How to Remove Yellow Sweat Stains

Excessive perspiring combined with antiperspirants can cause yellow sweat stains to develop on fabrics. Yellow sweat stains are common on the underarm and collar areas of shirts, and are often discernible on white fabrics. Promptly remove yellow sweat stains, since the proteins in perspiration make the discoloration more stubborn to treat over time. Neglecting to quickly clean affected garments can cause them to become marred with unsightly permanent yellow stains.

Things You'll Need

• Paper towels
• 1 tbsp. clear household ammonia or white vinegar
• Hot water
• Pretreatment stain remover
• Clean toothbrush
• Clothes washer
• Oxygen bleach

Instructions

1. Pour 1 tbsp. of clear household ammonia directly onto the yellow stain. If the stain has set over 24 hours, substitute white vinegar for the ammonia. Allow the ammonia or vinegar to soak into the stain for 15 minutes.

2. Rinse the stain with water to thoroughly wash out the ammonia or vinegar.

3. Pretreat the remaining yellow stain with a pretreatment stain remover. Apply the stain remover as indicated by the instructions on the product's label. Using a clean toothbrush, gently rub the stain remover into the yellow stain.

4. Launder the garment in a clothes washer with oxygen bleach and the hottest water appropriate for the fabric. Wash the garment as instructed on the care tag. Use the amount of oxygen bleach listed on the product's label.

5. Let the wet garment air-dry completely.

Tips & Warnings

• You can substitute a couple drops of liquid dish detergent for the pretreatment stain remover.

• Test the ammonia or white vinegar on an unnoticeable part of the fabric to ensure the garment doesn't become discolored.

• Chlorine bleach reacts with perspiration in a way that causes yellow stains to darken.

References

• Good Housekeeping: Stain Buster -- Perspiration/Sweat
• Real Simple: Removing Perspiration Stains
• American Cleaning Institute: Stain Removal Chart -- Perspiration