First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Act now, because sweat can weaken most fibers if it sits.
- Start with the gentlest product and only step up if the mark stays.
- Test any remover on a hidden spot first, and stop if color moves.
Fresh sweat is body residue that dissolves in water, and it can weaken most fibers if it sits, so acting quickly matters most. Yellow underarm marks come from sweat reacting with aluminum-salt antiperspirant, and some of them may never come out fully. Whether the shirt is white or colored decides which treatments are safe to use.
Get sweat stains out of white shirts with an oxygen bleach powder once the fresh sweat is lifted. Colored shirts and denim need a gentler pass, so test a hidden spot before you use anything strong. If the stain has dried in, a prewash stain remover spray or stick applied before washing gives it the best start.
8 items
What you'll need
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- Liquid laundry detergentFor the pretreat and the enzyme wash. (opens Amazon)
- Oxygen-bleach powderFor the warm soak and for yellow marks on whites. (opens Amazon)
- White vinegarFor old marks that have changed the fabric's color. (opens Amazon)
- Household ammoniaFor fresh marks that have changed the fabric's color. (opens Amazon)
- Table saltFor the overnight soak that lifts lingering odor. (opens Amazon)
- 3 percent hydrogen peroxideThe drugstore solution for persistent marks or odor. (opens Amazon)
- Clean white clothFor blotting, so you don't rub the stain deeper. (opens Amazon)
- Prewash stain remover spray (opens Amazon)
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7 steps
How to get sweat out of clothes
Step 1 of 7
Pretreat with liquid detergent
Work a liquid laundry detergent or prewash stain remover into the mark with your fingers, starting from the back of the fabric. Let it sit on the stain while you set up the rest of the job.
Tip. If the fabric can take light scrubbing, a soft toothbrush helps the product reach the weave.
Careful. Don't rub a fresh stain with bar soap; soap sets many stains.
Step 2 of 715 to 30 minutes
Soak in warm oxygen-bleach water
Dissolve oxygen-bleach powder in warm water and soak the stained area for 15 to 30 minutes. You can use this soak in place of the pretreat if you prefer.
Careful. Keep oxygen bleach off wool and silk.
Step 3 of 7
Launder in the hottest safe water
Wash the garment in the hottest water the care label allows, using your usual detergent. Check the mark under good light before you move on.
Step 4 of 7
Wash stubborn marks with enzymes
If a mark survives the first wash, wash again with a detergent that contains enzymes or an oxygen bleach, in the hottest water the fabric allows. Repeat the wash rather than jumping straight to a harsher product.
Step 5 of 7
Apply ammonia or vinegar to color
If sweat has changed the fabric's color, dab ammonia onto a fresh stain or white vinegar onto an old one, then rinse the garment thoroughly. Use one or the other, never both.
Careful. Skip ammonia on silk and wool; it damages both.
Step 6 of 7
Soak overnight to lift odor
If the shirt still smells of sweat, soak it overnight in warm water with 3 or 4 tablespoons of salt per quart, then rinse. If the odor is still there, pretreat with liquid detergent, let it stand 30 minutes, and launder.
Step 7 of 715 to 20 minutes
Apply peroxide to persistent marks
For a mark or odor that won't leave, apply 3 percent hydrogen peroxide for 15 to 20 minutes. It can take 2 or 3 applications, so repeat as needed, then launder.
Careful. Use it only if it won't harm the color; colored fabric that isn't colorfast is off limits.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for sweat
Look for a stain-fighting or enzyme laundry detergent for the pretreat and wash, and an oxygen-bleach powder for the soak. Check the label for the fabric types each one is safe on.
Puracy Laundry Stain Remover
ECOS OXO Brite Stain & Odor Remover Pre-Wash Spray
OdoBan Odor Eliminator & Disinfectant Concentrate
How we picked these: each product is made for this type of stain, its maker doesn't warn against using it on this fabric, and its directions fit the steps above.
Finished the steps? How does it look?
Nice work. Let it dry completely and check it again in good light before using any heat. Here is what done looks like:
How to tell it's really gone →A faint mark usually needs one more round, not a stronger product.
See what to do for what you're seeing →If the stain was already dried or set, the method changes.
Old, dried or set-in stains →When to call a professional →Pick what it is on
Sweat on every material
Shoes & accessories3
Bedding & linens3
Clothes & laundry2
Furniture & upholstery2
Leather & suede2
Kitchen & bath1
Walls1
No match. Try the main search for anything else.
How to tell it's working
The mark should lighten after the first wash, and the fabric should smell clean once it's dry. If it's still there, repeat the soak or wash rather than moving straight to harsher products.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your fabric
Whites and white shirts
Yellow underarm marks on white shirts respond best to an oxygen-bleach soak. Mix about 1/2 cup of an oxygen-bleach detergent powder into about 2 gallons of warm water and soak the shirt for 30 minutes to overnight.
Wash as usual with a stain-fighting detergent, then air-dry the shirt and look at the mark once it's dry. If the yellow is still there after the wash, repeat the soak before you try anything stronger.
Colors and denim
Colored fabric and denim can take enzyme detergent and warm soaks, but test an inside seam first because dye can lift. If the color itself has changed, the vinegar treatment is the one to use, and it works best on old marks.
Fresh marks on colors follow the same order of steps, with a hidden-spot test before each product. Hold off on peroxide and oxygen bleach unless that test shows the dye holds.
Silk, wool and delicates
Silk and wool can't take the bleach steps, enzyme detergents or hot water, and rubbing or brushing damages them. Blot the mark gently with cool water and a clean cloth, and let the item air-dry flat.
