Make Underarm Guards

Underarm shields, also known as dress pads or garment guards, are used to prevent underarm sweat. The shields prevent your sweat from soaking into clothing and controls your body odor. They are disposable, and commercially available for about $2 or more. You can create your own underarm guards and equipment to conceal them to your armpits.

Steps

Making Underarm Pads

  1. Use panty liners. While panty liners aren’t meant be used to absorb sweat from your armpit, they are designed to absorb liquid. You can buy a batch of panty liners for much cheaper than predesigned underarm shields. You can cut a panty liner in half and use one for each armpit. Use some scotch tape or a safety pin to connect the pad directly on the clothing.
    • You could alternatively fold the panty liner in half and place the fold over your clothing’s armpit.[1]
  2. Create shields out of socks. You can create your own underarm shields out of your old socks. Salvage the sock that formed a hole by transforming it into a underarm pad. Use scissors to cut out a thin oval from the sock’s fabric. Attach the pad directly to your clothing or let the pad hang over the pit crease.
    • If you don’t attach the sock shield, it helps if your shirt or dress is tight.[2]
    • Athletic socks will give you the most control of sweat. Cotton socks will also handle liquids better than a synthetic, polyester blend.
  3. Sew shields using muslin. Acquire muslin fabric from a textiles store, or from a crafts supplier. Fold the muslin about three times. Draw a thin oval, about the size of your armpit, onto the folded muslin. Take a pair of scissors and cut along the outline. You can sew these together in a couple of different ways:
    • Use loose flannel to cover the muslin. Use a spare strip of flannel fabric and wrap the layers of muslin.[1] Cut the flannel so that it matches the cut out design with a little bit of overlap for sewing. Sew the flannel together using standard thread.
    • Sew the muslin together using a thread and needle. The sew doesn’t need to be perfect, but it should hold each layer in place.
    • The more layers of muslin that you use, the more absorbent the shield will be.
  4. Use an absorbent fabric. Buy an absorbent fabric from a fabrics supplier or from the internet. There are a few types of fabrics that are notoriously absorbent like: zorb, hemp cotton, bamboo cotton, and polyurethane laminate. These are the types of fabrics that commercial underarm pads are made from. Use the raw supplies to create your own pads at half the cost.
    • If you need help measuring the fabric, place the uncut fabric to your armpit. Use a mirror and a pen to outline your armpit.
    • Outline an oval that fits your armpit using a marker. Then cut out the outline with scissors.
    • The absorbent fabric can be layered like the muslin pads were. You can alter the pads based on your personal needs.

Creating Removable Patch Pockets

  1. Choose garments to fit with underarm pockets. You can create permanent pockets that will hold the underarm shields if you don't want to attach new guards every few days. This is a good idea if you have a limited wardrobe and will likely be wearing the same outfit often, like a uniform or a suit.[3]
    • Pockets will also hold other odor fresheners, like baking soda or powder deodorant, that you can use in addition to your underarm pad.
    • It will take a little longer than installing a new set of underarm pads each time, but the pockets will last a long time.
  2. Take down the measurements. Take a t-shirt from your wardrobe to get a measurement for the pocket. A starter measurement you can use is 2”x3”. You can also take a piece of fabric, pen, and measure the dimension in front of a mirror. Use your armpit as the basis for the size of your pockets.
  3. Create the pockets. Determine what type of material you want the pockets to be. You can create the pockets out of socks or use mesh fabric. Socks are more comfortable in cooler months, while mesh pockets are more comfortable when it's hot outside.
    • If you use socks, it is best to use baby socks. Baby socks don’t require any alterations and are already the right size.
    • Mesh fabric works well, but you have to measure, cut, and sew the pockets together. Cut out a long strip and fold the fabric together. When you sew or glue the fabric leave the top open. This will allow you to insert disposable guards with ease.[3]
  4. Attach the pockets to the garment. Attach the pockets directly to the underarm area of your clothes using buttons, safety pins, or Velcro. You can attach them permanently by sewing but this could make cleaning them difficult. If you wear the same shirts repeatedly, it won't be too much work to sew buttonholes or glue/sew Velcro onto each garment.
    • The pockets alone should absorb sweat and odors, but you can fill each bag or sock with baking soda if you have a serious amount of sweat.
    • This technique will work best with relatively tight shirts or dresses that will hold the pockets to your underarms and absorb the sweat before it travels.
  5. Test the visibility and comfort of the pocket. Try on the shirt and look in the mirror. Are the pockets visible? If the pocket appear to be bulging out, consider reducing the amount you place in the pocket. Make adjustments to the underarm pad or reduce the amount of powder deodorant.
    • The pockets will probably not be comfortable at first. You might need to wear the pockets for a week to determine if you can stand having them attached to your clothes.
    • If you are constantly becoming annoyed by the pockets, then remove them from your clothes and use a pad.

Using a Harness

  1. Create a chest strap. Measure the distance between your armpits to your upper torso. Use a simple piece of string, a small-diameter rope, or a body strap. Cut two pieces of material to this length and see if they fit around your body. The chest strap should be leveled to your arm pit on your upper chest.
    • Once you find a comfortable fit, seal the ends with a knot to prevent unraveling.
    • You can also use Velcro to attach the chest strap.
  2. Attach two shoulder straps. Measure and cut out two thin strings that will go over your shoulders and attach to the chest strap to hold it in place. Take a measurement while the chest strap is attached, then remove the chest strap to attach the shoulder straps.
    • You can knot the straps in place or use velcro to secure the shoulder straps to the chest strap.
    • Imagine the design of a bra to help construct this design.
  3. Acquire a pair of shields. There are plenty of options for underarm guards or pads. You can either make your own pads or buy a pack of premade pads designed to attack the sweat. Use whatever product or design that fit your needs.[4]
  4. Attach the guards to the harness. Use a safety pin or tape to attach the underarm guards to the harness where it crosses under your armpits. The guards should fit snugly against your underarms without impeding circulation.
  5. Put on the harness before your other clothing. The easiest way to put on the harness is to insert each arm as if pulling on a cut-off T-shirt. Put your head through the harness. Adjust the length of the shields as needed. Once you're satisfied with the placement of the guards and harness, put the rest of your clothing on.
    • Determine if you can see the harness while fully clothed by looking in a mirror. One way to hide the harness is by wearing an under shirt over the harness and then wear an additional shirt.
    • Loose fit clothing will also help conceal the harness.
    • Give yourself at least one week to test the comfort of the harness before trying a new technique.

Tips

  • If you wear a bra, you may be able to attach the shields to the straps instead of using a harness.
  • Whole wheat flour works quite well also, and is not alkaline.
  • Ground coffee works as a pleasant-smelling deodorant, and has the advantage of not clumping and/or hardening as does baking soda and flour, so it's easier to empty and replace. That same factor makes it easier to "leak" out, so make sure to fold the open end over and pin through it.
  • When washing it, take the harness and shields apart so that seams don't get yanked or torn during washing.
  • The amount of baking soda can be varied with circumstances. A tablespoon or two might suffice for one day, and will need to be replaced daily. Several ounces may last a week, even if sleeping in one's clothes, and even in hot climates.

Warnings

  • Be careful when heat-sealing the webbing that you do not burn yourself with the match, lighter, or molten plastic.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 http://www.thriftyfun.com/Uses-for-Panty-Liners.html
  2. ↑ http://www.thompsontee.com/blog/4-diy-sweat-pads-every-excessive-sweater-should-avoid/
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 https://www.google.com/patents/US7730551
  4. ↑ http://historicalsewing.com/how-to-be-a-shield-maiden
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