How to Prevent and Get Rid of Sweat Stains

a group of friends standing in front of a white wall all laughing and looking at each other

If you lead a pretty active life, there are times when you’re going to get a sweat on. A good antiperspirant will help combat that, but over time, sweat can take its toll on your clothes.

Here’s how to deal with sweat stains, and the best ways to stop them happening in the first place.

WHY DO SWEAT STAINS HAPPEN?

Let’s be clear, sweat itself is colourless. But when sweat patches get onto your clothes and dry, the salt, proteins and oils in your sweat can leave a residue. This normally disappears with machine washing.

But here’s where your problems can start. You might not do a wash for a few days, so the sweat patches on your clothes are allowed to dry. And there could be a build-up of your antiperspirant or deodorant product mixed in as well.

Over time, the aluminium in the product and the salt in your sweat combine to form those familiar (but unwelcome) yellow sweat stains. And they're harder to remove with normal machine washing.

WHAT CAUSES THE WHITE MARKS ON CLOTHES?

If you’ve got white stains or marks on your clothes, these probably come from your deodorant or antiperspirant. Some transfer easily onto your clothes and leave marks, especially if you’re dressing in a hurry and the product hasn’t had time to dry properly.

Products like Rexona’s Invisible Range, are specially formulated to prevent white marks on your clothes, giving you all-round sweat protection, for you and your clothes.

WHAT ARE THE BEST WAYS TO GET RID OF SWEAT STAINS?

These are our top tips:

Use a biological washing powder

This will help to break down both the sweat patches and the product in the fabric.

Never iron a sweat stain or sweat patch

The heat will cause it to ‘set’, making it even harder to shift.

Soak the stain before washing

If the stain is really bad or it’s ‘set’, soak the area in a mixture of two parts white vinegar and one part water before washing – this will help break down the stain.

Don’t try this with delicate fabrics though.

Delicates need specialist care

With delicate fabrics like silk and lace, you may need professional cleaning to get rid of sweat stains.

WHAT ARE THE BEST WAYS TO PREVENT SWEAT STAINS HAPPENING?

Wear loose-fitting, natural fabrics

Natural fibres like cotton, linen and wool let the sweat evaporate from your body more easily.

Let your antiperspirant deodorant dry before you dress

Don’t be in too much of a hurry to whip on that favourite shirt. Alternatively, use a ‘dry on application’ product like an aerosol.

Don’t overdo it

Using too much antiperspirant deodorant every day can lead to a build-up and cause yellow sweat stains.

Try a stronger antiperspirant

If you’re super active or you sweat a lot, consider switching to a maximum protection product, like Rexona Clinical Protection.

SEND SWEAT STAINS PACKING

WHY DO SWEAT STAINS HAPPEN?

WHAT CAUSES THE WHITE MARKS ON CLOTHES?

WHAT ARE THE BEST WAYS TO GET RID OF SWEAT STAINS?

WHAT ARE THE BEST WAYS TO PREVENT SWEAT STAINS HAPPENING?

WANT TO LEARN MORE?