subject: How To Get Rid Of Underarm Stains On Shirts? [print this page] Underarm stains on clothes are unattractive and if incorrectly dealt with, they can ruin your clothing beyond repair. Underarm stains are one of the most stubborn stains to remove 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 might even lead to worse stains on white garments. Men especially will throw out their white undershirts once the spots get too bad. This is costly after the first 10 or so shirts make it into the bin.
Underarm stains are caused by the mixture of sweat and deodorant oozing into the fabric of the cloth and drying. This results in the off-putting and harsh smelling yellow or white stains. There are a number of ways to get rid of underarm stains on shirts, some of the best methods are identified below.
For home remedy armpit mark removal, you will require 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: With a sponge, rub until the stain disappears.
Step three: Launder the shirt as usual.
Lemon juice
Step one: Using a fresh lemon or bottled lemon juice, squeeze the juice directly onto the stain.
Step two: Rub the juice in lightly.
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: Launder 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: Wash 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: Wash with other whites as normal.
Using hydrogen peroxide:
Step one: Pour two teaspoons of hydrogen peroxide onto the stain.
Step two: Let the garment sit for a few hours then wash 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: buy 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 stand for as long as is directed on the instructions.
Step four: Wash as normal.
Tips and Tricks
1) To prevent underarm stains from setting, you can try wiping your clothes with baby wipes as soon as you get home. The alcohol will melt the deodorant and sweat and stop the stain.
2) If all else fails, try sending your garment to the drycleaner. There is no need to be embarrassed, a stain is a stain and they will know how to remove it without damaging your clothing.
3) Do not soak garments 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, causing it to be even more difficult or even impossible to remove.
