# Armpit stains **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 14, 2008, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armpit-stains/463580 "2008-09-14T18:40:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![JustAnotherGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/58f4c7/32.png) [@JustAnotherGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustAnotherGeek)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armpit-stains/463580/1 "2008-09-14T18:40:06Z")
Ok, Mr’s and Mrs’s smarty-pantses, (yeah, and you, too, Cecil, I hope you’re listening): One of the all-time great questions, I know. Why do the armpits of my undershirts turn such a vibrant piss-colored yellow? How come bleach does _nothing_ to get this out? (And, in fact, tends to make it worse.) Is there anything that can remove the disgusting discoloration from my otherwise white-as-the-day-I-bought-them garments? I’m a fairly smart fellow. (Heck, I post here, so that alone makes me damn near a genius, right?) I’ve been through chemistry, organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, biochemistry, analytic chemistry, and even (once) had an account at [chemistry.com](http://chemistry.com), but I have no idea what in the world is leaking out of my pits and permanently changing the color of my clothing. A little help here? Oh, and while you’re at it, why is it impossible to buy a plain white dress shirt that you **can’t** see through? Why would I want to know what kind of undershirt the guy across from me is wearing? ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armpit-stains/463580/2 "2008-09-14T18:48:58Z")
> [@JustAnotherGeek](#): > > Is there anything that can remove the disgusting discoloration from my otherwise white-as-the-day-I-bought-them garments? Try [Nature’s Miracle](http://www.petco.com/Shop/ProductList.aspx?PC=productlist&Nav=1&N=386), a pet stain remover available at most large pet supply stores. It works like a charm on just about any kind of bodily fluid or substance. You results may vary if the stain has already been treated with other chemicals, however. ---
**Author:** ![Belowjob2.0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Belowjob2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belowjob2.0)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armpit-stains/463580/3 "2008-09-14T19:13:14Z")
Wild guess: sweat has proteins in it which bond to the threads? Regular washing and bleaching should get rid of any fats/oils in the body fluids, so I’m thinking it must be the proteins. Or not. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armpit-stains/463580/4 "2008-09-14T19:32:41Z")
Give up. The stains are caused by an oxidative chemical change in the cotton due to the nasties in human sweat etc . Short of bleaching it to point the fabric is damaged there’s no solution. ---
**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armpit-stains/463580/5 "2008-09-14T20:12:34Z")
> [@JustAnotherGeek](#): > > Why do the armpits of my undershirts turn such a vibrant piss-colored yellow? Probably has something to do with the chemical makeup of whatever deodorant and/or antiperspirant you’re using. I had horrible troubles with armpit sweating until I started using Drysol, a prescription antiperspirant, and began shaving them. I haven’t used commercial applications for almost a decade now; when I don’t use the Drysol my sweat is crystal-clear. I should note that before using Drysol I never had a shirt last me more than a few months before the pits were destroyed. Now my shirts actually wear out naturally. As for the see-throughness of mens dress shirts, I got nothing.