Anonymous asks…I was wondering about yellow underarm stains. I don’t know how to a) prevent them, b) get them out of clothing or c) what they actually are caused from.I’ve been told that it is something to do with teenage hormones and that I’ll grow out of it. Any advice would be helpful.
The Right Brain respectfully replies:
The stains you’re seeing on your shirts have nothing to do with teenage hormones. They’re caused by ingredients in your antiperspirant. Specifically, the aluminum salts used in antiperspirants to stop you from sweating can form an acidic complex that stains shirts yellow. (Cotton shirts are particularly susceptible to this reaction.)
What can you do about it?
First of all, you can switch from using antiperspirants (which cause staining) to deodorants (which don’t). Of course, then you’ll sweat more. If you want to know why, check out our previous post on this subject.
Second, if you prefer to stay dry and don’t want to give up your antiperspirant, consider which form you’re using. Gels and creams tend to be wetter and are absorbed better by fabric and therefore cause greater staining. Sticks are a bit drier and so they don’t cause so much yellowing.
Finally, if you rinse your shirts in cold water before you wash them, you’ll greatly reduce the amount of staining. Washing, especially in hot water, can make the stains worse. For a more detailed description of the problem and potential solutions, click here and here.
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Thanks for posting this! I recently switched to the Tom’s of Maine deodorant because of that but I’m not enjoying it. I end up carrying it with me since I sweat so much and I’m scared of smelling.
Check out Urawaza: Secret Everyday Tips and Tricks From Japan, which recomends using spray adhesive on the inside of the armpits and ironing it from the outside.
I’ve been using Ban Roll-on and letting it dry thoroughly and I’m not having such a staining problem–I also don’t seem to get white scuff marks on dark shirts from it as long as I don’t apply thickly. I read here, I think, that it doesn’t work as well as other types, but I live in the sweat-belt of the South and so far so good. I tried the Tom’s of Maine and other deodorants route, and did have some luck smell-wise if I topped them off with body powder (Shower-to-Shower type–but then I had a white mess!)
Great article! I try to let mine dry before I dress. I have only had this happen once or twice mostly with my husband’s clothing and he uses the gel type deo/antip.
Since I know I won’t rinse each sleeve, perhaps I will do a cold water pre-rinse in my machine prior to my regular wash cycle.
I find that washing in cold water and then doing a rinse cycle with vinegar helps. It removes odors and removes any lingering soap, it may remove any gunk on the clothing from deo/antip.
try the miss oops rescue sponge! i’m not sure if just any sponge would also work, but if you have an event or something it’s easy to put in your purse and totally works.