How to remove yellow stains from white clothes

Step by step: how to remove yellow stains from white clothes

Safety first. Never mix chlorine bleach with ammonia, vinegar or other cleaners. Use bleach diluted, never straight from the bottle on fabric, and keep soaks and wash loads separate so products do not meet.

1. 1

   Figure out what caused the yellow

   Yellow armpits and collars come from sweat and antiperspirant. Yellow patches on clothes that came out of storage are oxidized old stains. An overall yellow cast after a bleach wash usually means bleach misuse or spandex in the fabric. The fix depends on the cause.

2. 2

   Check the care label

   Look for the fiber content and the bleach symbol. Cotton and polyester whites can take oxygen bleach and usually chlorine bleach; anything with spandex, wool, silk or a do-not-bleach triangle cannot take chlorine bleach.

3. 3

   Pretreat the yellow areas

   Rub liquid detergent into armpits, collars and any yellow spots with your fingers or a soft toothbrush. Leave it for 15 to 30 minutes so it can start to break down the oils and residue.

4. 4

   Soak in an oxygen or enzyme solution

   Dissolve an oxygen bleach or enzyme stain remover powder in hot water following the label, for example one scoop in about 2 gallons. Submerge the whites and soak for at least an hour, and up to 8 hours for old yellowing.

5. 5

   Wash hot

   Wash the whites in the hottest water the care label allows with a full dose of detergent, adding more of the oxygen booster to the drum. Hot water helps lift body oils that cold water leaves behind.

6. 6

   Use chlorine bleach only if it is safe

   For bleach-safe white cotton or polyester with no spandex, you can add bleach to the wash at the label dose, about 1/3 cup for a regular load in a standard washer. Never pour it straight onto the stain.

7. 7

   Air dry and repeat if needed

   Hang the clothes to dry, ideally in daylight, and check the yellow areas when dry. Years-old stains often need a second soak before they are fully gone.

What causes yellow stains on white clothes?

Most yellowing comes from one of three things, and each needs a slightly different fix.

Orange or brown spots after washing are more often rust from iron in the water; see our rust stain guide.

How to get yellow armpit stains out of white shirts

Pretreat, soak in oxygen bleach and wash hot. The University of Georgia Extension recommends soaking perspiration stains in warm water with an oxygen bleach (sodium perborate) for 15 to 30 minutes, then laundering in the hottest water and bleach safe for the garment. It notes that prompt treatment matters because perspiration can weaken fabric over time.

Antiperspirant adds to the problem. UGA explains that antiperspirants containing aluminum compounds are acidic and can change some dyes; it suggests rubbing in undiluted dish liquid before laundering and then, if needed, a chlorine or oxygen bleach or hydrogen peroxide safe for the fabric (see its antiperspirant stain page). For ongoing prevention, let deodorant dry before you dress and wash shirts soon after wearing. Our sweat stain guide goes deeper on armpits.

Why stored whites and bleached whites turn yellow

Stored clothes yellow because invisible leftover stains slowly react with oxygen. Clorox explains that these residues often have a protein component best broken down with enzymes, and suggests a presoak of one scoop of its enzyme stain remover powder in 2 gallons of hot water: up to 8 hours for whites, about an hour for darker items, then a hot wash. Expect to repeat on years-old stains.

Bleach can cause yellowing too. Clorox says that even a small amount of spandex can yellow when washed with chlorine bleach, that using too much bleach can yellow fabric, and that yellowing caused by misuse is unfortunately permanent. It recommends about 1/3 cup for a regular load and, for presoaks, 1/4 cup per gallon of cool water for only 5 minutes.

• For whites with spandex, stripes or logos, use an oxygen bleach instead. OxiClean describes its whitener as a non-chlorine, color-safe option for presoaks or every load.
• Wash whites before you store them, and wrap special pieces in acid-free tissue in a breathable cotton bag, not plastic.
• Do not iron a stained white garment; heat can make the yellow permanent.

Mistakes to avoid

• Pouring chlorine bleach straight onto a yellow armpit stain.
• Bleaching white workout clothes or shirts that contain spandex.
• Washing whites in cold water with a light dose of detergent every time.
• Storing white clothes that were worn once and looked clean.
• Drying a still-yellow shirt on high heat, which sets the stain further.
• Mixing bleach with ammonia or vinegar to make it stronger.