Yellow spots under the armpits on clothes can spoil the look of even the most elegant and well-kept outfit. These stains are caused by sweat, which contains proteins, salts and other substances. These substances enter into a chemical reaction with the fabric, leaving a noticeable yellow mark. If you do not take measures to remove them, the stains can become persistent and cannot be removed. But there are different ways to clean clothes from sweat stains without a trace to keep your things looking good.
Clothing care
First of all, it is important to know how to properly care for your clothes to prevent sweat stains.
Some fabrics, such as silk and wool, can be more sensitive to sweat, so you should avoid wearing them in warm weather if you sweat a lot. It is also worth remembering that stains on clothes from sweat can be increased if you use antiperspirants or deodorants that contain aluminum.
When caring for your clothes, read the washing and drying instructions carefully on the labels. To wash items with sweat, you should not use hot water for washing and hot air for drying. It is also not possible to iron clothes damaged by sweat until the stain is completely cleaned. High temperature can lead to increased yellowing of the fabric.
Ways to remove sweat stains
If a sweat stain already appears on clothes, the Internet is full of various ways to remove them. Here are some effective methods for cleaning sweat stains from clothes. Some methods of cleaning sweat stains can help remove dirt, but require some care as they can damage the fabric, so test them on an inconspicuous part of the garment before using them.
- Egg white
Egg white can help remove sweat stains from clothing. To do this, you need to take two eggs and separate the white from the yolk. Then apply only the protein to the spots, leave for several hours or even overnight, then rinse with cold water. For a better effect, the procedure can be repeated several times.
- Soda
Soda does a good job of cleaning clothes from sweat stains. To do this, mix one part baking soda with two parts water to create a paste. Apply this paste on yellow spots, leave for several hours, and then wash off with cold water. If the stains are persistent enough, you can leave the paste on the clothes overnight. After that, the clothes can be washed as usual.
- Vinegar
Vinegar will help clean sweat stains from clothes. To do this, mix one part of vinegar with two parts of water. Apply this mixture to the stains, leave for 15-20 minutes, then rinse with cold water and wash as usual.
- Hydrogen peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide is another way to remove sweat stains from clothes. To do this, mix hydrogen peroxide and water in a 1:1 ratio, then apply to the spots, leave for 15-20 minutes and wash off.
- A mixture of soda and vinegar
Baking soda and vinegar are versatile sweat stain removers that can be found in any household. First, a small amount of baking soda should be applied to the sweat stain and allowed to absorb the sweat for several hours. Then mix vinegar with water in a ratio of 1:1 and apply this mixture on top of the soda. Soon a bubble will appear on the stain, which indicates that the vinegar is dissolving sweat proteins. After the bubble disappears, the stain should be thoroughly washed with warm water and dried.
- Lemon juice
Lemon juice is another effective way to remove sweat stains from clothes. Apply a small amount of fresh lemon juice on the stain and leave it for several hours so that the juice has time to absorb the sweat. Then wash the stain thoroughly with warm water.
- White vinegar and hot water
White vinegar and hot water is another effective method for removing sweat stains from clothing. First, apply a small amount of white vinegar to the stain and leave it for several hours. Then wet the stain with hot water and rinse it thoroughly. If the stain remains, the process can be repeated.
- Washing powder with enzymes
Some laundry detergents contain enzymes that help dissolve sweat proteins at the molecular level. If the sweat stain is so persistent that even the previous methods do not help, you can try using a washing powder containing enzymes. To do this, you need to dissolve some powder in warm water and immerse the contaminated area in this solution for several hours, before washing the powder off the surface. Then, wash the stain in warm water.
- White naphthalene
White naphthalene will be able to cope with sweat stains from clothes. To use this method, apply some white mothballs to the stain and allow it to absorb the sweat. Then shake off the remaining naphthalene from the surface and wash the thing in a washing machine or by hand.
- Specialized means
There are many specialized products on the market for removing sweat stains from clothes. These products contain special solvents that help dissolve sweat proteins and remove them from the fabric. To use these products, you must follow the instructions on the label and wash the stain thoroughly with warm water several times.