How to Remove Armpit Stains from Shirts
What causes sweat stains?
There are a few things that cause armpit stains—like how much a person sweats, what type of antiperspirant they use and how much they use. These stains are also caused by:
When combined with antiperspirant, armpit stains can become water-resistant and hard to remove. Washing underwear-type T-shirts in cold water without bleach will also cause stains to build up over time.Tips for how to remove armpit stains
How to remove armpit stains from white bleach-safe clothes
On white bleach-safe fabrics, use a mixture of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide. Follow these steps to get rid of armpit stains:
- Step 1 Place the shirt in a dishpan and slowly pour boiling water on each armpit area to “melt” sweat stain buildup. It will help the process if you position the shirt in the dishpan so you won’t have to touch it.
- Step 2 Don’t rinse the shirt—just pour off the hot water. This will keep the buildup in a “melted” state. If you need to handle the shirt, use kitchen tongs, or wear gloves to protect your hands from the heat.
- Step 3 Apply a mixture of equal parts baking soda, hydrogen peroxide and water to the stain. This mixture is sometimes referred to as a paste. Be sure to mix the ingredients well so the paste saturates the stains.
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Step 4
Rinse the shirt, and then follow up with a hot water wash with a good detergent that contains enzymes, along with Clorox® Regular Bleach2 with COLORMAX®.
Yellowing is a very common armpit stain. Learn how to remove yellow armpit stains.
How to remove armpit stains from colored clothes
For colored clothing, you can use the same baking soda and hydrogen peroxide method you’d use on white bleach-safe fabrics. But, keep in mind, hot water and the bleaching action of the hydrogen peroxide may lighten the armpit area.
Follow the same steps for removing stains from white bleach-safe clothes. But, after you rinse, follow up with a hot water wash with a good detergent that contains enzymes, along with Clorox 2® Stain Remover & Color Booster Liquid.
In addition to stains, sweat and mold odors can become a problem, particularly for gym clothes. Find out how to freshen the scent of your workout wear.
How to remove armpit stains on colored and white items with spandex
To remove stains from items with spandex, follow the steps for removing armpit stains from white bleach-safe fabric. However, in the final step, use Clorox 2® Stain Remover & Color Booster Liquid, along with a good detergent that contains enzymes.
How to prevent armpit stains on white bleach-safe shirts
You can help prevent armpit stains by following these steps for white bleach-safe shirts:
- Step 1 Pretreat the armpits of your white T-shirts with Clorox® Bleach Pen Gel when you wash them. Use the broad scrubber tip to apply the gel, and gently rub it into the armpit area.
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Step 2
Tumble dry shirts with the rest of your white load or let them air-dry.
Collar ring stains often occurs due to sweat and body soil. Find out how to remove these resistant stains.
How to prevent armpit stains on white and colored shirts with spandex
To prevent stains on shirts with spandex, use Clorox 2® Stain Remover & Color Booster Liquid. Follow these steps:
- Step 1 Pretreat the armpit area of your white T-shirts with liquid Clorox 2® Stain Remover & Color Booster when you wash them. Rub it in, wait 3–5 minutes and wash before the liquid dries.
- Step 2 Wash the shirt in the hottest water recommended on the care label with detergent and additional Clorox 2® Stain Remover & Color Booster Liquid.
- Step 3 Air-dry the shirt if there was a stain you pretreated.
Armpit stains FAQs
Advice From Our Experts
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