Underarm stains are mostly caused by residues of deodorant or sweat, and we are sure you can’t wait to clean them and get rid of them.

You don’t want to see yellow stains under your arms or white stains behind your neck. Fortunately, most stains can be treated.

Let’s find out why they appear in the first place and, hopefully, fix them as soon as possible using DIY methods and ingredients around your home. Keep reading to find out more!

What Are Underarm Stains?

Underarm stains are noticeable, discolored areas in the underarm area of your clothing. The type of discoloring depends on the type of fabric and the color of your shirt.

If they are white or light-colored, you might see yellow stains. If they are dark, the opposite can happen and you will start seeing white or light grey stains.

They might also give out a “blurry” feeling to the fabric.

What Can Cause Underarm Stains

There are two main causes of underarm stains: natural causes and man-made causes. They are both related to the fact of sweating (natural causes) which, as we know, causes body odor. With time, they become bigger and more and more noticeable. Not only this doesn’t look good, but it can also affect garments that you like or even with sentimental value. You might be pulling a perfect outfit only to get it ruined by underarm stains.

The answer that we have is to apply deodorant (man-made). As we know, this mitigates body odor and adds a slight fragrance.

Stains Caused by Sweat

Perspiration is another common cause of stains. We have glands under our arms that generate sweat, which helps us cool down if our body temperature is increasing. It could be because of exercising, or just the natural increase of temperature in your city. Dallas can reach over 100° sometimes during the year!

Stressful situations also increase your body temperature, which translates into sweat. Work, traffic and running errands are all common causes of stress increasing.

Sweat also releases components from our body that we don’t need anymore, mostly minerals. The stain is produced when they come in contact with our deodorant or antiperspirant.

Whether they came from deodorant or sweat, stains are there and need to be gone.

Stains Caused by Deodorant

Deodorant stains are extremely common. They are caused mostly by aluminum. There are two main types of products that reduce sweat and body odor: antiperspirants and deodorants.

Antiperspirants contain aluminum, deodorants don’t. When it comes into contact with our bodies, particularly our sweat, they will decolorate our clothing.

With time, you’ll start noticing yellow stains under your arms. The worst part is that it’s not a one-time issue, it just evolves slowly with time, so you’ll have to act before the stains are too noticeable or permanent.

Cleaning Underarm Stains with Homemade DIY Cleaners

The good news is that underarm stains are not permanent! There are so many cleaning products and techniques that you can use and the best part is that you can create them at home in less than 10 minutes.

We can go from easy/simple and start trying with different cleaning agents.

The Rubbing Technique for Removing Stains

The first technique is fantastic because it doesn’t require any products, not even water. Try removing the stain by rubbing it with a nonstained piece of fabric from the same article of clothing. Because you are using the same type of fabric, this is a really gentle approach to your garment. This is especially useful for delicate fabrics such as silk.

This works particularly well for white deodorant stains, not so much for darker ones. You should try this method before adding any other product: at worst, it will have no effect.

Try Hydrogen Peroxide for Stubborn Underarm Stains

If that didn’t work, hydrogen peroxide will be a lifesaver here. As you may know, water is a great cleaning on its own, and with extra oxygen, it will be able to break down components that cause decoloration.

To start, create a cleaning solution by mixing one spoon of hydrogen peroxide, two spoons of baking soda, and ½ teaspoon of dish soap. Mixing chemicals is usually not a good idea but baking soda reacts nicely with most -if not all- household cleaning products. Plus, hydrogen peroxide is just water and oxygen.

Next, mix these three components until you form a paste and apply using an old toothbrush, and rub in a soft, circular motion. Then, let sit for 15 minutes. Finally, wash your article of clothing as per usual. 

The Good Old Vinegar Trick

When it comes to cleaning, vinegar has proven to be a jack-of-all-trades. In fact, vinegar is a great fabric softener and it can be used to remove deodorant stains for both white and colored clothes.

White cooking vinegar will do just fine. All you’ll need to do is grab your article of clothing and soak the stained area (it doesn’t need to be the entire piece) for an hour. Next, brush that same area with an old toothbrush for about 5 minutes or until you see the stain disappearing. Wash the entire garment in cold water afterward.

Related: Vinegar, A Very Versatile Cleaner

Try Lemon Juice for Underarm Stains

Similar to vinegar, lemon juice is one of the most versatile natural cleaning agents. Citric acid is a popular ingredient for cleaning products and one of the easiest ways to obtain it is through lemon or oranges and you can use it for many areas or surfaces at home.

