Removing Perspiration Stains
Perspiration stains most often occur on shirts around the collar and under the arms. Although these stains occur on all colors of clothing, they are most visible on white and light-colored clothing, where they appear as a yellow stain. The stain is a chemical reaction between sweat and the aluminum used in deodorants. Although challenging, these perspiration stains are not impossible to remove with laundry-cleaning supplies. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Oxygenated liquid laundry detergent
- Spray bottle
- Water
- Washing machine
- Dryer
Instructions
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1
Lay the stained fabric on a flat outdoor surface in direct sunlight. You can also hang the fabric, but laying it flat exposes more surface area to the sun.
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2
Apply 1 teaspoon of oxygenated liquid laundry detergent to all perspiration stains on the fabric. Apply the detergent to both the inside and outside of the fabric so that you completely saturate the stains. Allow the fabric to sit in the sunlight for 30 minutes.
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3
Spray the stained areas with water from a spray bottle until the fabric is moist. Allow the fabric to sit for an additional 30 minutes.
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4
Turn the fabric over and mist any back stains with water from the spray bottle. Allow the fabric to sit for 30 minutes and dampen it again. After the fabric has been in the sun for one hour, take it indoors.
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Place the fabric into a washing machine filled with warm water and add additional liquid laundry detergent as directed by the detergent bottle. Allow the washing machine to run through the full cycle.
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Remove the fabric from the washer and check the label to see if it can be placed into the dryer. Otherwise, hang the fabric in an area with good air flow until dry.
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Tips & Warnings
If the stained item is made of silk or wool, take it to a professional dry cleaner.
Do not use bleach on perspiration stains, since the chlorine will actually make the stain worse.
References
- Photo Credit T-shirt image by Antonio Oquias from Fotolia.com
