Many women notice light “bleach-like” stains on their underwear and wonder why. These patches aren’t from the washing machine—they’re a sign of a healthy vagina.
As one viral Twitter post explained: *“It’s completely normal to discover lighter patches in a woman’s underwear… due to the acidic nature of the vagina, with a pH range of 3.8–4.5.”* This acidity can cause fabric discoloration, which has wrongly been linked to poor hygiene.
Dr. Vanessa MacKay from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists explains that the vagina is *“self-cleaning through natural secretions,”* which include good bacteria that protect against infection.
The National Institutes of Health confirms that a normal vaginal pH ranges between 3.8 and 5.0—moderately acidic compared to the neutral pH of 7. This acidity is key to maintaining vaginal health.
Dr. MacKay also notes that clear or white discharge is healthy, and trying to overly cleanse or change this natural environment can actually lead to problems. So, those faded patches? They’re just proof your body is doing its job.
