How to Remove Ring-Around-the-Collar Stains

The Logic Verdict

My Take: Dan from Mulberry’s attacks collar grime like a pro cleaner: wet the band, run enzyme detergent along the ring, scrub with a brush, let it dwell, add dish soap to strip any leftover oily film, then finish with a mild oxidizing bleach (sodium perborate or hydrogen peroxide). The three-step assault erases sweat, oil, and dirt in one prep session.

The Science

Ring-around-the-collar is a combo stain: proteins and salts from sweat, body oils, dirt, deodorant residue, makeup, and even self-tanner. Enzyme detergents (protease/amylase/lipase) break down the protein and starch portions while the alkaline formula loosens body oils. Dish soap supplies extra surfactants to lift remaining sebum that traps dirt. A mild oxidizer (perborate/peroxide) then decolorizes the final shadow without shredding cotton fibers.

Step-by-Step Removal

1. Pre-wet the collar. Lightly mist the inside/outside band or dab with warm water so the detergent spreads evenly.
2. Strip sweat with enzyme detergent. Apply a bead of enzyme-heavy liquid detergent along the ring (and armpits if needed). Use a soft brush to work it in, then let the shirt rest 20–30 minutes so the enzymes digest the grime.
3. Break remaining oils. After the dwell, add a line of grease-cutting dish soap and brush again, focusing on any visible dirt line.
4. Rinse or steam. Flush the collar with hot water or blast it with a steam gun to push loosened soil out of the fibers.
5. Oxidize the shadow. Sprinkle a little sodium perborate powder (or dab hydrogen peroxide) onto stubborn areas, massage gently, and give it a minute to brighten.
6. Launder as usual. Wash the shirt with the rest of your load. Inspect before drying; repeat the spot steps if any ring remains.

Parts & Tools

• Tide Ultra Stain Release Liquid (Amazon) – Enzyme-packed detergent Dan brushes into the collar.
• OXO Good Grips Electronics Cleaning Brush (Amazon) – Soft bristles massage detergent without fraying cotton.
• Palmolive Ultra Dish Soap (Amazon) – Cuts residual oil so dirt releases.
• The Laundress Stain Solution (Amazon) – Sodium perborate-based oxygen bleach for the final brightening step.

What NOT To Do

• Don’t saturate collars with chlorine bleach—it can yellow cotton and degrade stitching.
• Don’t skip the dwell time; enzymes need minutes, not seconds, to digest sweat.
• Don’t dry the shirt until the ring is gone; heat sets any leftover body oil and deodorant compounds.

Resources

• Tide Ultra Stain Release Liquid (Amazon)
• Palmolive Ultra Dish Soap (Amazon)
• The Laundress Stain Solution (Amazon)