In the summer when the weather's hot, I perspire more. Then I notice yellow marks (antiperspirant and sweat stains) on the underarms of my white sweaters. I don't know what product to use to get rid of them. I've tried putting them into warm water with bleach, but the stains are still there. Do you have any tips?
Véronique

Stains under the arms of shirts, blouses and dresses are a disaster. If the stain is on a white garment, it's especially important not to wash it with bleach. A chemical reaction will take place that will only make it more yellow.

For whites and other very pale colors, think "acidic." Generally the juice of a lemon combined with 125 ml (1/2 cup) water produces good results. If you don't have a lemon, try white vinegar.

If it's a dark-colored garment, soak the stain in tea - preferably green tea. The infusion (medium concentration) tints the stain so that you'll hardly be able to see it.

If the stain is old and the article of clothing has already been laundered several times, don't hope for a miracle. The stain is set, and actually "burned" into the fabric. Ideally the garment should be soaked as soon as you take it off: a fresh stain will come out much more easily. If lemon juice produces no results, try a little peroxide. Rinse and wash as usual, following the directions on the fabric care label.

Cause
The problem can occur when you apply an underarm deodorant and it reacts with perspiration… leading to hard-to-get-out stains.

Prevention
Changing brands of deodorant can lessen the reaction between deodorant and perspiration. Deodorants - whether spray, stick or roll-on - are being designed to be more and more effective, but each, depending on its texture, contains a different formula. There's also a difference between deodorants and antiperspirants. The latter are more effective and better-suited to people who tend to perspire excessively. They are meant not just to control the effects of perspiration, but to act directly on the source: antiperspirants contain ingredients (aluminum salts) that limit sweat secretion by obstructing the sweat glands, thus reducing the cause of stains on your clothing.