Removing
Sweat Stains
& Odors

Home Lifestyle Cleaning Clothing Maintenance and Stain Removal Removing Sweat Stains

Laundry Needs Help With Sweat Stains

Does anyone know of a homemade way to get sweat stains and odor out of clothes? I have tried conventional washing and the odor and stains persist. Any ideas?
Angela C

White Vinegar Remove Odors

I have always used white vinegar to get smells out of laundered clothing. I use about a cup, just added to the wash load, with the soap; since I buy the stuff for for about a dollar a gallon, I stopped measuring a long time ago. I can't recall a time when it didn't work for this.
Kit L.

Baking Soda 'Paste' Removes Sweat Stains

Make a paste of baking soda and water. Apply to the stains and let sit for about 20 minutes. Wash as usual. If the stain is still there buy regular "chalk" (which comes in many colors) and apply to stain before wearing. The chalk will not harm the material.
RQ

Preventing Sweat Stains

Although I don't have a readily available solution to getting rid of sweat stains, I do have a prevention solution that I have used for years. I found that my husband's sweat combined with anti-perspirant was causing the staining. We switched to plain deoderant, and have subsequently had no more problems. Just recently, my teenage daughter began having the same problem with her clothes, and sure enough, she was using an anti-perspirant. I have two teenage boys also and have never had any problem removing "plain ole sweat".
M.

Vinegar 'Sprinkle'

I don't know how old this is, but my mother told me this when I was a teenager and it does still work. As close to the time after taking off the garment sprinke or rub into armpits white vinegar. The acid from the vinegar seems to react in favor of stain/order removal from the garment. You can let it dry and wash at a later time or wash immediately, it doesn't seem to matter which.
C. P.

Dish Detergent Soak

I have used Palmolive dish detergent. Soak the area with the liquid, let sit for at least an hour and then wash as usual. It has work well for me. You can also use it for ring around the collar. This has worked wonders and is very cheap, do not use any liquid with lotions added such as ivory. You could also try the new anti-bacterial dish detergent.
Vera

Shampoo

I use hair shampoo on yellowing stains on collars and underarms. Scrub it in with an old toothbrush. Use shampoo for oily hair, as this helps breakdown the oil our bodies leave on the clothing. Just toss it in the washing machine after you scrub it.
Karen in KY

Hydrogen Peroxide

For odor, I have used a cup of vinager in my laundry rinse cycle for years and it is wonderful. It also removes mildew smell. Our washer and dryer is in our garage and it gets very hot in the summer. If I forget to change out the washer to the dryer, sometimes I get that nasty smell. Just put on rinse cycle again and add vinager and it's gone. Also, I might try hydrogen peroxide on the stain. Hydrogen peroxide removes blood stains very well. Test a small hidden spot of garment to make sure that it does not remove dye. I have never had a problem with it doing that but wisdom is on the cautious side.
Kim

A Whiter Smile?

To remove odors from clothing, when washing the clothes, squeeze in a good healthy squirt of toothpaste around the tub of the washer, then add your detergent, water, and clothes. It really works! I just keep a cheap tube of toothpaste in the laundry room.
Leslie in Alaska

Bleach & Soda Bicarb

Sweat Stains: Any liquid bleach should be sufficient for removing sweat stains from clothes. Generally, one teaspoon of liquid bleach solution in 10 lit. of water (preferbaly with about 25 to 30 gm detergent in it) should do. Liquid Bleach cannot be used for silk and woollen clothes.

Odour: After washing the clothes, soak them in solution of sodium bicarbonate (soda bicarb). I have found bicarb to very effective odour remover.
Narayan

Mouthwash?

I had the same problem for years and had despaired of ever finding a solution, especially for sweat odors. I finally hit upon this solution: I spray the underarm area with a "clear" mouthwash ( Dr. Tichenor's) before laundering. It is even safe to let it sit on there for a few days before washing without it causing the clothing to fade. I haven't tried it on delicate fabrics but on most workday and play clothes this works well.
Rhonda B.

A Healthier Lifestyle, Too

A cup of Borax and washing soda make good odor removers for laundry, but are relatively ineffective as stain removers. Believe it or not, the best way to deal with body odor and stains on your laundry is to improve your health by cleaning up your liver and kidneys. Body odor and stain problems are usually related to diet and chemical overload. I am not giving medical advice, just speaking from personal experience. When I switched from a high-carbohydrate diet to a low-carb. adequate protein diet (lifestyle), my body odor problems disappeared.
Cindi

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