How To Avoid Sweat Stains On Your Clothing This Summer

The dreaded yellow armpit stains… Not only can they damage your fresh white summer clothing, but they can also damage your confidence. But did you know that “sweat stains” are not just caused by the sweat itself? Our underarm sweat is full of fats and proteins, which contributes to stains and odour, especially when the aluminium and other ingredients in your antiperspirant deodorant interact with the protein in your sweat.

Tania Bogomazova, Founder of Exposed Naturals, tells the CF team how to prevent sweat stains on your clothing this summer with a few easy tips. Or, If it’s already too late, she gave us her best DIY hacks for removing existing stains from your clothes.

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1. Switch to a natural deodorant

The ingredients that sebum clings to and chemically react within your sweat are the active ingredients that make antiperspirant effective in the first place, namely aluminium salts. Even if you opt for an aluminium free deodorant, conventional deodorants can contain other ingredients that trap sebum, such as stearyl alcohol and hydrogenated castor oil.

Our Exposed Naturals deodorants are free from aluminium, alcohol, parabens, triclosan, SLS, SLES and artificial fragrance. Instead, they contain natural plant and mineral ingredients that combat odour-causing bacteria and absorb excess moisture while letting your body do its thing. They’re also a lot less likely to stain your clothes.

2. Nail the application

Less is definitely more when it comes to deodorant. Applying too much product to your underarms can cause it to clump and rub off onto your clothing, which can also contribute to staining.

She recommends starting with a small amount as it’s better to reapply if and when you need to. Just like when you apply moisturiser or serum to your face, it is important to make sure that the formula has absorbed completely and there is no excess product sitting on top of the skin.

Think of deodorant as a moisturiser for your delicate underarm skin. Allow plenty of time for your underarms to dry before getting dressed so that deodorant residue doesn’t end up on your clothing.

3. Only reapply if you really need to

Have you ever felt the urge to do a deodorant touch up – just in case-? When you first make the switch to a natural deodorant, it can be tempting to reapply the formula throughout the day just to be sure or when you are not dry. First, do a sniff test and only reapply if you don’t smell fresh!

4. Act fast to remove stains

It’s best to treat yellow stains immediately before they have a chance to set.

Here are three easy DIY remove stains methods utilising ordinary household products you probably already have in your pantry to get rid of them:

Baking soda: Mix baking soda with water till you get a paste. Apply the paste to your garment and leave on for 30 minutes before washing.
Aspirin: Crush one aspirin tablet and mix the powder in a quarter cup of warm water. Soak the stained part of your garment for 2-3 hours before washing as usual.
White vinegar: Pour white vinegar directly onto the stain and wash as per usual after 30 minutes. If you’re trying to remove old stains, this one is your best bet.

General FAQ

How do I keep my sweat from showing through my shirt?

Here are some tips:

Skip Antiperspirant and switch to natural deodorant
Don’t apply top much product to your underarm
Only Wash With Cold Water
Only reapply if you need to
Separate Your Laundry by Color

What causes sweat to stain?

The main cause of this unwanted yellow stain on your white t-shirt is because the combination of sweat with the ingredients in conventional antiperspirant or deodorant – (primarily aluminium)

Why do the armpits of my shirts get hard?

There’s a chemical reaction that happens when the sweat is mixed with aluminium plus the fabric of your shirts. Which end up not just with yellow stains, but also which some plagues on the shirt.