22nd Dec 2022 love2laundry Dry Cleaning

Does Dry Cleaning Remove Armpit Stains?

Do you have excessive armpit sweat, which is staining your clothes?

Not to worry, we have all been there. Sweat will inevitably build up in the armpits after a gruelling gym session, a hike with friends, on a sweltering hot summer’s day, or even due to a medical reason such as menopause or hyperhidrosis. Other common inducers of sweat in the armpits include stress, anxiety, anger, excessive weight, and smoking.

You may be wondering which cleaning method will effectively eliminate armpit stains from your clothing.

In this article, we will answer the question ‘does dry cleaning remove armpit stains?’, which we hope you will find useful.

What are the advantages of getting your clothes professionally dry cleaned?

Your garments will be returned to you, professionally cleaned, pressed and ready to wear!

It saves you the time and effort of washing and drying your garments yourself, which are time-consuming, laborious and physically demanding tasks.

Dry cleaning will help remove stubborn stains and odours from your garments.

Many dry cleaners offer a pick-up and drop-off service, which is super convenient for your lifestyle.

Because dry cleaning does not use water, there is far less risk of the colours in your garments running or fading, which can happen over time with machine washes.

It is better to trust a professional dry cleaner to clean your garments and remove stains; using a home method could potentially ruin your favourite outfit or bedding item, which can be expensive to replace.

Why do armpit stains occur on clothes?

Did you know that antiperspirants are actually one of the biggest causes of armpit stains?

It may be flabbergasting to believe this because surely a stick of deodorant or an antiperspirant towel would remove any sweat from your armpits, right?

Well, in actual fact, the antiperspirant will get absorbed into your clothing, where it mixes with the proteins from your sweat, resulting in those pesky yellow armpit stains.

Does dry cleaning remove armpit stains?

People often assume that hand washing and machine washing are the only ways to remove armpit stains.

But what about clothing that is ‘dry clean only?’ How do you get rid of armpit stains from these garments?

So, does dry cleaning remove armpit stains?

Yes, you will be pleased to know that professional dry cleaning can remove armpit stains, in most cases.

Even though the garment isn’t being washed with water, the chemical solvent used in the dry cleaning process will expertly lift any stubborn armpit stains and eliminate foul smells.

The dry cleaning agent will break down the oils and residues that are causing the armpit stains to form in the first place.

If you find that your sweat stains are particularly stubborn, you should pre-treat these stains before you send the clothing to the dry cleaners.

You can do this by rubbing the stain with a cleaning solution of equal parts water and white vinegar. Use a clean toothbrush to work the solution into the stain, and then leave the stain to soak for 10 minutes. Once the stain is fully dry, then you can have the item professionally dry cleaned.

How do you get armpit stains out of clothes, without dry cleaning?

Have you ever planned to wear an outfit, but then you notice it has armpit stains on it? Well, in this situation, you may not have the time to get your outfit dry-cleaned.

So, a helpful home hack is to mix baking soda with warm water, to form a paste. Work the paste into the sweat stains on your garment, and let the garment sit for 30 to 60 minutes, then wash as usual. with this method, the paste should hopefully absorb the sweat stain.

How can I prevent armpit stains from gathering on my clothes?

As humans, we can’t help but sweat in our armpits, as this is an essential bodily function. Sweating enables us to cool down when we overheat and thus regulates our body temperature.

In our armpits, we have apocrine glands, which produce a thick fluid; when this thick fluid comes into contact with bacteria on the surface of the skin, it produces the ‘body odour’ smell.

To keep your clothing free from armpit stains, follow these simple tips:

Wear an undershirt, to create a barrier between your skin and your clothing– which will reduce sweat stains.
Wear lightweight, loose garments, as opposed to tight, restrictive clothing, to let your armpits breathe.
You can buy underarm pads (often called dress shields or garment guards), which stick to the underarms of your garment and absorb underarm sweat.
Keep your armpits groomed.

How do you clean workout clothing?

Athleisure, gym wear and workout clothing will be the most armpit stain-prone garments in your whole wardrobe.

Gym clothes are lightweight, stretchy and absorbent. They are designed to keep you cool and comfortable during your workout. So, they often contain moisture-wicking properties, to absorb sweat and pungent odours.

In essence, your workout gear will take the moisture from your skin, disperse it onto the surface of the fabric, and allow it to evaporate into the air; this helps the clothes dry more quickly than fabrics like cotton, which absorb moisture.

It is not recommended that you get your gym clothes professionally dry-cleaned. The dry cleaning process can cause the fibres in Spandex and Lycra to swell, which will result in the garment losing elasticity and becoming misshaped.

To clean your workout clothing, follow our handy tips:

Always change out of your gym clothes and into fresh clothing, rather than staying in sweaty gear.
Let your sweaty gym clothes air out, immediately after your workout.
Don’t be tempted to stuff your smelly gym clothes back inside your wardrobe after every workout.
Turn your gym clothes inside out, before you wash them.
Always check the label on your gym clothes, to check whether they are suitable for machine washing, or if they are ‘hand wash only’.
Wash gym clothes on a gentle spin cycle.
When you wash your gym clothes, try not to use too much detergent, as this may trap the bacteria which produces the smelly odour that you find in your used gym clothing.
You will not need to use fabric softener to wash your workout gear, as this will leave behind a residue on your gym garments, which can cause skin irritation for people with sensitive skin.
After your gym clothes have been washed, allow them to fully dry, before you store them or wear them again.

It is also important to clean your gym equipment, to remove dirt and grime, and thus prevent the spreading of harmful pathogens and bacteria.

To clean your gym equipment:

Disinfect your dumbbells with an antibacterial wipe, after each use, especially if you are in a public gym.
To clean boxing gloves, wipe them inside and out with a soft cloth and deodorizing spray.
Clean your yoga mat by wiping it down with a clean cloth and a disinfectant spray, and leaving it to air dry.

How do you remove deodorant stains from clothes?

Using deodorant regularly is a hygienic habit, but it can be annoying to see those white deodorant marks on your clothing.

To eliminate a deodorant stain, simply soak the garment in a bowl of white vinegar for around 1 hour. Use a clean toothbrush to scrub the stain gently, and then wash the garment as normal.

You would be surprised at how effective this cleaning hack is!

Where can I access laundry and dry cleaning services?

Here at Love2Laundry, we are an on-demand laundry service, serving London, Manchester, Birmingham, Bolton and Bury.

We provide a door-to-door service, so we will collect your items, wash, dry and fold or hang them up, and then deliver them straight to your door!

We also offer ironing services across London, as well as dry cleaning, shoe repairs, upholstery cleaning and alterations.

All you have to do is make an order online on our website, or through our mobile app (available for iOS and Android).

You can choose a location and time slot that works for you, and our friendly couriers will collect your laundry items. We will then professionally clean your items and return them to you- all within 24 hours!

Our prices are affordable- for example, the ‘wash, dry, and fold’ package starts from £2.65 per kg. See the prices on our website here.

At Love2Laundry, we are not your typical launderette. We operate a cashless system, so you will pay for your order via our mobile app or online via our website.

We accept various forms of payment including American Express, Visa and MasterCard.

No more worrying about finding the correct change, or physically dropping off your laundry items- simply input your order with just a click of your fingers, and the rest is up to us!

About Love2Laundry

We hope we have answered the question ‘does dry cleaning remove armpit stains?’

For more content like this, check out our blog here to read more articles.

Find out more about Love2Laundry’s dry cleaning and laundry services by visiting our website here.

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