Summer Tip: Treating Sweat Stains

Summer has come to Colorado! But as the outdoors heat up, so do our bodies… leading to wet spots under the arms of shirts.

Perspiration stains appear around collars and under the arms of even our favorite summer shirts. These already embarrassing stains can be the worst on white shirts where they often take on a yellow color.

The culprit for these pit stains is usually deodorant or antiperspirant – specifically, the aluminum within them. This active ingredient reacts to proteins (found in both sweat and cotton) to create the yellowing reaction and staining.

The same thing that is supposed to stop the sweat is actually causing the stains! But since most people don’t want to go without and risk natural odors, your best option is to treat the stains…

Bleach

The go-to for many people removing stains on white garments is bleach. However, with these protein stains, bleach is not very effective. Bleach can even worsen the discoloration, risking another reaction to make the stain appear more yellow.

Enzyme detergent

Enzyme detergents, like OxiClean, can be effective to reduce sweat stains – if the stain is fresh, you can sprinkle some of the detergent in the machine and wash as normal. Pre-treat the stain with a spray before you toss in the laundry, and you’ll be even better off.  However, if the stain has set and dried, you’ll need to soak the garment in hot water first and agitate to work out the stain.

Home Remedies

Vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, and baking soda can be used in a pinch to create your own stain treatment formula. But before trying any new formula, test the solution on a small, inconspicuous area first. Watch for negative reactions with the fabric and avoid worsening the stain.

Prevention

If your sweat glands are kicking into overdrive, blot your armpits dry with a paper towel. While this isn’t a permanent solution, it can help reduce overwetting and damaging the fabric. If you’re in a bind, you can rinse the armpits under cold water to remove perspiration and buildup of proteins. Whenever possible, pretreat the stain to prevent it from drying and setting.

The Worst Pit Stains

For the most stubborn perspiration stains, bring your garments into Green Care Cleaners! With our clothing care expertise and organic wet cleaning method, we’ll examine the fabric and the stain to determine the best solution for removing even the toughest pit stains.

If you have questions about caring for your favorite garments, stop by our shop in Highlands Ranch!

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Reacting to Wedding Day Stains!

You’ve spent months planning for your wedding day, perfecting every detail. You found the perfect wedding gown and your wedding party looks flawless. Then you walk into the reception – instantly you notice the salad dressing, sauces, glasses of red wine, and your Aunt’s caked on makeup and red lipstick headed towards you for a tight squeeze.

Stain threats are everywhere, and your pristine white gown seems to be a magnet, a target for any potential blemish. But don’t panic! You’ve thought ahead and prepared, you’ve read this article, and you know exactly how to react to wedding day stains!

Do No Harm

The worst thing you can do is make a stain worse in an attempt to fix it. Be sure you know your fabric – if you can identify what types of fabrics were used in the construction of your gown, you can better understand how to treat potential stains. Not all fabrics are created equal – some can be easily treated with common items and others react strongly to even plain water. Keep in mind that your lining fabric could be different than the outer layer, and could react differently to treatments.

Bring your gown into our store for a final pre-wedding cleaning, and ask our experts about your gown, specific fabrics, and stain treatment advice.

If you do pre-treat the stain, use caution! Always test on an inconspicuous area, like the hem or train, to make sure the fabric doesn’t react negatively to your product. Dab, never rub, to treat your stain. Work from the outside in to avoid spreading the stain, and always use a light touch and dab to avoid pushing it deeper into the fabric.

Emergency Kits

Emergency wedding day kits are a handy tool for the well-prepared bride. Websites like The Knot offers a list of items to pack in your day-of wedding kit. You can even purchase pre-made kits on Amazon.  Whether you pack a “kit” or not, here are a few items you could use to treat your stain:

Water – plain water is the go-to resource for treating stains. If you get to a stain quickly with plain water, you can prevent the stain from fully soaking into the fabric. But again, use caution and be careful not to spread the stain further.

White cloths, towels, or cotton swabs – always use a white cloth to tend to stains. Colored fabrics could bleed onto your white gown, so be cautious. Consider the tool you’re using to clean, not just the products you’re applying.

Baby powder – this can be used to soak up oil based stains. Poor a small amount of powder over the stain, let it set for a minute, then wipe away. Follow up with water, if needed.

With these and any other stain removing products, use caution. Always test first (yes, even water can harm some fabrics) and know your fabric.

Relax, and let it go

When in doubt, leave it alone! You do not want to turn a small stain into a big one by trying to treat it. Instead, try covering it up! Many brides recommend chalk as a way to hide stain (but like any product, test first and make sure it won’t cause a bigger stain). You can also use lace, an applique, or even a brooch to match the style of your gown and hide a stain.

Remember, chances are you are the only person who will notice a stain on your gown, so relax and let it go. By the time you get to the reception, most of the staged photos will already be taken and your guests will be too busy visiting, eating, and dancing to notice. There is always Photoshop to remove any evidence of the stain in your wedding photos. Don’t let a stain ruin your wedding day – let it go and enjoy the party!

For questions and advice about treating stains on your wedding gown, stop by our shop or call us at 303-798-0515. Bring your gown to Green Care Cleaners for professional stain treatment, pre-wedding cleaning, and post-wedding preservation. Have a happy wedding!

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