# How do you prevent sweat stains on dress shirts? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 26, 2015, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prevent-sweat-stains-on-dress-shirts/738642 "2015-11-26T16:03:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lakai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de0a6/32.png) [@Lakai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lakai)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2015, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prevent-sweat-stains-on-dress-shirts/738642/1 "2015-11-26T16:03:26Z")
I have some dress shirts developing very faint sweat stains around the collar and armpits. It’s not noticeable unless you really look for it, but it has me concerned about my shirts in the future. I wear undershirts in the winter, so this slight staining happened over the summer. In the winter I do not have this problem. I’m wondering if there is a way to prevent these stains or to get rid of them after they appear on your shirts. Anyone have any success removing them? ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2015, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prevent-sweat-stains-on-dress-shirts/738642/2 "2015-11-26T18:14:28Z")
The best luck I’ve had so far is to make a paste of Oxyclean and water, rub it on the stains thickly, leave it overnight, and then wash as usual. ---
**Author:** ![araminty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5e925/32.png) [@araminty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/araminty)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2015, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prevent-sweat-stains-on-dress-shirts/738642/3 "2015-11-26T19:36:16Z")
Prevent them with this product: [shirt shields](http://www.walmart.com/ip/The-Decent-Man-s-Grooming-Tools-Self-Adhesive-Shirt-Protecting-Shields-Pit-Protectors-10ct/19725632). You can also get [washable/reusable ones.](http://www.advantagewear.com/advadri_shields.html) ---
**Author:** ![obbn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d6d6ee/32.png) [@obbn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obbn)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2015, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prevent-sweat-stains-on-dress-shirts/738642/4 "2015-11-26T20:40:15Z")
I have a huge problem with sweat stains on my shirts. Eventually the arm pits become hard and stained. I believe it isn’t sweat that’s causing this, but the deodorant. Lately I’ve been taking my wife’s hair dryer and blowing hot air on my arm puts after I apply deodorant. It seems to dry the top layer .And keeps it from being absorbed by the shirt. I’ve noticed a marked decline in staining. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2015, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prevent-sweat-stains-on-dress-shirts/738642/5 "2015-11-27T05:16:43Z")
[Ask a clean person.](http://thehairpin.com/2012/08/ask-a-clean-person-still-with-the-armpits/) (No, seriously, that’s the name of the advice column. Columnist Jolie Kerr is the go-to for all your stain-removing needs.) ---
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2015, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prevent-sweat-stains-on-dress-shirts/738642/6 "2015-11-27T06:33:24Z")
Undershirts all year help a lot. It also helps with sweat in the summer, so your dress shirt doesn’t have wet patches. Deodorant with aluminum causes stains under the arms too. As for the collar, I don’t know how to prevent that. All of my dress shirts are dark or brightly colored, and if they do have them, I you can’t see them. However I have had good luck with a mix of Oxy-Clean and Dawn for almost all stains on my clothes. I make a paste and rub it in, and leave it for a few minutes then wash it. I never got why most men don’t wear undershirts all year. It’s there to keep your sweat and oils off your dress shirt. And since I’ve started this, I never have any wet patches under my arms either. ---
**Author:** ![Lakai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de0a6/32.png) [@Lakai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lakai)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2015, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prevent-sweat-stains-on-dress-shirts/738642/7 "2015-11-27T13:37:05Z")
> [@Mudshark](#): > > I never got why most men don’t wear undershirts all year. It’s there to keep your sweat and oils off your dress shirt. And since I’ve started this, I never have any wet patches under my arms either. The summer gets way too hot and I don’t stay in an air-conditioned office all day. I have to travel. ---
**Author:** ![sandra\_nz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2015, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prevent-sweat-stains-on-dress-shirts/738642/8 "2015-11-27T13:56:23Z")
Wear an antiperspirant rather than a deodorant, and [apply it at night](http://lifehacker.com/apply-antiperspirant-at-night-for-maximum-effectiveness-1570562830). ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2015, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prevent-sweat-stains-on-dress-shirts/738642/9 "2015-11-27T16:57:54Z")
I think it is the deodorant. I don’t use any and I never have sweat stains (nor do I stink according to my wife who would be the first to complain) and ordinary washing easily gets rid of the sweat. ---
**Author:** ![Disheavel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@Disheavel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disheavel)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2015, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prevent-sweat-stains-on-dress-shirts/738642/10 "2015-11-27T17:36:40Z")
Oooh, something I know too much about. In addition to the clean advice, Changing diet can help too. Cutting out diet sodas, tea, and coffee will cut down on stains especially around the collar. Losing a little weight also decreases the amount of sweat (and thus staining) quite dramatically. Unfortunately the underarm stain due to deodorant/antipersperant is a quite unsolved problem.