cycle.
It’s true, most pit stains are just way to tenacious to go away with regular washing methods.
Here, I’ll be outlining the most effective ways to get your shirts looking like new again and save you some cash on your undershirt shopping list.
So, let’s get started with the first method and get those pit stains out!
1. Using the Right Detergents
Use liquid laundry detergent containing either oxygenated ingredients or ones that remove most protein-based stains and apply it directly to the sweat stains. Then, with your fingers, gently rub the detergent deep into the shirt fibers to cover the entire stain. Let it soak into the material for about half an hour. Wash in the laundry afterwards as you normally would.
2. Hydrogen Peroxide
This one is for white articles of clothing only. Hydrogen peroxide breaks down the protein residue in sweat stains. The results? Applying hydrogent peroxide on white clothing keep your garments from turning dark or yellowish over the armpit area over time.
Here’s what you do…
Soak the stain in a half and half mixture of water and hydrogen peroxide for half an hour. After that, wash it out with cool water and let your shirt air dry. If the stain is still visible, repeat the treatment with higher concentrations of hydrogen peroxide.
I love this treatment because the hydrogent peroxide prevents that weird texture that sweat stains can give your clothing.
You know…
I’m talking about when sweat stains are so bad, the underarms of your tee shirts feel like construction paper - no good!
3. Baking Soda Paste
If you’ve been following my tips up to now, you’re probably sick of hearing me praise the power of baking soda! - hey what can I say? It’s the swiss army knife of sweat solutions!
Well, I have one more baking soda treatment for you - removing sweat stains. Yes, it works and yes, like most of this stuff, I’ve tested it out at home.
Here’s how to make baking soda eliminate your own sweat stains…
Mix a bit of baking soda with water until you have a thick paste. Then use a toothbrush to gently brush the paste into your clothing’s sweat stains.
Leave the paste saturating the stain for 20 minutes, then rinse it out with cold water and throw your garment into the laundry on a cold cycle with an oxygenating detergent.
Just a warning, sometimes the baking soda can leave a residue on clothing after the first cycle of washing so try to save this treatment for light clothing. It’s not that big a deal - sweat stains are usually more prevalent on light clothing anyway.
4. Sunshine and Spray
This one builds off of the original recommendation, choosing a detergent with oxygenated ingredients. Although, you can really add this extra step to whatever treatment you choose.
This solution does require a sunny day, so it’s not always an alternative.
However, if the sun is cooperative, here’s what you do…
After applying your approved detergent (or hydrogen peroxide) to the sweat stains, lay your article of clothing out in the sun. You can hang it up outside as well.
Keep the stain wet by spraying it with water. As the moisture evaporates, the stain will evaporate with it. After 3 or 4 hours of leaving the garment out and spraying intermittently (yes, this is a little bit of a chore), throw the article of clothing in the laundry on a cold water cycle. Wash it out and wear your perfectly unstained outfit.
5. White Vinegar
White vinegar works wonders on colored articles of clothing. Really, it’s the first treatment you should try if you’re trying to remove sweat stains from anything other than white or off-white garments.
You want to create a solution of two cups of water and four tablespoons of white vinegar. Start with that. It’s diluted enough to protect colors and contentrated enough to go to work.
Apply the diluted white vinegar solution directly to sweat stains before washing in the laundry to kill all offensive sweat odor, prevent changes in the texture of your clothing due to sweat AND keep colors vibrant. (is this starting to sound like a “Cheer” commercial or what? ha.)