Preventing yellowed collars

Bandwagonesque · Apr 29, 2007

Probably the most noob menswear question of all, is there any solution to preventing, or reducing having collars of light coloured shirts turning yellow? I usually don't wash my shirts after each wearing, since this wears them out too quickly, so what other options do I have? Any ways to get out set in stains, or is all hope lost?

migo · Apr 29, 2007

I have the same problem, though the insides of my collars get discolored too on the light colored shirts...

GQgeek · Apr 29, 2007

First-off, I think euro-style, front-loading washing machines are much gentler on clothes. Secondly, just wash them with fewer items. The less they have to rub against, the less they'll fray.Aside from that you just have to do laundry frequently to avoid any stains setting. When you do wash them, you could use something like Spray-and-wash.

muelleran · Apr 29, 2007

Prior to washing I spray a detergent on collars and cuffs that was designed for soaking in 15 minutes before washing - nothing fancy really, but since I do this I have never seen a trace of dirt on the collars after washing.

Before that I suppose the dirt could have accumulated because it was not completely removed during washing.

EDIT: I guess that's what you call spray and wash? ^^

Cravate_Noire · Apr 29, 2007

If you wash your shirt yourself and discover serious "collar dirt", pretreat the collar with ox-gall soap (has to be non-fading if it is a coloured shirt) or liquid washing agent/soft soap before putting it in the machine. Let it act for some time on the fabric before you wash it.
Sometimes also gasoline helps as a pretreater, but then again you shoul be careful with coloured shirts.

Silk · Apr 29, 2007

Here's one thing I do but it's admittedly destructive.

Use bleach on the collars. Or rather, just bleach the shirt every now and then.

Bleach causes the fabric to weaken though.

Bandwagonesque · Apr 29, 2007

It's not really dirt. I think the yellowing on collars is caused by a heavy oil, not sweat, that is secreted by the skin. My undershirts eventually get yellow pit stains, and they're washed after every use... I don't like how undershirts look under a dress shirt, but if it wasn't for them, my shirts would have pit stains as well.

I've read things before about using chalk on the insides of collars, and so on.

Cravate_Noire · Apr 29, 2007

Well, "collar dirt" was a my creation to describe that mixture of whatever causes the yellowing, I think everyone will have this problem if a shirt worn long enough.
Pretreatment with a liquig washing detergent seems to me quite safe, so I just would try it.
If you think that it is mainly oil, you should try dishwashing liquid, rub it in the yellow places with your fingers and wash it than as you would do normally.

scruff · Apr 29, 2007

Originally Posted by Bandwagonesque

It's not really dirt. I think the yellowing on collars is caused by a heavy oil, not sweat, that is secreted by the skin. My undershirts eventually get yellow pit stains, and they're washed after every use... I don't like how undershirts look under a dress shirt, but if it wasn't for them, my shirts would have pit stains as well.

I've read things before about using chalk on the insides of collars, and so on.

Not sure if you were implying that underarm stains on t-shirts were also caused by heavy oil, but the yellowing's actually from the aluminum chloride found in 99% of over-the-counter deoderants.

mack11211 · Apr 29, 2007

To get rid of severe collar yellowing, a pre-soak in hot water with some Oxy-Clean or other stuff with the same active ingredient will get rid of the discoloration.

Matt · Apr 29, 2007

living in a place that is 90+ degrees basically every day, meaning I am always sweating, and is polluted n grubby, means that I had to find the ultimate solution to this.

I did so.

I completely stopped wearing white shirts. It's pretty effective.

Faded501s · Apr 29, 2007

If you don't want to go with the gasoline or bleach, Shout has always worked well for me...liquid or gel as directed.

Bandwagonesque · Apr 29, 2007

Originally Posted by scruff

Not sure if you were implying that underarm stains on t-shirts were also caused by heavy oil, but the yellowing's actually from the aluminum chloride found in 99% of over-the-counter deoderants.

You mean anti-perspirants? I didn't know that they caused yellowing, but they did make the pits of my shirts stiffer and left a white coating in the underarm area on darker shirts. I made the switch to the crystal pit stick this winter.

PITAronin · Apr 29, 2007

For me, soaking the shirt and then giving the collar, armpits, and cuffs a good brushing with a fingernail brush and bar soap, then leaving the shirt to soak in a plastic grocery bag (bummer for any environmentalists who refuse anything but paper) overnight before washing (Tide grandules with a bit of Oxyclean) has been most effective.

Renty · Apr 29, 2007

Originally Posted by Bandwagonesque

You mean anti-perspirants? I didn't know that they caused yellowing, but they did make the pits of my shirts stiffer and left a white coating in the underarm area on darker shirts. I made the switch to the crystal pit stick this winter.

Yep, antiperspirants containing aluminum are what cause armpit staining. I've switched to deodorant I no longer have this problem.

Preventing yellowed collars

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