best way to remove pit stains and collar yellowing?

[double00]

blood on the collar and pits ? yikes .

pitch this topic to the thrift thread those guys can clean anything

 

[mhip]

I've brought this one up before, and it is the best stuff I have ever used.
Handles all my white pits and collars like magic.
Just spray, sit about 5 minutes and wash.
No scrubbing.

Natural Laundry Stain Remover

Is there anything Natural Laundry Stain Remover can't erase? Not that we've found! In fact, we're positive that this is the best stain remover anywhere.

puracy.com

 

[TheShetlandSweater]

The Lazy Way

Mix detergent with water and put in spray bottle. Spray liberally on affected areas. Inside and outside. Let sink in for a few minutes before washing. Each time you do this the stains should improve some.

 

[Keith Taylor]

I use a spray on oxygen bleach from the Gut & Gunstig brand (presumably German, and ubiquitous in Mongolia) called Oxi Power. Wet down any stains, spray liberally, leave for 15 minutes and then machine wash as normal. No need for any harsh scrubbing. I've yet to find a stain or material it can't handle. Even delicates like cashmere will tolerate the occasional spray of oxygen bleach.

I recently ran out of the stuff and haven't been able to replace it, so I tried OxiClean powder for the first time. Meh. The spray stuff is miles better, and much less messy.

Also yeah, switch to a different anti-perspirant if you're getting yellowing. I don't use the stuff, and have only seen yellow stains on vintage shirts.

 

[weriker]

On another note - pit stains. Very often those are from aluminum in antiperspirant. Strongly consider trying a deodorant only. I made the switch 5 years ago and so glad I did.

Second this: I had those stains developing on every shirt after a while.

After switching to an aluminum-free deodorant (which works almost as well as the antiperspirant), no new stains develop and old ones disappear after multiple washes.

 

[Crispyj]

Mix Tom's white tooth paste, baking soda, and a few ml of water. Use a tooth brush to spread it around the collar and pit area. Use the soak function and then wash.

 

[CLTesquire]

I've brought this one up before, and it is the best stuff I have ever used.
Handles all my white pits and collars like magic.
Just spray, sit about 5 minutes and wash.
No scrubbing.

Natural Laundry Stain Remover

Is there anything Natural Laundry Stain Remover can't erase? Not that we've found! In fact, we're positive that this is the best stain remover anywhere.

puracy.com

That stuff is magic. My wife bought some to combat stains on our kids’ clothes and it’s impressive.

 

[HRH_David]

On another note - pit stains. Very often those are from aluminum in antiperspirant. Strongly consider trying a deodorant only. I made the switch 5 years ago and so glad I did. I was worried I would have more sweat but that hasn't been the case. I do wear undershirts with dress button downs but even those no longer have pit stains since I got rid of the aluminium-containing anti-perspirant.

This is excellent advice, I did this too and I couldn't be happier. It has saved me a small fortune on undershirts. There are good options as all price levels, but I prefer O'Douds and most of the London Barber brands. I would never use a scrub brush on my clothing; soaking is the the key to removing stains from any fabric.

 

[BoydsShoes]

When the link to this thread in my SF email said "how to remove yellow stains from shirts," I thought it was about getting rid of mustard stains from my Uncle Moishe's shirts after his weekly deli visits.

While we are at that, do these things work for mustard stains?

 

[lullemans72]

Yup, I can attest that OxiClean is the better option. I started using it earlier this year for the first time, and it did wonders to some of my old dress shirts which I thought were done for. In one cleaning session, it removed almost all of the old pit stains that had been on my shirts over the years, and removed a lot of the rings around the collar, albeit not entirely. I think repeated treatments with longer soak-in time should help.

And FWIW, I have been using the Thompson Tee for the past few years. Feel free to look it up. Basically undershirts with special padding that prevents sweat from seeping through your clothes. No need to use antiperspirants or deodorants any more.

 

[DapperPhilly]

I've had a 100% success rate spraying areas with oxy maxforce stain remover, let sit for a day or two then wash cold to avoid shrinkage.
The oxy directions call for washing hot after spraying which is fine if you aren't worried about shrinking or bit of fabric degregation.
Letting the oxy set into stains for as long as possible seems key.

 

[nevaeh]

Much as the OP, I was once a poor graduate student who could not afford dry cleaning or new shirts. I am now a working professional, but still live with that mindset because I am cheap and because having clothes last longer is more environmentally friendly. And, so, I have a clothing routine that's focused on maximizing the longevity of my shirts.

Here's the process I follow and have found to work well (partly based on compressive guides from a custom shirtmaker and from an authority on fabric cleaning and partly based on my own trial and error):

1. Pre-treat using Fels-Naptha or Spray 'N Wash for a few hours. I have found that preventative care--and preventing collars from getting really yellow and dirty--is the best way.

a. Use a large, soft horsehair brush, water (tap temperature), and Fels-Naptha to pre-treat, by rubbing, the collar, cuffs, underarms, and any stains​

​

b. If I'm feeling lazy or if the stains are really strong, I spray with Spray 'N Wash on the same areas instead of using Fels. Spray 'N Wash has cleaned some really nasty stains (the OP's shirts already seem to be yellowed, so perhaps try Spray 'N Wash first)​

2. Pre-soak shirts overnight with detergent, OxiClean, and water (I use a five gallon bucket for this)

3. Wash shirts in the washer with OxiClean and detergent. I allow these two cleaning agents to mix in the water before I add my clothes. I also place my shirts in mesh bags, use a delicate cycle, and use cold water.

(I use cold water because it works for me, reduces shrinkage, and is supposed to help clothes last longer. It's also slightly more environmentally friendly because of less energy usage. If anyone is interested, Malcolm Gladwell has a podcast on the research P&G is doing to make detergents more efficient in cold water.)

4. Done. I let the shirts hang for a bit to allow them to dry slightly and then I iron and hang them

That's a lot of steps, but I now have shirts that are going on 4-5 years of regular wear and they still look almost new. In addition, I have never needed a dry cleaner with these steps. I have occasionally used them when I'm traveling for work and don't have time to wash things myself.

In the end, I have found that an ounce of prevention (pre-treating with Fels or Spray 'N Wash and pre-soaking) has been a pound of cure.

 

[bugsyiii]

Still a broke grad student, haven't started balling outta control like most of y'all. What's the best way to remove pit stains and collar yellowing?

I have a ton of these things, lets talk.

 

[bdavro23]

Scrub your neck in the shower. Seriously. I got one of those sonic face scrubbers a few years ago and when I started using it on my neck, I never saw stains on my collars again. The best way to get the stains out is not getting them in the first place...

 

[dieworkwear]

Scrub your neck in the shower. Seriously. I got one of those sonic face scrubbers a few years ago and when I started using it on my neck, I never saw stains on my collars again. The best way to get the stains out is not getting them in the first place...

I only clean my neck once every six months because washing it ruins the fades.