Eliminate Yellow Sweat Stains From Laundry Using A Cheap Household Staple

After a few nights of sleep, those crisp white sheets you just bought may not look so crisp and white anymore. Similarly, the bright white T-shirt you love to wear may start to develop yellow stains under the armpits after a few wears. The good news is that while discoloration may be a part of laundry life, it doesn't need to stick around. And, you don't have to spend an arm and a leg or an excessive amount of time getting rid of them.

All you need to do is reach way back and grab a box of borax. Borax powder, or sodium borate, is a mineral blend of sodium, boron, and oxygen. People have been using it since the 19th century in their laundry, thanks to its ability to soften water and remove impurities, help with oil dispersion, keep dirt from redepositing on clothing, and act as a bleaching agent.

You have a few options for using borax in the laundry. Either make a paste from it to spot treat stains (like underarm yellowing) or add it directly to an entire load of whites to remove yellowing. As always, practice common sense and safety when handling borax. It can irritate your eyes and is poisonous (borax is also used as a weed killer, after all). Keep the box out of reach of pets and children.

To remove general yellowing from bed linens, towels, or clothing, mix half cup of borax with one gallon of water in a basin, then soak the item overnight. Adjust the amount of borax and water you use based on the volume of laundry. If needed, fill a bathtub with water and add half cup of borax per gallon of water, then let everything soak in the tub. Wash the laundry as normal the next day.

To spot treat yellow stains make a borax paste by combining a small amount of the powder with a bit of water. Rub the paste directly onto the stain, scrub it in a bit, then let sit for about 30 minutes before tossing into the wash. Note that it's generally easier to get rid of yellowing soon after it appears, rather than waiting. Treat the stain within a week of its appearance, if possible.

Try the laundry stripping hack to give your clothes and linens a deep clean, removing built-up detergent, body oils, dirt, and minerals from hard water. Mix one part borax, one part washing soda, and two parts of your preferred detergent in a bathtub or basin filled with hot water. Add the laundry, and stir it, then let soak for several hours, giving it a stir every now and then. Put the clothes or linens in the washing machine and run a rinse cycle.