Discoloration stains on your favorite shirts, pants, or dresses can be frustrating. Those yellowish sweat stains around the collar and underarms or the brownish stains from spills can make an otherwise good piece of clothing look dingy and worn.
The good news is that it is possible to remove many types of discoloration from fabrics through some simple cleaning methods. With a few household products and tools and a little bit of elbow grease, you can often dramatically improve the look of stained and discolored clothing.
What Causes Brown and Yellow Discoloration on Clothes
There are a few common culprits behind yellowing and browning on fabric:
- Sweat and body oils – The acids and salts in sweat interact with clothing fabrics, especially around areas like the underarms, to create yellowing.
- Spilled foods and drinks – Things like coffee, tea, wine, and curry can leave behind brownish stains.
- Build up of skin cells and oils – Over time, dead skin cells, hair products, etc. can leave a yellowish/brownish film.
- Improper washing and drying – Using hot water to wash, putting clothes in the dryer when still wet, and ironing when damp can all accelerate discoloration.
So dealing with these root causes through better laundry practices can help avoid new stains. But to remove existing stains, you’ll need to use some special removal methods.
Cleaning Supplies to Have On Hand
Having a good arsenal of cleaning solutions and tools makes stain removal easier:
- White vinegar – Great at breaking down residues and for helping lift stains. Avoid using it full strength on more delicate fabrics though.
- Dish soap – Dawn and other dish soaps are designed as degreasers to cut through oil and grease.
- Hydrogen peroxide or oxygen bleach – Help to lift stains by bubble action without using chlorine bleach which can damage fabrics.
- Borax – A natural laundry booster that helps lift stains.
- Baking soda – Acts as a very mild abrasive to help scrub away stains.
- Lemon juice – The acidity cuts through discoloration much like vinegar. Avoid using on silk or wool.
- Clothes brush – For working surface stains on sturdier items.
- Washboard – For scrubbing clothes in a basin or sink.
Step-by-Step for Removing Brown and Yellow Stains
With the right products, here is the process to lift even stubborn caked-on yellowing and browning:
1. Prepare Stain Removal Solution
Make a targeted stain removal paste or soak solution based on the fabric type:
- For white fabrics – Mix hydrogen peroxide or oxygen bleach powder with borax and dish soap into a thick paste. Or soak clothes in a diluted bleach solution.
- For sturdy cotton / denim – Make a paste using baking soda and dish soap or use lemon juice/vinegar instead.
- For more delicate fabrics – Mix a mild solution of vinegar and dish soap or try borax and hydrogen peroxide instead of bleach options.
2. Apply Solution & Let It Soak In
Start by brushing the fabric with a clothes brush to remove any loose residue. Carefully apply stain solution paste or soak entire garment.
Let the cleaning agents soak in for at least 15-30 minutes. This gives the chemicals time to break down the compounds causing discoloration.
3. Scrub & Rinse
Use a washboard, toothbrush, or garment brush to scrub fabric – starting from edges of stain inward. The light abrasion combined with cleaner will lift staining away.
Rinse thoroughly in cool water until all soap residue is removed. Avoid hot water as it can set stains.
Repeat process if needed for tough stains. But avoid over-scrubbing delicate items.
4. Dry & Evaluate Effectiveness
Lay flat or hang to dry fully. Inspect garment in natural daylight to evaluate if discoloration has been removed sufficiently.
If staining persists, you can repeat cleaning process focusing directly on the most stained areas. But test solutions first on a hidden corner of clothing to ensure methods don’t damage fabric.
With some time and targeted stain removal methods, you can bring dingy clothing back to a like-new look! Being ready with the right stain fighting tools makes it much easier tackle discoloration.
Preventing Future Discoloration Stains
After putting in the effort to remove stains from clothing, you want to prevent new ones! Here are handy tips:
- Always use cool water when washing stained items
- Wash clothing inside-out so abrasion happens on inner lining
- Avoid overloading washing machine
- Check clothing tags closely and don’t use very hot dryer temperatures
- Use stain pretreatment products and hydrogen peroxide boosters in your regular wash cycles
- Don’t let food or sweat stains set in – rinse or pretreat soon after happening
References
Women’s World Magazine. “DIY Stain Remover: 10 Homemade Stain Removers You’ll Love”, Mar 31, 2022.
Tide. “How To Get Stains Out Of Clothes”, P&G, Retrieved Jan 18, 2023.
The Spruce. “How to Remove 16 Common Stains from Clothes, Furniture, and Carpet”. Retrieved Jan 18, 2023.
Laura has had an enthusiasm for laundry ever since she was a teenager experimenting with wash cycles. She went on study textile science in college before working in product testing.
Soon, Laura found friends and family constantly asking her laundry advice, realizing she had become an unofficial laundry guru. The questions kept coming in, so Laura decided to start sharing laundry tips online to help more people. The enthusiastic response led her start the blog “Laundry How”.
Now in her late thirties, Laura uses Laundry How to tackle all kinds of laundry topics – stains, fabric care, detergents, and more. She provides advice from both her studies and experience testing techniques out firsthand. Laura continues to grow an engaged community of laundry learners, feeling fulfilled empowering people to make laundry an easy, confidence-building ritual rather than a dreaded chore.