# Is there a way to prevent armpit sweat stains on a T-shirt? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 2, 2013, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-prevent-armpit-sweat-stains-on-a-t-shirt/667826 "2013-09-02T18:25:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2013, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-prevent-armpit-sweat-stains-on-a-t-shirt/667826/1 "2013-09-02T18:25:51Z")
It seems that no matter how much deodorant I put on, if it’s a really hot day, I often end up with sweat stains in the armpit area of my T-shirt. Is there a way to prevent this? I don’t think I stink (though maybe I’m just ignorant of it?), but it doesn’t look pretty. ---
**Author:** ![rsat3acr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@rsat3acr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsat3acr)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2013, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-prevent-armpit-sweat-stains-on-a-t-shirt/667826/2 "2013-09-02T20:05:07Z")
sleeveless? no not really, women used to wear dress shields for this, may be a way to do it. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2013, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-prevent-armpit-sweat-stains-on-a-t-shirt/667826/3 "2013-09-02T20:10:18Z")
Certain-Dri anti-perspirant. ETA: I am an excessive sweater and I’ve been using that stuff for the past few years and I haven’t had a pit stain since. ---
**Author:** ![rhubarbarin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@rhubarbarin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhubarbarin)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2013, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-prevent-armpit-sweat-stains-on-a-t-shirt/667826/4 "2013-09-02T20:22:45Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Certain-Dri anti-perspirant. > > ETA: I am an excessive sweater and I’ve been using that stuff for the past few years and I haven’t had a pit stain since. This. Stuff works. It does irritate my skin though (since I shave my armpits) and must be used properly. But also, tank tops. I always have sweaty pits/hands/feet to some degree no matter the season, but I get so hot and it is so profuse in the summer heat that I think it’s probably healthier to just let it happen. It’s meant to cool your body, after all. So I don’t wear shirts with sleeves in warm weather, if I am going to be outdoors. I carry a cardigan or sweatshirt in case I get chilly in indoor A/C. ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2013, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-prevent-armpit-sweat-stains-on-a-t-shirt/667826/5 "2013-09-02T20:37:32Z")
Deodorant won’t work. You need an anti-perspirant. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2013, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-prevent-armpit-sweat-stains-on-a-t-shirt/667826/6 "2013-09-02T21:20:56Z")
Anti-perspirant. Wait. Blot underarms with a utility towel. This will slow the appearance and growth of sweat/deodorant stains on clothes for years. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2013, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-prevent-armpit-sweat-stains-on-a-t-shirt/667826/7 "2013-09-02T21:23:35Z")
> [@rhubarbarin](#): > > I always have sweaty pits/hands/feet to some degree no matter the season, but I get so hot and it is so profuse in the summer heat that I think it’s probably healthier to just let it happen. It’s meant to cool your body, after all. You sweat from damn near every pore in your body, by stopping the sweat in the small area of your armpits, you aren’t doing anything even remotely harmful to yourself, your body will simply re-route the sweat to different pores. (if this is even what you meant, it may not have been. If not, disregard.) ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2013, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-prevent-armpit-sweat-stains-on-a-t-shirt/667826/8 "2013-09-02T23:26:10Z")
buy yellow shirts. ---
**Author:** ![sisu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@sisu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sisu)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2013, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-prevent-armpit-sweat-stains-on-a-t-shirt/667826/9 "2013-09-02T23:56:59Z")
Don’t wear tight tshirts. ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2013, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-prevent-armpit-sweat-stains-on-a-t-shirt/667826/10 "2013-09-03T00:46:11Z")
You can also try other fabrics like Cool Max as opposed to just plain cotton. ---
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2013, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-prevent-armpit-sweat-stains-on-a-t-shirt/667826/11 "2013-09-03T01:03:12Z")
> [@chacoguy](#): > > You can also try other fabrics like Cool Max as opposed to just plain cotton. No, don’t do it. Sweat and synthetics = stench where there otherwise wasn’t any. Best bet is antiperspirant and cotton. Or wool, but that’d be silly. ---
**Author:** ![sisu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@sisu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sisu)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2013, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-prevent-armpit-sweat-stains-on-a-t-shirt/667826/12 "2013-09-03T01:18:35Z")
> [@sparky\_1](#): > > No, don’t do it. Sweat and synthetics = stench where there otherwise wasn’t any. Best bet is antiperspirant and cotton. Or wool, but that’d be silly. No wool is not silly, I wear woolen tshirts sometimes. Maybe it’s an aussie thing but you can get summer weight wool tshirts $$$ ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2013, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-prevent-armpit-sweat-stains-on-a-t-shirt/667826/13 "2013-09-03T01:53:59Z")
The “clinical strength” deodorant/antiperspirants are awesome. I used to have armpit sweat patches daily until I started using them. I’ve tried the Secret and Dove versions and they seem to be identical. ---
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2013, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-prevent-armpit-sweat-stains-on-a-t-shirt/667826/14 "2013-09-03T13:24:08Z")
> [@sisu](#): > > No wool is not silly, I wear woolen tshirts sometimes. Maybe it’s an aussie thing but you can get summer weight wool tshirts $$$ Huh, good to know! I only wear wool socks these days (Smartwool) due to clammy feet. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2013, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-prevent-armpit-sweat-stains-on-a-t-shirt/667826/15 "2013-09-03T18:32:24Z")
Move to one of the poles, live in an unheated igloo and don’t bring a jacket. Guaranteed to eliminate sweat stains. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2013, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-prevent-armpit-sweat-stains-on-a-t-shirt/667826/16 "2013-09-03T18:35:08Z")
> [@Missy2U](#): > > Deodorant won’t work. You need an anti-perspirant. This. Or Botox injections. ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2013, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-prevent-armpit-sweat-stains-on-a-t-shirt/667826/17 "2013-09-03T20:09:24Z")
IME, anti-perspirant never caused me to cease perspiring. It also turned the pits of my shirts into horrible yellow plastic patches. I’ve switched to the “crystal” deodorant, and have had no problems w/ staining since, leading me to think it’s as much something in the product as it is something in my pits. That said, I’m not a horribly excessive sweater, so YMMV. (The crystal deodorant also tends more toward “controlling” the odor, rather than masking it with perfumes or mysteriously making it disappear entirely, like Mitchum Unscented. o.O But I’ve not noticed people being any more repulsed by me than usual, so.) ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2013, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-prevent-armpit-sweat-stains-on-a-t-shirt/667826/18 "2013-09-04T01:05:31Z")
> [@LawMonkey](#): > > IME, anti-perspirant never caused me to cease perspiring. It also turned the pits of my shirts into horrible yellow plastic patches. Then you haven’t tried Certain Dri. That shit will stop _anything_ from sweating.