Question about armpit stain (not from sweat)

[BPfan81]

Posted: 9/30/18 at 1:57pm

This has been bugging me for a while so I figured to ask here for any answers to this question, if anyone can relate.

Why do my t-shirts get a yellow stain spot that won'y come out when washed? At first I thought it was my deodorant so I switched for 'secret' to 'dove' at it still happens. It's upsetting to me because most are light colored shirts like white or pink, whereas even the dark colors like royal blue look like a 'wet stain' under there. Most are Lacoste polo shirts which are not cheap. I really can't wear them anymore because I;ll get embarrassed anytime I would need to raise my arm! I'm so upset and at my wits end because the stain is under both arms and practically on every shirt. And they are all cotton. Any ideas how to get rid of this? Is it indeed from my deodorant? I've used the clear and the regular ones. The only ones I haven't tried are the sprays. Luckily I do not sweat really, but I like to apply it every day of course. Help!

[dramamama611]

Posted: 9/30/18 at 5:12pm

Have you tried using a stain remover?   That will only likely help for new issues....not for anything that's already gone thru the washer and dryer.

No way for us to know, but if you wear deodorant every day....that's likely what it is.

[BPfan81]

Posted: 9/30/18 at 5:23pm

No I havn't tried stain remover, but as you say it probably won't do anything since they have been washed a few times already. I am positive it's the deodorant. I just thought maybe someone might have had the same  experience, and if so, what had they've done differently.

[ArtMan]

Posted: 9/30/18 at 5:34pm

It is your deodorant.  I used to have a problem with yellow stains around my collar, years ago.  The culprit was my cologne.  One of many reasons, I don't wear it anymore.  Try Right Guard  sports spray and see if it helps.

[John Adams]

Posted: 9/30/18 at 5:50pm

You're right. It is your deodorant (almost all deodorants contain aluminum) in combination with the urea of your sweat. The aluminum and the urea create a chemical reaction that creates the yellow stains.

Switching deodorants won't help unless you switch to an aluminum-free deodorant, which are hard to find in any general store (you can search 'aluminum-free deodorant' on Amazon to find some).

You CAN prevent the stain on new T-shirts (or at least lighten it a bit if it's already set in on older shirts), but it requires some extra laundering techniques. Prior to washing, scrub a 1 to 1 paste of OxiClean and water into the stain. Allow to soak for 1 hour, then wash in hot water. On brand new shirts, this works very well, but on older stains that are already set in, not as well, but much better than not.

Also, the sooner you do the pre-soak after wearing, the better (doesn't give the urea and aluminum time to react). It's very old-fashioned, but you might consider buying a diaper pail that you can fill with the OxiClean/water combo to soak your Ts in until you're ready to launder them.

Another efficient (and much easier IMO) option is to use dress shields. They are a replaceable fabric barrier between you and your clothes that protect the clothing from both the deodorant and sweat.

[UncleCharlie]

Posted: 9/30/18 at 5:52pm

Look at the ingredients in your deodorant. If it has Aluminum in it, that's your culprit. Most of the major national brands sold in supermarket/s and drug store chains do. I had the same problem for years and 15 years ago switched to a natural aluminum free deodorant stick. Problem solved and it works just as well as brands I used before. You can find a nice selection at Whole Foods.

[BPfan81]

Posted: 9/30/18 at 6:54pm

Wow, so glad I asked, thanks for the information! Yes. aluminum is the active ingredient, I had no idea. The dress shields sound like a very good idea going forward. In the meantime, you think Oxy Clean will help on a stain that's about 3 yrs old? I can try it i suppose. Now I need to look for deodorant without aluminum.... 

[ArtMan]

Posted: 9/30/18 at 7:05pm

Don't think you'll get out a 3 year old stain.  Just do a google search on deodorants without aluminum. There are plenty.  You might have to try more than one product.  Your body chemistry is also a factor, as previously stated.

[FosseTharp]

Posted: 10/1/18 at 2:58pm

Most deodorants that are also antiperspirants have alluminum in them as has been mentioned by many above.

I highly recommend using Native Deodorant, which is alluminum and Paraban free. You can only get Native from the company itself, but there really isn’t a better deodorant on the market. Yes, it is more expensive than most other deodorants, but it doesn’t take much and lasts all day and smells fantastic.