Here’s how you can use it to remove underarm stains: place two or three teaspons of fresh lemon juice in a cup of warm water. Rub it into the stained area and rub with your fingers or with a soft brush, in a soft, circular motion. Let it sit for about an hour and then wash using cold setting.

If the stains are still there, repeat the process before placing your clothes in the dryer. Remember, heat will set the stains and it will be even harder to remove later.

Related: Homemade Cleaner Recipes

Use Your Deodorant Smarter, not Harder

If you’re using antiperspirants, switch to a deodorant that has no aluminum so you can tell the difference. Now you can find no-stains deodorants that are specifically designed to avoid staining your clothing. Also, if possible, take a shower every night and use your deodorant.

Because you won’t sweat as often at night, your glands won’t be producing that much sweat, this way the deodorant can set on your underarms and perform better during the day.

You can try the natural route and go for eco-friendly or natural deodorants. They usually contain essential oils to kill bacteria and offer a fragrance, and something to absorb sweat (e.g., cornstarch, baking soda) and many people enjoy using them instead of “regular” deodorants because they won’t create stains. Take the time to test 2 or 3 natural deodorants, either homemade or manufactured, and see if you “click” with one of them!

Take Good Care of Your Shirts

Good maintenance keeps many problems away.

Oxygen-based bleach, instead of chlorine bleach, is perfectly safe for both white and colored clothes and will soften stains. It will also make fabrics look brighter. Soak your clothes once in a while in a gallon of cold water next to a cup of oxygen-based bleach and you’ll notice an improvement.

Placing once cup of vinegar in the rinse cycle of your washing machine will work as a natural fabric softener. It will also help removing stains.

Avoid Underarm Stains in the Future

A good rule of thumb is that taking preventive measures always works great in the long run, and this includes sweating!

Wearing an undershirt is a great strategy. If you want to preserve your favorite garments for a long time, you could use white cotton undershirts underneath. They will absorb all your body substances (sweat, natural body oils, deodorant…) that may cause stains or decoloration.

Therefore, your most valued clothes won’t need to be washed that often since they won’t absorb smells directly, keeping them safe and sound for a long time. On top of that, you will also save on water and detergent because you won’t need to wash your clothes as often.

As for sweating, you can’t avoid that happening, for obvious reasons, but you do want to help sweat be as harmless as possible: wash your sweaty clothes as fast as possible as soon as you’ve stopped using them.

Also, wear comfortable clothing that allows sweat to leave your body. The better airflow, the quicker sweat will evaporate. Many shirts now come with a mesh fabric that allows for better ventilation, reducing the accumulation of sweat and body odor.

If you are working out at home, make sure you remove your workout clothes as soon as you finish and, if possible, hang them to air dry.

Conclusion

Underarm stains, either caused by sweat or by deodorant, are not pleasant to look at and can ruin your clothing. Taking extra care of your garments will make them last for years and years. Always try your cleaning solutions in a small, hidden area (the area behind your neck, for example).

Choosing the right deodorant will save you a big headache later on. And remember, if you want your belongings to last long and stay clean and sanitized efficiently, you can hire a professional service.

The post Cleaning Underarm Stains with Homemade DIY Cleaners appeared first on Dallas Maids® | Maid Service & House Cleaning Services Voted #1 for a Reason.

If you can’t find the time to clean and organize your home during the week, what you need is a daily cleaning checklist. Its purpose is to make you plan everything out in advance, so you won’t have to think it through. If you already know you must do it, you will have no time for second-guessing or forgetting.

Plus, if you make cleaning a daily habit, you won’t need to spend your weekend or your day off cleaning for hours and hours because there won’t be that much to clean in the first place!

These tasks are thought of as part of day-to-day home maintenance: some light, fast organizing and cleansing for your surfaces, living spaces, and everyday equipment. Let’s go!

Is daily cleaning too much cleaning?

The short answer is no.

The long answer is: you might think it’s too much because you’re thinking of “cleaning” as a hard, time and energy demanding task that can last for hours.

If you do it every day, you won’t need to put that much hard work into it! It’ll be over before you notice it because you won’t need more than 20 or 30 minutes a day. And if you’re up to the challenge, you will probably be able to find 20 minutes a day once you start to see the benefits.

