Many women notice bleach-like stains on their underwear and wonder why. Surprisingly, this has nothing to do with laundry. Instead, it’s caused by the natural acidity of the vagina.
As one viral post explained: “It’s completely normal to discover lighter patches in a woman’s underwear or knickers due to the acidic nature of the vagina, with a pH range of 3.8–4.5… a healthy vagina is one that can bleach the fabric.”
These marks are a sign of health, not poor hygiene. Dr. Vanessa MacKay of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists says: “The vagina has a self-cleaning mechanism through natural secretions. It contains beneficial bacteria that serve to protect it.”
She adds that clear or white discharge is normal, while disrupting this natural balance can lead to infection.
In short, those light patches mean your body is doing exactly what it’s supposed to.
