DIY – Get Rid Of Underarm Stains on Shirts

Underarm marks on clothes are off-putting and if incorrectly dealt with, they can damage your clothes beyond repair. Underarm stains are one of the most stubborn stains to get out and this is one instance in which putting bleach on it, (even color safe bleach), might cause more harm than good. Bleach will damage colored clothes and may even lead to worse discolorations on white clothes. Men especially will throw away their white undershirts once the marks get too big. This becomes pricey after the first 10 or so shirts make it into the grabage.

How To Get Rid Of Underarm Stains On Shirts

Underarm marks are caused by the mixture of sweat and deodorant seeping into the material of the cloth and drying out. This leaves the ugly and unpleasant smelling yellow or white spots. There are a number of ways to get rid of underarm stains on shirts, some of the best ways are described below.

For home remedy armpit stain removal, you will need any one of the following:

Required Materials

White Vinegar

Lemon juice

Aspirin

Instructions

White vinegar

Step one: Pour vinegar directly unto the stain.

Step two: Using a sponge, rub until the stain disappears.

Step three: Wash the shirt as you usually would.

Lemon juice

Step one: Using a fresh lemon or bottled lemon juice, apply the juice directly onto the stain.

Step two: Rub the juice in gently.

Step three: Let the juice sit for half an hour. You can also hang the shirt in the sun to treat more stubborn stains.

Step four: Wash the shirt as normal.

Aspirin

Step one: Crush 5 aspirin tablets and dissolve them in a half cup of warm water.

Step two: Submerge the stain in the water and soak for two hours.

Step three: Launder the garment as you usually would.

If the home remedies don’t seem to be working for you it is time to bring out the heavy duty treatment.

Required Materials

* Bleach

* Hydrogen peroxide

* Enzymatic cleaners

Instructions

If stains continue to be stubborn, you may have to try chlorine bleach. As mentioned before bleach will shorten the life of your garment. So only try this option if you have exhausted all the other options listed above. This is only safe to use on white garment, it will remove the color from all other materials turning them white.

With bleach:

Step one: Soak the stained white garment in a mixture of one part bleach to 2 parts warm water.

Step two: Launder with other whites as you usually would.

With hydrogen peroxide:

Step one: Pour two teaspoons of hydrogen peroxide onto the stain.

Step two: Let the garment sit for a few hours then launder with other white clothes.

With enzymatic cleaners:

These work by using proteins from living organisms to digest any organic material they come into contact with. This makes it especially helpful for stains caused from excessive sweating.

Step one: purchase an enzymatic cleaner from the supermarket.

Step two: depending on the dispenser, spray or rub the cleaner on the stain.

Step three: let the cleaner sit for as long as is directed on the instructions.

Step four: Launder as usual.

Tips and Tricks

1) To stop underarm stains from setting, you can try wiping your garment with baby wipes as soon as you get home. The alcohol will melt the deodorant and sweat and prevent staining.

2) If all else fails, try sending your clothing to the drycleaner. There is no reason to be embarrassed, a stain is a stain and they will know how to remove it without damaging your clothes.

3) Do not soak clothes that are made of silk, linen or wool. Treat only the stain with one of the home remedies listed above.

4) Do not iron or dry clothes that you have treated if the stain has not been removed. The heat will cause the stain to set, making it even more difficult or even impossible to get rid of.