How to
get rid of sweat stains

Everything you need to know about removing sweat stains, what causes them and how to prevent them.

Read time

5 min

In short:

How to Get Rid of Sweat Stains
What are Sweat Stains and How do we Get them?
How to Prevent Sweat Stains on Clothing
The NIVEA Black & White Original 72h Anti-Perspirant Spray
How to Remove Sweat Stains out of White Clothing
How to get Sweat Stains out of Coloured Clothing
Use the Right Antiperspirant for You

How to
get rid of sweat stains

Yellow sweat stains on your clothing can really ruin your favourite T‑shirt, blouse or shirt. Most of us have seen yellow sweat stains pop up on our clothes at some point – they can appear on your workout gear, summer outfits or work shirts. These sweat stains discolour the area around your armpits and can even change how the fabric feels.

But while sweat stains can be stubborn, you don’t have to relegate that shirt or dress to the recycling bin just yet. There are a few simple things you can do to help avoid sweat stains and, if they do show up, easy steps you can take to get rid of them.

Read on to find out how to banish deodorant and sweat stains for good.

What are sweat stains and
how do we get them?

Sweat is your body’s way of cooling down its core temperature, which is why you sweat most often when you’re exercising, when you’re in a hot room or when the weather is warm. There are other reasons you might sweat too – you may also sweat when you’re nervous, stressed or feeling a bit on edge. Stimulants such as alcohol and caffeine can also increase your heart rate and cause you to sweat more. You’ll also sweat when you have an elevated temperature as your body fights off an infection.

Sweat is made up of water, salt, fats and proteins. When you sweat, all of these components end up on your clothing. And it’s usually not sweat alone that discolours your clothes but, rather ironically, the products you use to control how much you sweat.

Antiperspirants help you reduce how much you sweat, but they can also contribute to those discoloured patches under your best summer dress or favourite tee. Sweat can react with ingredients found in antiperspirant deodorants, such as zirconium and aluminium.

Aluminium in antiperspirant deodorants blocks the sweat ducts and so reduces how much you sweat. The reaction of this ingredient with your sweat causes yellowing that, over time, gets ground into the fabric.

How to
prevent sweat stains on clothing

While there are steps you can take to get rid of sweat stains on your clothes, it’s always best to try and avoid them in the first place.

Here are a few easy tips to help you avoid unsightly underarm stains:

Use an aluminium-free deodorant or one designed to avoid white marks
Make sure your deodorant or antiperspirant is completely dry before you pop on your top or dress
Wash your clothes after each wear with a good detergent to avoid sweat stains building up and becoming embedded in the fabric
Don’t leave your gym gear in its bag – take it out and wash it as soon as you can. In fact, that goes for all sweaty clothes – if you leave a sweaty shirt in the wash basket for too long and the sweat dries out, it allows the stain to set in
Wear a vest or T‑shirt under your shirt or dress to avoid getting sweat stains on your favourite piece

NIVEA Black & White
Invisible Clear 72h Anti-Perspirant

The NIVEA Black & White Invisible Clear 72h Anti-Perspirant gives you 72 hours of reliable anti-perspirant protection while helping to prevent white marks on black clothing and yellow stains on white clothing. With its patented anti-stains technology, it tackles odour, sweat, stains, residues and irritation, all while being gentle on your skin.

How to
remove sweat stains out of white clothing

White T‑shirts and shirts are most susceptible to yellow sweat stains. But you don’t have to throw them out just yet. There are ways to help remove even the most stubborn sweat stains. Here’s how:

1
Use a targeted treatment before you wash it – this might be rubbing in a specialist stain remover or, for a more natural option, try rubbing white vinegar into the area, or a paste of baking soda and water

2
Leave the treatment on for at least 20 minutes. The more ingrained the stain, the longer you’ll need to leave it. Depending on how stubborn the stain is, you might want to leave it on as long as overnight.

3
Wash the piece of clothing as usual without rinsing off the pre-treatment first. A regular wash is fine – there’s no need to use a hot cycle

4
If the stain hasn’t budged, repeat steps 1–4 while the garment is still damp

5
Rinse the area in warm water

6
Do not treat the soiled area with bleach

How to
get sweat stains out of coloured clothing

Removing yellow stains from coloured clothes follows a similar approach. But because you don’t want to ruin the colour with the pre-treatment, it’s a good idea to test a small patch first with your chosen stain remover – either shop-bought or homemade – before you cover the whole area.

Home remedies to help you get rid of sweat stains:

There are several tried and tested natural ways to treat sweat stains or deodorant stains. Try these for a more natural way of removing sweat stains on your clothes:

Salt
Dissolve four tablespoons of salt in a litre of hot water. Once it's dissolved, rub it into the affected area.

Vinegar
Vinegar is often the answer to household problems and the same is true of discoloured armpits. Simply take distilled white vinegar and rub it into the stain before popping the item in the wash on your usual cycle. You can also pop vinegar in the fabric softener drawer to brighten up white clothing and help get rid of lingering odours.

Baking soda
Baking soda is another mighty kitchen cupboard hack. Mix it with two parts water to make a paste and rub it on to any deodorant or yellow stains. Leave it for up to two hours.

Lemons
Scrub underarm stains with a mixture of equal parts lemon juice and water.

Use the right
antiperspirant for you

It’s important to use an antiperspirant or deodorant that works for you and your body. Both deodorant and antiperspirant help to neutralise the bacteria that cause the smell we know as body odour. In addition, antiperspirant contains aluminium that reduces how much you sweat by blocking the sweat glands. Because of these sweat-blocking ingredients, antiperspirants can react with your sweat and cause stains.

Here’s how to reduce deodorant stains:

Apply an antiperspirant while you sleep
Pop on a deodorant at night on clean, dry skin before you go to bed. Your sweat glands are less active at night and your body temperature drops, which means applying it overnight can make the antiperspirant more effective. The product also has more time to sink in, reducing the chances of deodorant stains.

Choose an anti-stain deodorant
There are antiperspirants available that are designed not to stain your clothes or leave white marks. Explore our NIVEA Anti-Stain Deodorant range for reliable protection for your underarms and your clothing, helping you feel fresh and dry without those unsightly marks.

Anti-Stain Deodorant