The armpits of your shirts have a tough job. Anytime you start sweating—whether you’re making a nerve-wracking presentation at work or taking a class at your gym—a lot of that perspiration collects under your arms. As a result, the armpits of your shirts can be particularly tough to keep clean and smelling fresh.
If you find that your shirts carry armpit odor even after they have been washed, this post will offer some helpful solutions. Here’s how to remove armpit odor from your clothes.
Three Basic Guidelines
To minimize the issue of armpit odor in your shirts, do your best to obey three simple rules:
- Don’t let it sit. This is a big one. When you are done wearing your shirt, don’t just let it sit in your hamper if the armpits are sweaty. The longer that shirt sits with your sweat soaked into it, the harder it will be to remove the stink later on. Even if you can’t put the shirt in the washing machine right away, consider soaking it in some cool water to reduce odor retention.
- Know your materials. There are two general categories of fabric to keep in mind: cotton, which is often used in casual garments, and synthetic materials, which are common in activewear pieces. Cotton clothes will usually respond well to regular detergent, but regular detergents aren’t designed to treat synthetics. For those, you’ll need a dedicated synthetics detergent, such as WIN Detergent.
- Use a rotation. If you wear the same shirt over and over again, it’s going to be tough to keep it smelling fresh. Try wearing a few shirts in rotation, especially when you exercise, so no single garment bears too much of the stink.
The Power of a Pre-Soak
As mentioned above, soaking your shirts (rather than letting them sit in a hamper) is a good first step. For particularly sweaty shirts, or for those that have been carrying a stink around for a while, you can try adding some baking soda to the soak, as well.
The process is simple enough:
- First, fill up a sink or a clean bucket with cool water.
- Next, in a separate bowl or bucket, use warm water to dissolve between ½ cup and 1 cup of baking soda.
- With the baking soda dissolved, mix the warm water into the cold water, and add your garment(s).
- Soak for at least 10 minutes. They can even soak overnight before you move them into the washing machine for the next step.
Use the Right Detergent
Eliminating armpit odor becomes much easier when you stock the right laundry detergent in your home. As mentioned above, your clothes are typically made with two types of materials: cotton and synthetics. When it comes to washing, these materials need to be treated differently.
Since cotton fibers openly accept water, they can be cleaned successfully with a standard detergent and a good rinse (either by hand or in a washing machine).
However, the same cannot be said for synthetic materials, such as those commonly found in activewear. Synthetic fibers don’t hold on to water, which is why they’re great for working out—they stay drier and lighter than cotton. But while water wicks away, oil attaches itself to the clothing fibers, which creates a breeding ground for bacteria. Those bacteria are what cause the unpleasant odors, so they need to go.
Since this is an oil-based problem, water and a basic detergent are not going to work. Instead, you’ll need a detergent that is specially designed to remove oils from synthetics, such as WIN Detergent.
The Staining Problem
In addition to retaining an offensive smell, the armpits of your shirts can end up stained. This isn’t as much of an issue with dark shirts, as you probably won’t be able to see the stains, but it can be rather unsightly on light-colored pieces. The root of this particular problem can typically be traced back to your antiperspirant.
Examine the ingredients list on your antiperspirant container. If the product contains aluminum compounds, they are almost certainly responsible for the staining. These stains are hard to get out, and they get worse over time, so making a switch to a different type of antiperspirant may be your best bet. For even better results, consider switching from an antiperspirant to a regular deodorant instead.
Try WIN Detergent
Don’t give odor a chance to ruin your favorite shirts. If you find that the armpits of your s
hirts still stink after they go through the wash, it might be time for a new detergent. With WIN Detergent on your side, you can wipe out odor from your synthetic garments with ease. Order a bottle today!