When I was living in Italy last Summer I had run out of Native and purchased a basic deodorant. I wore my favorite and very expensive white Belstaff shirt during “Heatwave Lucifer” and had extreme yellow pit stains and couldn’t try and fix the shirt because it was dry clean only. When I got back to the states I had to go through 3 dry cleaning sessions and it still didn’t get the stains out completely. This is something I wouldn’t have probably happened had I still had my Native Deodorant... but I digress.

[FosseTharp]

Posted: 10/1/18 at 2:58pm

Double post 

Updated On: 10/1/18 at 02:58 PM

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 10/1/18 at 5:25pm

As suggested, Natural deodorant is the way to go. Tom’s makes really good ones that smell lovely. They are a bit pricey for deodorant but worth it. They are in most stores these days. I used to have the same problem. I find that the gel deodorants stain like crazy.

I was getting stains on my bath towels that almost looked like bleach. I don’t use bleach in the wash, so couldn’t figure out the culprit. Found out it was from my acne face wash.

[BPfan81]

Posted: 10/1/18 at 8:03pm

"Tom’s makes really good ones that smell lovely. "

Actually, Tom's has the same active ingredient - aluminum. Needless to say, for me I can't say it covered much at all (and I really don't sweat much) so I ended up throwing it out. It was as if I wasn't wearing deodorant.

I actually did a search on Amazon and decided on "Soft & Dri" three pack for $8.99

Luckily since summer's over I can do without it for a few days until it arrives :)

Thank you to all who responded!

 

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 10/2/18 at 2:43am

The Tom’s I use is aluminum free. It’s the Men’s Mountain Spring in the blue packaging. It has pretty good coverage, for me at least.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 10/2/18 at 9:52pm

OxiSpray is very effective for me. I'm using it right now to get some wood stain off a beige upholstered chair. It's taking repeat applications but it's doing the trick.

[BPfan81]

Posted: 10/2/18 at 10:22pm

I can try that too, thanks.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 10/2/18 at 11:02pm

BPfan81 said: "I can try that too, thanks."

 

I hope it works for you.

 

[Huss417]

Posted: 10/3/18 at 9:08am

I switched to Aluminum Free quite awhile ago. At first I was hesitant to spend the money for it. $12.00 as I went with what my dermatologist recommended. He put it in perspective for me. Asked how much does your average shirts and polos cost. Plus undershirts. Most shirts are Brooks Brothers & Ralph Lauren and at least 10 or so had stains. Add that up by $60-80 each and the deodorant is a deal. Good Luck. :)

[scripps]

Posted: 10/3/18 at 9:21pm

In agreement with posters recommending a natural deodorant. I've used Piperwai and Meow Meow Tweet (comes in biodegradable packaging, can't beat that) to much success, but everyone's different and what works for others may not work for you! I actually had problems with Tom's of Maine (loyal to their toothpaste though) and Schmidt's, hence why I had to go with the bit harder to find route outside a clean beauty or health food store.

Also check out The Laundress line of stain removers. They sell a wash and stain remover bar that works wonders! I've picked up a few at Ricky's for around $8 each, very handy to have on hand for pre treating stains or quick stain removal.

Updated On: 10/3/18 at 09:21 PM

[BPfan81]

Posted: 10/3/18 at 9:34pm

Thanks again for all your responses. Honestly, I've been a bit busy to try any suggestions to see if they help. And they are all t-shirts which means, entering Fall, I'm not going to be wearing them anymore. I must say, all the recommendations of alternative brands have been for men, yes? As a female, I prefer the girly kind  

[scripps]

Posted: 10/3/18 at 10:07pm

My recommendations are as girly as can be!

Fresh makes a nice roll-on sugar antiperspirant. That's my go to during the summer but it's a great option year round. Goes on clear, no residue and no staining. Pricey at around $19 at Sephora, but has such a great fragrance you can forego perfume.

[BPfan81]

Posted: 10/3/18 at 10:13pm

Oh, ok then, I'll take your suggestion I have ordered something from Amazon and I;m waiting for it to arrive. However, I'd prefer them not to be so fragrant - I tend to overdo it (reasonably) with my perfume sometimes !!