How to Get Sweat Stains out of Clothing

Co-authored by Safir Ali and Eric McClure

Last Updated: September 16, 2022

Sweat stains are caused by a combination of the chemicals in your deodorant and the minerals in your skin. Luckily, most acidic cleaners will remove the stains without damaging your clothing. Since most soaps and laundry detergents aren’t acidic enough, you’ll need to use something a little stronger. Baking soda and hydrogen peroxide are excellent choices for white clothing, while you can water down some white vinegar for colored garments. Lemon juice and salt is a strong alternative if you want a natural cleaning agent for white clothes.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Using Baking Soda and Hydrogen Peroxide on Whites

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1
Flip your item of clothing inside out and place it in a bowl or sink. Flipping your item of clothing inside out will allow you to attack the stain directly. Place your reversed item of clothing inside a large bowl or sink, with the stain resting at the lowest point in the bowl or sink.^{[1]
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- This method will not work with spandex, which can be damaged by hot water.
- Using baking soda and hydrogen peroxide may cause discoloration if you’re removing stains from colored fabric.
2
Combine baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and water in a separate bowl. Use 1 part baking soda, 1 part hydrogen peroxide, and 1 part water in a large bowl and mix them together with a large clean spoon. Mix the solution until there are no visible chunks of baking soda left.^{[2]
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- About ¹⁄₄ cup (59 mL) of each ingredient will be enough for 1 shirt or pair of pants.
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Fill a large pot with water and heat it on the stove until the water reaches a rolling boil. While wearing an oven mitt, carry the pot over to your sink or bowl and pour the boiling water directly over your sweat stain. This will loosen the fabric and make the sweat stains easier to scrub away.^{[3]
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4
Pour the baking soda solution directly on to the stain and scrub it. With a spoon, scoop your solution directly on top of the stains. Let it soak for at least 5 minutes. After it soaks, scrub the stain with a scrub brush or toothbrush in soft, circular motions until the stain disappears.^{[4]
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- You can soak your clothing for longer if you’d like. White fabric won’t be damaged by letting it soak for longer.
Throw your item of clothing in with your dirty laundry and sort it before you wash it. Use your standard laundry detergent and run a regular wash cycle to remove any residue from your baking soda or hydrogen peroxide.^{[5]
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Warning: If you don’t wash your clothing soon after using the baking soda and hydrogen peroxide, then you run the risk of letting residual stains settle permanently.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Washing Colors with White Vinegar

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1
Place your item of clothing in a sink or large bowl, inside out. You’re going to soak your item of clothing for a while, so make sure that the bowl is big and deep enough to keep your clothing fully submerged for a long period of time. Place the stained area at the lowest point in the bowl or sink so that it can fully soak when you add your vinegar.^{[6]
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- White vinegar is the least likely to damage colored clothing.
2
Fill a bowl with white vinegar and water and pour it over the stain. In a large bowl, combine 1 part white vinegar with 1 part water and mix it with a large spoon. Pour your mixture over the stain so that it is fully submerged in your mixture.^{[7]
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- About ¹⁄₃ cup (79 mL) of each ingredient will be enough for 1 shirt or pair of pants as long as this will cover the stain completely.
Warning: Don’t try this with any non-white vinegar, which will permanently stain your clothing.
Allow your clothing to soak in the vinegar solution for at least 30 minutes before throwing it in with your sorted laundry for a standard wash. If you notice that the stain is still there after you’ve washed it, repeat this process.^{[8]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Trying Lemon Juice for a Natural Clean

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Squeeze several lemons into a small glass until it’s half full. Then, top the lemon juice off with room temperature water until your glass is filled to the brim. You can add 1 teaspoon (4 grams) of salt to the mixture if you’d like to make the stain easier to scrub.^{[9]
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Tip: You can use pre-bottled lemon juice if you’d like, but check the label first to make sure that there isn’t any sugar added to it. The sugar will leave a strange residue behind and could add a different stain after your shirt dries.
With your item of clothing sitting over your sink, pour your lemon juice over your stain and begin to rub it gently between the pads of your fingers. Rub it for 3-5 minutes until you see the stain disappearing.^{[10]
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3
Leave your clothing to soak for 1 hour and then wash it. After you’ve rubbed the majority of the stain away, let your clothing sit in the sink for 1 hour. This will give the lemon juice and water time to loosen up any remaining residue from the sweat stain. Then, throw your clothing in with the rest of your laundry.^{[11]
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- You can rinse the lemon juice and salt under cold water if you’re washing the clothing with any colored items of clothing and are worried about the salt changing their color. Lemon juice can have an undesired effect on colored fabric if it’s been dyed.

Expert Q&A

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Question

How do you get sweat smells out of clothes fast?

Rani Gorgis
Laundry & Cleaning Specialist
Rani Gorgis is a Laundry and Cleaning Specialist and the Owner of Park Blvd Laundry & Dry Cleaners in San Diego, California. With several years of experience in the laundry and cleaning industry, Rani specializes in dry cleaning, wash-n-fold, shirt laundry, and servicing smoke-damaged clothes. He holds a BS in Accounting and a CPA certification.

Rani Gorgis

Laundry & Cleaning Specialist

Expert Answer

It all starts with good laundry detergent! Use a trusted, proven brand instead of a cheap, generic brand—a lot of times, these have fillers instead of actual detergent.

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Question

How do you get underarm odor out of clothes?

Rani Gorgis
Laundry & Cleaning Specialist
Rani Gorgis is a Laundry and Cleaning Specialist and the Owner of Park Blvd Laundry & Dry Cleaners in San Diego, California. With several years of experience in the laundry and cleaning industry, Rani specializes in dry cleaning, wash-n-fold, shirt laundry, and servicing smoke-damaged clothes. He holds a BS in Accounting and a CPA certification.

Rani Gorgis

Laundry & Cleaning Specialist

Expert Answer

Toss a dryer sheet in with your clothes before starting up the dryer cycle. This can help get rid of some unpleasant odors.

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Tips

If the garment is white or a cream color, you can try washing it with bleach to get rid of the stains.^{[12]
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Expert Source

Safir Ali
Professional Dry Cleaner

Expert Interview. 15 September 2020.}

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Another option is to try to use a commercial stain removal to loosen the stain up before washing the piece in the washing machine.^{[13]
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Expert Source

Safir Ali
Professional Dry Cleaner

Expert Interview. 15 September 2020.}

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