What's Causing Those Yellow Stains on Your White Clothes?

It’s time to stop blaming sweat for the yellow marks staining your favorite white garments. We’ve gotten to the bottom of the issue, and the answers might surprise you!

Wondering how to remove yellow stains on white clothes? If you’re ready to banish these pesky stains once and for all, keep reading for the real culprits and easy solutions.

Stain Removal Tips: How to Remove Yellow Stains on White Clothes

Deodorant

Sweat is natural, but most deodorants are not. When your clothes get wet from heat and exercise, it’s actually the combination of sweat plus deodorant that turns yellow—not sweat alone!

To prevent discoloration, be sure to scrape away any excess deodorant you see on your clothes before wearing or washing them. Then, follow any of the strategies in this deodorant stain removal guide.

If the garment permits, wearing an undershirt can also help minimize sweat and deodorant contact!

Improper Washing and Drying

Like deodorant, substances leftover from standard washing and drying can get trapped in a garment’s fibers and discolor the fabric. So this tip is simple: ensure you’re thoroughly washing, rinsing, and drying your clothing completely!

This can look like:

  • Running an extra rinse cycle when clothing seems sudsy after washing.

  • Air or line-drying clothing that’s still damp after the dryer.

  • Using the right amount of laundry detergent.

Don’t know how much laundry detergent to add to your wash?

Additionally, double-checking that your clothing is clean and dry is especially important before storing it long-term. If you’re packing items for a season or two, be extra careful when laundering them!

Too Many Laundry Products

Too much or too little laundry detergent is just one way to turn white clothes yellow. Overusing any type of laundry product—or using ones you don’t need—can also trap yellow-prone substances in fabric.

For example, did you know that fabric softener and dryer sheets often do more harm than good? White vinegar is a simpler substitute with far less residue risk.

In short, the fewer chemicals your clothing comes in contact with, the fewer substances will get trapped in the fabric and ultimately become yellow. 

How to Remove Yellow Stains on White Clothes

For white clothes that have already succumbed to yellow marks, follow these steps:

  1. Combine three tablespoons of dish soap, three tablespoons of baking soda, and ½ cup of hydrogen peroxide.

  2. Apply the paste over your yellow stain completely.

  3. Let it sit for one hour, then machine wash as usual in cold water.

Instead of searching ‘laundry near me,’ visit the WaveMAX laundry website for professional dry cleaning, laundry pick-up and delivery, top-of-the-line laundry machines, and more.