10 Easy Ways To Remove Stubborn Deodorant Stains From Your Laundry

Deodorant is one of the easiest ways to mask the stink of sweat and save yourself from embarrassment. However, rubbing too much product on your armpits or donning clothes without waiting for the applied product to dry sufficiently can lead to unsightly stains. Just imagine sporting white marks on your black shirt or watching your pastel-colored top get a yellowish tinge on the underarms. Fortunately, there are several ways to get out this tough laundry stain, including using nylon stockings, distilled white vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, and baking soda.

When the aluminum salts in an antiperspirant deodorant come into contact with the sebum produced by our body's sebaceous glands and the lingering laundry detergent on your clothes, it leaves the infamous white or yellow stains behind. If ignored, the stains can permanently discolor the underarm area of all your clothes, making it vital to clean deodorant stains. The heat from the dryer or iron will only set them in further. So, grab your stained laundry and get ready to discover easy ways to remove stubborn deodorant stains. That being said, the methods mentioned below are ideal for cleaning deodorant stains from cotton and polyester-blend garments only. They aren't suitable for fabrics like satin, wool, and silk. So, if such clothing items fall victim to deodorant stains, entrust them to a professional dry cleaner instead. Moreover, don't forget to conduct a spot test to avoid damaging your clothes.

If you favor dark-colored clothes over light or pastel shades, you're probably not a stranger to white stains on the garments. Fortunately, you can remove deodorant stains from your clothes with one wardrobe essential: nylon stockings. Simply take a clean stocking and rub it in circles over the relatively fresh stain. Be gentle and make your way from the outside in. The discoloration should become less visible with each swipe of the stocking over the mark. In case you don't have nylon stockings handy, use a cotton sock, towel, or foam rubber.

Use a hydrogen peroxide and baking soda solution for stubborn stains. Get a shallow bucket or dishpan and turn the garment inside out. Now, pour water in a kettle and bring it to a boil. Meanwhile, combine ½ cup each of water, baking soda, and hydrogen peroxide in a bowl. Once the hot water is ready, pour it over the stain. Dump the excess water out (carefully) and apply the DIY concoction over the stain. Let it rest for five minutes before putting the stained laundry in the washer.

Just like you can remove unpleasant sweat stains with baking soda at home, sodium bicarbonate will assist you in getting rid of deodorant stains, too. All you have to do is mix 3 parts baking soda with 1 part water in a bowl. Then, grab an old toothbrush (one with soft bristles), dip it in the bowl, and rub it against the marks. Let baking soda work its magic for an hour prior to washing the laundry in cold water. Finally, leave it to air dry. Remember, you might have to repeat the steps a couple of times if the stain has set in.

You may be ready to demote your favorite shirt to a rag when the armpits begin sporting yellow stains, but it might not be too late to bring it back to life. Get a few paracetamol tablets – four to five should do the trick — from your medicine cabinet, break them into small pieces, and crush them using a mortar and pestle. Add some water to the powder to create a paste and apply it on the stain. Leave the laundry for an hour or three, and then wash it. Remember, this method isn't suitable for black clothes. In case you don't have paracetamol handy, substitute it with aspirin.

While distilled white vinegar is ideal for cleaning, it can help you remove deodorant stains from both dark and light clothes. Grab a bowl (should be big enough to accommodate the discolored clothing) and combine water with distilled white vinegar in a 1:1 ratio. Swirl the solution a few times to combine the two elements, and immerse the stained garment into the bowl for an hour. Next, arm yourself with a soft-bristled brush and lightly scrub the deodorant stains to banish them. Follow this up by washing the laundry as normal.

If you're looking for a natural method to get rid of yellow deodorant stains from your clothes, look no further than lemon juice. Mix equal parts juice with water in a small bowl and administer it liberally on the marks. The citric acid in lemon juice doubles as a bleach and will remove the deodorant stain from your laundry. Give the lemon juice-water solution a boost by placing the clothing under the sun for 60 minutes, and then throw it in the washer. While this method will work wonders for white or light-colored clothing, it isn't suitable for dark clothes.

In case DIY solutions aren't your jam, buy a commercial stain remover or a powerful laundry detergent to get stubborn deodorant stains out. The first step is to turn the item inside-out, grab an old toothbrush, and scrub it against the mark to buff out the surface-level stain. Pour a little cold water on top if dry scrubbing doesn't work. Then, work in a commercial stain remover (or laundry detergent) onto the mark per the instructions on the bottle prior to putting it in the washing machine.

If you don't have baking soda, you can use hydrogen peroxide on its own to get deodorant stains out of light-colored clothes. Get a bucket (or another container) and pour ½ cup of hydrogen peroxide and 2 cups of water in it. Now, immerse the stained garment for half an hour. When the time is up, wash it with water to get the hydrogen peroxide solution out. The final step is to launder as usual. Never use hydrogen peroxide to treat laundry stains on colored fabrics or delicate items, and check your stained clothing's care label before proceeding.

As an alternative to the lemon juice method, table salt isn't limited to light clothes. You can use it on dark items without worrying about bleaching them accidentally. Now, get a pot and pour a few cups of water in it. You'll need to add one tablespoon of salt for each cup of water. Bring it to a boil so that the salt dissolves, then let it cool to room temperature. Soak a clean microfiber cloth in the water, wring out the excess, and rub it against the mark before laundering the stained cloth.

When the deodorant stains are incredibly stubborn or quite old and nothing else works, try ammonia. Ensure you open the windows and doors, and wear a pair of protective goggles and gloves to keep your eyes and exposed skin safe. You can even wear a face mask to prevent inhaling ammonia fumes if the ventilation in the room isn't sufficient. Combine 1⁄2 cup of ammonia with ½ cup of water, and apply it to the stain. Scrub the stain lightly to help eliminate the discoloration. Finally, wash the clothing item as you would normally.