Prevent Sweat Stains

Sweating is a necessary biological function that enables your body to cool itself and prevent overheating. Sweat stains on clothing, however, are unattractive and potentially embarrassing. If you live an active lifestyle or are genetically predisposed to heavy sweating, you are likely quite familiar with sweat stains on your clothing. Instead of constantly battling stains on your laundry, try preventing the stains altogether.

Steps

Avoiding Stains

1. Wear an undershirt. Wearing a shirt underneath a dress shirt can help reduce or eliminate outwardly visible stains. Your undershirt will “catch” the stains, preventing them from getting on your nicer clothing.
2. Wear underarm pads. You may want to wear pads that absorb your sweat and block it from your clothing, known as dress shields, underarm shields, or underarm pads.
   • If using disposable shields, remove the covering of the adhesive backing to these disposable pads and stick the shield to the underarm of your shirt.
   • If using reusable shields, read the instructions about how to wear the shields. Some have straps that go over your shoulder, some pin to clothing or bra straps, and some are meant to be sewn into clothing.
3. Wash your shirts more frequently. If you wash your shirts daily, before the stain has time to set in, the shirts will not become stained. If you cannot do a full load of laundry, rinsing the shirt and rubbing a dab of detergent or a sodium percarbonate (also known as “oxygen bleach”) on the armpit area may help.
4. Try a sweat resistant material. Traditional cotton weave tends to show sweat stains worse than other materials. Microfiber or “smart weave” materials can help repel sweat stains.

Stopping Sweat

1. Wear antiperspirant. Make sure you are using an antiperspirant, not just a deodorant. Whereas deodorant only eliminates smells, antiperspirant prevents sweat by blocking sweat ducts, usually with aluminum.
   • Begin with a basic, inexpensive over-the-counter antiperspirant. If that does not help, try a clinical strength antiperspirant, also available OTC.
   • Apply antiperspirant twice daily: once in the morning and once before bed.
   • Only apply antiperspirant to dry skin. If your underarms are wet from showering or from sweating, dry them before applying.
2. Ask your doctor for a prescription. Consult with your doctor, preferably a dermatologist, for prescriptions to deal with excessive sweating.
   • Prescription antiperspirant has higher levels of active ingredients than OTC antiperspirant.
   • Ask about oral medications, known as anticholinergics, that stop sweating. However, know that these stop all sweating, which is not always a good thing (remember, sweating serves a biological purpose by cooling you off).
3. Consider other medical treatments. If your sweating is extreme, known as hyperhydrosis, you may consider more aggressive medical treatment options.
   • Botox (OnabotulinumtoxinA) shots in the armpits prevent the body from triggering sweat glands to work and can block excessive sweating for several months at a time.
   • Ask about miraDry. This is an approach that delivers electromagnetic pulses to the sweat glands to close them permanently. It is usually done with local anesthetic and may cause some pain for a few days.
   • Consider surgical treatment if other options do not work. Surgeons can remove the sweat glands, which permanently stops underarm sweat. This is an outpatient procedure, but any surgery should be taken seriously and all other options should be tried first.

Trying Natural Approaches

1. Stop wearing antiperspirant. Though this seems counterintuitive, there are some studies that suggest that the aluminum in antiperspirants is the true cause of the yellow stains that often appear on clothing.
2. Wear loose-fitting clothing. Clothing that is pressed directly into the armpits is more likely to cause sweating and encourage staining. Looser clothing will be cooler and less likely to attract stains.
3. Lose weight. Obesity often leads to increased sweating. Losing weight will cut down on the amount you sweat. Your clothing may fit more loosely, which can also help cut down on the underarm staining.
4. Eat sweat-reducing foods. Grapes, wheatgrass juice, tomato juice, sage tea, and raw apple cider vinegar all have properties that may reduce sweating.
5. Use natural deodorants. Using coconut oil, cornstarch, witch hazel, salt, or tea tree oil as ingredients in a homemade natural deodorant can reduce sweating. These ingredients are less likely to stain clothing than aluminum-based antiperspirant.

Related Articles

• Control Excessive Sweating
• Make Underarm Guards
• Hide Sweat Stains While Undressing
• Prevent Sweaty Armpits

Sources and Citations

See also

• Stop Armpit Sweating
• Teach Personal Hygiene
• Apply Body Spray
• Smell Nice
• Stop Underarm Odor
• Get Rid of Body Odor Naturally
• Eliminate Body Odor
• Control Excessive Sweating
• Treat Sweaty Hands
• Make Yourself Smell Delicious

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What links here

• Control Excessive Sweating
• Prevent Sweaty Armpits
• Remove Fabric Softener Stains