How to Remove Perspiration Stains from Clothing

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

Remove Perspiration Stains from Clothing

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Nothing is quite as unsightly as a dingy yellow perspiration stain on your shirt. Not only are these under-arm stains ugly, but they can weaken the garment's fabric - and harbor objectionable odors! Your best bet is to treat these problem areas before the stains set in.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

Laundry Pretreatment
Kitchen Sponges
Salt
One-gallon Containers
Ammonia
White Vinegar

Step1

Pre-treat new stains with a enzyme pre-soak product before laundering as usual. Make sure fabric is not linen, silk, or wool. These fabrics can shrink, bleed colors or get water circles in this process.

Step2

Refrain from putting the garment in the dryer, if the stain didn't come out. Drying it will heat-set the stain. Sponge the area with a solution of 1 tbsp. ammonia and 1/2 cup water and allow to air dry.

Step3

Treat older stains by sponging the area with a solution of 1 tbsp. white vinegar and 1/2 cup water. Old stains may be impossible to remove.

Step4

Remove lingering perspiration odor by soaking the entire garment overnight in a gallon of warm salt water (use about 4 tablespoons of salt per gallon of water).

Tips & Warnings

A perspiration stain may not be visible right away; heating can cause an otherwise colorless stain to yellow. If you know a garment has been exposed to perspiration, treat the affected area before it becomes a problem.
Avoid drying or ironing stained fabrics, which can cause the stain to set and become even more difficult - or impossible - to remove.
Any garment that is dry clean only should be taken to your local dry cleaners. Perspiration stains are hard to remove especially old stains. The dry cleaners have the best tools to try and remove these stains in your dry clean only garments.

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Comments

hard75stone said

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on 5/29/2007 First boil a kettle full of water then add a cup full of vinegar into container. Then rub palmolive dishwashing liquid (undiluted) unto affected areas and leave soaking for 1 hour. Whether perspiration stain or caked deodarant this will vanish before your eyes

hard75stone said

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on 5/29/2007 use palmolive

iwontfadeout said

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on 2/24/2007 (I'm sure you guys are using deodorant and washing because my father has this problem even though he washes and uses deodorant. However, if anyone who is reading this eHow and doesn't wash or use deodorant, then they should try that to prevent stains.

iwontfadeout said

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on 2/24/2007 Remember, using deodorant and washing every day (or as often as you possibly can) can help prevent some of those stains.

Anonymous said

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on 9/18/2006 I tried using dishwashing liquid (Dawn). It works! I soaked the shirt in water and then used an electric toothbrush with some Dawn and all gone!

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