The Science Behind Sweat Stains

Perspiration stains on garments can turn our hard work and best effort into unsightly embarrassment.  Sweat stains can make important occasions needlessly stressful.  Luckily, we help boost your confidence by ensuring that you look crisp and professional on your big day.

Although sweat is mostly water, it also contains oils and fats.  As perspiration evaporates from your garments, it leaves behind salt, which may cause stiffness on your fabric. When the residue encounters heat, it oxidizes, leaving a white powder substance. Over time, these stains can become much more noticeable.  Often, garments without noticeable perspiration marks will develop noticeable stains after going through the cleaning process.  By pre-treating your garments, however, you can minimize the risks of stains becoming set in before you get them to the professionals for a thorough cleaning. If you notice heavy perspiration stains on a garment, flush the stained area with hot water or the steam setting on your iron.  Then add a small amount of laundry detergent to the stain. Work the detergent into the stained area by tapping—not scrubbing.  Flush the area with water or steam or water again and repeat as needed. In addition to pre-treating stains, you can also prolong the life of your garments by considering the deodorant or anti-perspirant that you use.

Many popular products have ingredients such as zinc that may damage your garments.  Trace amounts of deodorant and antiperspirant products on your clothes may become oxidized by the chemicals and heat used in cleaning processes resulting in stains.  Avoid getting anti-perspirants and deodorants on your garments by waiting until they are fully dry before putting on your garments.  And remember—overuse and improper use of deodorant and anti-perspirants can cause damage to your garment. We recommend regular professional cleaning to ensure that garments are properly cared for, click here to find a CD One Price Cleaners location near you!  Our team is specially trained in how to handle many kinds of stains. We’re here to help ensure that your garments look their best for a long time.

When dropping off garments, please let us know about any stains or other special concerns you have so that we can take all necessary steps get your garment looking great.