For silk and satin, the Silk & Satin guide has the full routine. For lace, velvet and other delicates, the Delicates & Lace guide covers what's safe.
Dry-clean-only items
Dry-clean-only garments should skip the wash, soak and bleach steps above, since water and oxygen products don't suit them. A solvent-based cleaner is the most you should try at home, and even that is best left to a professional.
Velvet marked for dry cleaning only should never see a water-based cleaner. An iron should never touch it, since heat and pressure flatten the nap.
Old, dried or set-in stains
An old sweat stain with a color change calls for white vinegar instead of ammonia, followed by a 3 percent peroxide treatment. Repeat the peroxide treatment two or three times, and launder between rounds. Enzyme or oxygen-bleach washes in the hottest water the fabric allows are the other option.
A stain that has dried is harder, and it helps to soak it in warm water before any of these steps. Once it has been through the dryer, the heat may have made it impossible to remove, so set your expectations accordingly.
Antiperspirant salts can leave a residue that may be impossible to remove, so some yellowing can stay even after good work. Realistically, a faint shadow can remain on an old shirt.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on sweat?
Most household remedies for sweat stains are either weaker than the steps above or unsafe on some fabrics, so only the ones that earn a place make the cut. Only a few of these are worth trying on a sweat mark; the rest are weaker or harsh on fabric.
Works4Helps2Avoid1
Chemical safety
Never mix these
Some products in this guide react dangerously with each other. Use them one at a time and rinse with water in between.
Oxygen bleach (OxiClean) + Vinegar
OxiClean's maker says it should not be mixed with household chemicals other than detergent in the wash.
Ammonia + Vinegar
Poison Control warns that mixing ammonia products with other cleaners is dangerous, and the ammonia maker's safety sheet lists acids such as vinegar as incompatible.
Ammonia + Baking soda
The ammonia maker's safety sheet says not to mix ammonia with other household chemicals, and Poison Control warns against mixing ammonia products with other cleaners.
Baking soda + Oxygen bleach (OxiClean)
OxiClean's label says not to mix it with other household chemicals.
If they mix by accident: Don't use the mixture; ventilate the room and avoid breathing fumes or touching it; call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 for disposal advice or if anyone feels unwell.
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't put it in the dryer yet
Heat from the dryer, an iron or hot air sets sweat stains and can make them impossible to remove. Air-dry the item and check the mark under good light before any heat touches it.
Don't mix ammonia with chlorine bleach
Ammonia and chlorine bleach together make a toxic gas, and the same rule covers vinegar. Rinse the garment with plain water between products, and skip chlorine bleach in any step that uses ammonia or vinegar.
Don't count on chlorine bleach for yellow
Chlorine bleach isn't shown to lift yellow underarm stains, and it can itself cause yellowing over time. Use oxygen bleach for those marks, and keep chlorine bleach away from wool, silk, spandex and leather.
Troubleshooting
If the stain is still there
Pick what you're seeing:
The stain is still there after washing
Do not dry the item. Repeat the oxygen-bleach soak for 15 to 30 minutes or wash again with an enzyme or oxygen-bleach product in the hottest water safe for the fabric. For a persistent stain, apply 3 percent hydrogen peroxide for 15 to 20 minutes, up to 2 or 3 applications, then launder.
Odor remains after the salt soak
Pretreat with liquid detergent, let it stand for 30 minutes, and launder. If odor persists, apply 3 percent hydrogen peroxide for 15 to 20 minutes, then launder.
The fabric color changed
For a fresh stain, apply ammonia; for an old stain, use white vinegar. Use one or the other, not both, then rinse. On silk or wool, dilute ammonia with an equal amount of water and use it sparingly.
You are not sure whether the item can take bleach
Check the care label. Chlorine bleach is only for colorfast fabrics that are not silk, wool, or spandex.
Never mix chlorine bleach with ammonia or vinegar; rinse either product out with plain water before any bleach step. For colors, or whites containing spandex, use a color-safe (non-chlorine) bleach product instead.
When to call a professional
If a yellow or dark mark survives two or three full rounds of these steps, a professional cleaner can test what's safe for the fabric. Dry-clean-only items and anything delicate are worth taking to a cleaner early. Tell them the stain is sweat and whether it has been through the dryer, since heat changes what can be removed.
Questions
How do you stop sweat stains from forming?
You can't stop sweat, but you can stop it from setting into a stain. Treat the mark soon after the shirt comes off, keep heat away from it, and wash the shirt before the residue has time to dry in.
What causes yellow armpit and pit stains?
Yellow underarm stains come from sweat reacting with aluminum-salt antiperspirant. The resulting buildup binds to the fabric, so the mark tends to stay put without the right treatment.
Which detergent or oxygen bleach should I buy for sweat stains?
Choose a stain-fighting or enzyme laundry detergent for the pretreat and wash, and an oxygen-bleach powder for the soak. Check the label for the fabric types it's safe on before you use it.
Will a sweat stain come out completely?
Fresh sweat stains usually come out completely when they're treated promptly and kept away from the dryer. Old or heat-set marks, and antiperspirant residue, may leave a faint shadow even after good work.
Do dress shirts need a different treatment?
Dress shirts follow the same steps as T-shirts, but check the care label first, since many are made from blended or delicate fabrics. Check the fiber before using heat or the hottest water.
Why does my shirt still smell after the stain is gone?
Lingering odor is a separate problem from the stain, so it needs its own treatment. An overnight salt soak is the first step, and the detergent routine comes next if the smell stays.
Methods, care labels and related guides
Good to know
Related
How we know this
Every method, amount and warning here comes from university extension services, industry bodies and product makers. We read them, check every step for unsafe combinations and changed amounts, and write it up so you can follow it.