How to Prevent Pit Stains: 9 Ways to Save Your Shirts

Do you think about preventing pit stains before getting dressed? Probably not—until it’s too late and your favorite shirt is ruined. The good news is that pit stains are preventable.

This guide will show you how to prevent pit stains so you never have to soak, scrub or throw out another shirt again.

How to Prevent Pit Stains

Why wait for sweat stains to form to deal with them? Use these tips to stop pit stains at the source:

Wear a sweat proof undershirt
Apply less deodorant
Re-evaluate your antiperspirant
Use all-natural deodorant and let it dry
Trim or shave armpit hair
Take sweat-reducing supplements
Assess your diet
Launder shirts right away
Wear loose-fitting shirts

1. Wear a Sweat Proof Undershirt

To prevent sweat stains before they start, wear a protective undershirt. Having an extra layer between your sweaty pits and your clothes can make all the difference in preventing pit stains.

A standard undershirt won't do the trick if you’re a heavy sweater. Instead, use Thompson Tee’s sweat proof undershirts for men or women to protect against pesky pit stains.

The patented sweat proof barrier locks in and vaporizes armpit sweat, keeping you dry all day! These shirts are the best way to prevent pit stains.

2. Apply Less Deodorant

If you’re prone to nervous sweating or sweating in class, you might be habitually inclined to cake on deodorant or antiperspirant each day. But slathering on multiple layers of deodorant can also cause pit stains or make them worse.

A few swipes or a thin layer is sufficient enough. Go easy with the application, and allow plenty of time to dry.The excess product can also clog your sweat glands, amplifying the breeding ground for sweat or bacteria. The more deodorant you apply, the bigger the chance it will come into contact with your shirt.

3. Re-Evaluate Your Antiperspirant

Typically, antiperspirants contain aluminum. Mixed with sweat, aluminum causes yellowing.

Aluminum also blocks your sweat glands. When too much sweat builds up in the glands, it releases at once. The secreted sweat mixes with deodorant on your skin, producing visible yellow pit stains.

To prevent pit stains and eliminate this chemical reaction from occurring, stop wearing antiperspirants with aluminum altogether.

4. Use All-Natural Deodorant and Let It Dry

Substituting all-natural deodorant for your aluminum-based brand is a great way to stop pit stains and possibly reduce your risk of disease. Several studies have linked aluminum to breast cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and kidney disease.

Although natural deodorant doesn't contain aluminum, wearing too much can still cause yellowing. Don’t forget to allow your deodorant to dry before getting dressed.

5. Trim or Shave Armpit Hair

Trimming or shaving your pits is another option. Grooming your underarms prevents dirt and bacteria from collecting and mixing with the aluminum in your deodorant. Hair collects and retains more moisture and sweat than skin. So the less you have under there, the better. Keep those pits trimmed and stains at bay.

6. Take Sweat-Reducing Supplements

Supplements aren't scientifically proven to reduce sweating, but many people find them helpful.

Super sweaty pits mean worse pit stains. But before you splurge on a dozen different deodorant brands or stain removal products, why not try one of these natural remedies?

Here are some natural supplements that can help with sweat:

Vitamin B complex
Brewer’s yeast
Essential fatty acids
Vitamins C
Vitamin E
Lecithin capsules
Sage
Witch hazel
Eucalyptus
Chamomile

Discover more: How to Stop Sweating Naturally: 16 Remedies + Tips

7. Assess Your Diet

Digestion and sweat production are linked. Certain foods or beverages require extra effort to digest, which can cause a spike in your internal temperature and result in more sweat.

To reduce sweating and prevent pit stains on shirts, choose foods and drinks that ease digestion and stress, such as cauliflower, spinach, watermelon, almonds, sweet potatoes, bananas or green tea.

8. Launder Shirts Right Away

Don’t allow stains to settle into the fabric — they’ll soon be impossible to clean thoroughly. Hand wash or machine wash sweaty shirts as soon as you can, so you won’t have to work twice as hard to remove the stains later.

9. Wear Loose-Fitting Shirts

Wearing loose clothing and breathable fabrics can also help ward off pit stains. When you wear tight clothes, the fabric sits right up against your pits. Deodorant rubs off on your shirt, and when you sweat, a stain forms.

How to Pre-Treat Sweat Stains

Before throwing your shirt in the hamper or bleaching it, pre-treat pit stains it with a spray or laundry soap to prevent the stain from setting. Here are some effective pre-treat products:

Raise Armpit Stain Remover: Spray the affected area with Raise Armpit Stain Remover and toss your shirt into the wash.
OxiClean: Add one scoop of OxiClean to a bowl of cold water. Let your shirt sit in the mixture for at least an hour, depending on how bad the stain is, then throw it in the washing machine.
Stewart’s Bluing Whitener: Mix 1/4 teaspoon with 4 cups of water (1 quart) and add the solution to the final rinse cycle of the wash.
Aspirin: Crush a few Aspirin and mix with water to create a light paste. Apply the aspirin mixture to your stain, let it sit for 15 minutes, then wash your shirt as you normally would.
Dish soap and hydrogen peroxide: Create a mixture of ⅓ dish soap and the other ⅔ of water. Let your shirt soak for an hour and then throw it in the washing machine. Avoid using this method for colored shirts as it works best for white shirts.

If your shirt label says “dry clean only,” skip the DIY process and head straight to a professional (it’s not worth the risk!). Make sure to point out where your stains are so the dry cleaners can take specific action to remove yellow stain sweat.

Why You Get Pit Stains

Understanding the causes of sweat stains can help you prevent them. Here are the main culprits:

Proteins in Sweat: Sweat contains proteins that react with aluminum from antiperspirants, creating yellow or white stains.
Cotton Shirts: Cotton naturally contains proteins, making it more prone to sweat stains. While cotton is breathable, it absorbs moisture, which isn't ideal for heavy sweaters.
Hamper Habits: Tossing sweaty shirts straight into the hamper allows sweat and aluminum to set, worsening stains. Bleaching white shirts to remove yellow stains often backfires, making them more noticeable. So pre-treating stains, as explained above, is a better solution.
Medical Conditions: Rare conditions like chromhidrosis can cause sweat to appear yellow, green, or even blue. If you notice these unusual colors, consult a dermatologist.

The Only Thing That Prevents Pit Stains 100%

To prevent pit stains from ruining your shirts, you need to stop armpit sweat right at the source.

Arm yourself with Thompson Tee’s patented Hydro-Shield sweat proof undershirts. They’re guaranteed to stop 100% of sweat stains and ruining your favorite dress shirts or outer layers of clothing.

Whether you’re a heavy sweater or just want extra protection, know you can count on Thompson Tee’s sweat proof undershirts as your best line of defense against sweat.

Ready to win back your confidence and prevent sweat stains for good? Try a Thompson Tee risk-free!