My husband and I recently purchased our first washer and dryer. With them came some tips on stain removal; however the application instructions were vague. My husband has some shirts that are stained in the armpit area, I believe due to the combination of his deodorant and perspiration. The tip states to pre-treat with boiling water then equal parts baking soda, hydrogen peroxide & water; rinse and then detergent pre-soak. How should I apply these items to the shirt (i.e. put the shirt in container with these items or simply pour them over the affected area on the shirt)? This is a new process for me and I am unsure how to apply this valuable tip.
How nice to have your own washer and dryer; now you will have more time without having to go to and from the launder mat! It is also great you read the washer’s instruction guide. I agree that the underarm stain removal tip sounds a little confusing. These stains are hugely problematic, partly because they are highly variable. On some t-shirts, it is a crusty buildup of deodorant; others can just have a light transfer of anti-perspirant, and unfortunately with garments like silk tops, it is permanent discoloration. Light smears usually come off with regular washing. For the crusty build up, it is better to not let it happen in the first place, so start fresh with your new washer by stocking up on white undershirts for your husband. Then proceed as follows:
Ideally, the white undershirts will protect your husband’s other colored shirts from getting any underarm stains that cannot be easily bleached away. But for a colored shirt, you can try pre-treating the armpits each time you wash the shirt (again, to prevent build up) as follows:
If you would like to attempt using the washer’s user guide recommendation, try this method:
For ongoing prevention of underarm stains, personally I think this last method is way too much work, and I would start fresh with new t-shirts and stick with the previous treatments.
Have any of you experienced similar stubborn stains?