Cleaning guru and TikTok creator Chantel Mila has shared a three-ingredient paste that tackles stubborn sweat stains on clothing. The solution uses baking soda, hydrogen peroxide and washing-up liquid to break down the buildup that causes yellow marks on white and light-coloured fabrics.
Why sweat stains form
According to Chantel, those yellow sweat stains are not caused by sweat alone. She wrote in the video's caption: "They're caused by a mix of sweat, body oils + the aluminium found in many antiperspirants, which can build up in the fabric and leave those stubborn yellow marks. This simple laundry trick helps break down that buildup and bring your whites back to life."
The oils from perspiration can lead to discolouration, making sweat stains particularly tricky to remove from white and light-coloured clothing.
How to make and use the paste
To make the paste, mix half a cup of baking soda with half a cup of hydrogen peroxide in a bowl. The baking soda helps brighten white fabric and neutralise unpleasant odours, while the hydrogen peroxide brightens and disinfects the clothes.
Chantel then adds one teaspoon of washing-up liquid to the mix to target oil-based stains clinging to the material. The ingredients should be mixed until they form a loose paste.
Apply the solution to the sweat stains using a stiff bristle brush and leave it to soak in for one hour. After that, wash the affected clothes on a normal cycle in the washing machine.
Additional expert advice
Hydrogen peroxide acts as a natural bleaching agent, helping to brighten discoloured and dull white clothes while disinfecting them. Clean Heart Maids explained that when applied to stains, it releases oxygen, which breaks down the chemical bonds in the stain's molecules, lifting the stain and making it easier to wipe away.
Experts at Currys advised checking the amounts of detergent and fabric softener used during a laundry cycle to prevent discolouration in white clothes. They also advised against using a tumble dryer when treating stained clothes, writing: "If you've got whites that have yellow stains, don't tumble dry. Always air dry. The simple reason is that the heat from the tumble dryer will simply lock in stains even more."