Let’s make a checklist for keeping your home clean every day and get to the weekend with a tidy house before realizing it! Here’s a rule of thumb: you can split your cleaning routines for even and odd days. Most things around home won’t need to be cleaned every day, but every other day seems more of a reasonable time.

You also want to vary your tasks: here are six rooms in total, feel free to adapt them. They are set this way so as to mix easy light tasks with harder, more demanding ones. You can tackle them solo, or you can invite your family as well! Make sure you assign them tasks that are age-appropriate. Here are your guidelines for each room:

Kitchen

• Grab your clean dishes and place them back into your cabinets and drawers.
• Do the dishes, whether it’s by hand or loading the dishwasher.
• Clean your surfaces quickly! Check these all-purpose homemade cleaning solutions.

Bathroom

• Scrub your sink and rinse with water.
• Add some cleaning solution in your toilet, let sit a few minutes and scrub.
• If your trash can is full, take the trash out.

Living area

• Set your cushions and blankets in the right place.
• Sweep your living room floors.
• Grab misplaced items you find along the way and put them back in place.

Bedroom

• Grab your misplaced clothing and place them back in your closet or in the laundry room.
• Sweep your bedroom floors.
• Make your bed.

Office / Study

• Grab your misplaced office supplies and books and put them back inside the drawers and bookshelves.
• Wipe your working surface as well as your keyboard and monitor (if you own a desktop computer or laptop).
• Wash and rinse your windows quickly so the room is always nice and bright.

Patio / Balcony

• Do a quick sweep of your outdoor floors (if your patio is too large, you might want to leave this for the weekend).
• Mown the lawn. Same as above, make sure you have enough time or just leave it for the weekend.
• Water your plants if necessary.

Make sure you print this daily cleaning checklist and put it in your fridge! No more excuses for anyone not to do their required task for the day.

You can place your name’s initials next to the task to sort them out by family member. You can even take turns, so it won’t get too repetitive.

Conclusion

It’s not easy to keep up with cleaning. Life can get crazy sometimes and it’s okay if you don’t have the time for it. Give it a try and if your home is still messy at the end of the week, you can hire some help to take care of it for you.

Take a mental note of every space in your home and just keep rotating them during your week. You can use the daily cleaning checklist as a mere guideline if you want to! Adapt it to your home and your timetable as much as you want to.

Make sure you don’t go all-in with your cleaning routine. Use a timer so you won’t take any more time than absolutely necessary. This is key for avoiding burnout and make cleaning something you find relaxing and joyful.

The post No More Endless Cleaning Sprees: Try This Daily Cleaning Checklist appeared first on Dallas Maids® | Maid Service & House Cleaning Services Voted #1 for a Reason.

Hello and welcome back to Dallas Maids! Today we’re sharing 21 Quick and Safe DIY Cleaning Hacks, an article where we are featured in with a cleaning hack.

We love reading and sharing other articles from journalists and fellow house cleaners. The more, the merrier! We want everyone to have access to easy, quick cleaning tips.

Here’s a little preview! Our secret tip involves cleaning with alcohol and with shaving cream!

Clear alcohol is useful to remove stains from carpet floors and rugs. First, blot the stain with a slightly damp cloth. You want to blot and not scrub because this way you won’t spread the stain everywhere. White wine is especially helpful if you want to remove red wine or other dark stains.

Second, pour any type of clear alcohol (rubbing alcohol, vodka, white wine) onto the stain. With a clear alcohol solution you will dissolve oils and other substances.

Our second tip involves shaving cream. Did you know you can use it to remove water stains from shower glass?

Water stains are annoying and frustrating. If you see them in your bathroom, it’s probably because of hard water. If you live in places like Dallas or Frisco, there’s a high chance your water is hard. This means it has microscopic minerals like calcium and magnesium. Once they dry, they “set” on the surface.

If you apply shaving cream and let sit for 15 minutes, the surfactants will loosen up these minerals and your glass will look nice and shiny after rinsing.

That’s our preview! Please check the full article here which is full of useful cleaning hacks!

Get more done around the house with ingredients in your fridge, pantry and medicine cabinet.

by Nicole Spector / Jun.19.2018 / Source

That’s all for today! We will be back soon!

The post 21 Quick and Safe DIY Cleaning Hacks appeared first on Dallas Maids® | Maid Service & House Cleaning Services Voted #1 for a Reason.