A smooth-running day can become stressful, the moment you pull out your favorite shirt to wear only to find it unwearable, thanks to that unsightly deodorant stains buildup. It is a common problem for everyone who relies on the deodorants to smell good all through the day.
Nasty deodorant stains do not go away easily in the laundry. And people don’t quite realize that deodorants can cause a stain, if not dealt with, can cause a build-up of residue that harms the skin as well as the fabric.
You don’t need to throw away a good shirt because of that pesky deodorant stain, we will guide you the right way to get rid of it.
It is also important to know the right way to remove a deodorant stain from clothes if you want to keep your shirts looking and feeling good every time you put them on.
Deodorant stains that are not tackled immediately can get difficult to get rid of. And it is important to remember that any garment that is labeled as “dry clean only” is best left to the professionals.
What Causes Deodorant Stains?
When chemicals in deodorants come in contact with the enzymes present in perspiration, unsightly stains are caused on your shirts and other clothes.
How to Remove White Deodorant Stains From Your Shirt?
Deodorant sprays are of two kinds – wet spray and powdered spray. If you use the wet spray on your shirts you will need to work hard to get rid of stains, however, if you are a powdered deodorant spray user, you’re lucky!
If you do not let the powdered spray sit for long on that beautiful comfy shirt of yours, the stain takes seconds to vanish. But if you are lazy and let the powder from the deodorant stay long it could cake-up cause stains which would require effort to get rid of.
Here’s how to remove powdered deodorant stains out of shirts that are not heavily stained:
- Rub fabric softener sheets onto the stains.
- Remove powder deodorant stains using baby wipes.
- Apply make-up remover to wipe off powdered stains.
- Rub a piece of nylon on the stain to clean the stain caused by the powder of the deodorant.
If you weren’t quick and now the deodorant stain has nestled into your shirt armpit, read on to know how to remove deodorant stains from it.
How To Prevent Deodorant Stains?
The best way to remove deodorant stains is to prevent them.
- You can do it by applying a thin layer of deodorant and allow it to dry before you put on your shirt. If wet deodorant does not come in contact with sweat, it is unlikely to cause any stain.
- Another tip to avoid deodorant stains is to dress according to the weather and occasion. Wearing thick clothing during summers can cause you to perspire a lot which can lead to stains. Also, if you wear heavy clothing while working out, it can lead to deodorant stains. Thus, it is important to dress accordingly to avoid your clothes staining from deodorant use.
- Avoid applying deodorant multiple times a day on the same shirt. If the deodorant is not working for you, change brands.
- Choose crystal deodorants in place of powdered sprays as the former is less likely to leave marks on your garments.
- Wearing an undershirt and applying deodorant on it will prevent staining your shirt.
- Apply deodorant inside instead of applying it on the top of your shirt. In case of deodorant stains, they will be inside where no one will see it and you will smell good as always.
- Deodorant stains are hard to remove once they set in, hence, wash the shirt as soon as possible. Before you toss the garment into the machine spray undiluted white vinegar on the stains and wait for 10 minutes before you wash it.
- If you notice yellow deodorant stains on the shirt, do not toss the shirt for laundry until you treat the stains. Normal washing can lead the stain to become stubborn and hard to remove.
Here are some tips for removing deodorant stains from garments that can be laundered at home.
Aspirin For All Your Stain Woes
Your weekend morning savior can double as an effective deodorant stain buster.
All you have to do is to crush a couple of aspirins into powder – use a mortar and pestle or flex your muscles. Then add a half cup of hot water into the powder. Pour the solution onto the deodorant stain and let it soak for a few hours before laundering.
Aspirin works wonders when you’re trying to get deodorant marks off black dress.
White Vinegar Does a Good Job Too
Keep it handy, as it is as good as hydrogen peroxide to remove tough stains.
Add 1 cup of white vinegar with 5 cups of lukewarm water. Spray the mixture onto the deodorant stain and rub the mark with your hands or sponge. The stain will surely vanish, however, if it doesn’t, soak the shirt in a bucket of vinegar solution for a few more hours. Then toss the clothing into the washing machine. This solution works best when removing deodorant stains out of black shirts.
Baking Soda Un-Cakes Stains
Much like white vinegar and aspirin, baking soda is an excellent and reliable cleaning agent for various purposes. Thankfully, one of those purposes happens to be getting rid of stubborn deodorant stains from all kinds of fabrics.
Mix four parts of baking powder with two parts of water to form a paste. Rub the mixture directly onto the stains and allow the shirt to sit for a couple of hours, then launder normally using warm water.
Ammonia Will Solve Deodorant Stain Insomnia
Combine a liter of warm water with half a teaspoon of liquid detergent along with a tablespoon of ammonia. Soak the stained shirt into it. be sure to use warm water which will help in loosening the stain. Rub the shirt with your knuckles and re-soak the shirt into the solution for another 15-20 minutes before laundering it.
Do not mix with other colored shirts to make sure the colors don’t leak.
Salt On Stains
Salt can help you get rid of yellow deodorant stains, although it cannot cut through layers of cakey deodorant. Therefore, before trying the salt trick dip the shirt in warm water to loosen the cakey formation.
Dissolve five tablespoons of salt in a liter of hot boiling water. Mix with a spatula. Use a sponge or pour the mixture directly onto the stain.
Keep working at the stain with the sponge or toothbrush till the stain vanishes for good. Salt works best on white stains under the armpits of your favorite shirt.
Lemon It Up
Lemon is an effective stain remover due to its acidic nature.
Squeeze a lemon directly onto the deodorant stain, soaking the area completely. Follow it up with a teaspoon of salt and rub the mixture into the fabric till the stain disappears.
This works wonders on white and off-white shirts and is not recommended for dark clothes as lemon can bleach colored clothes discoloring them.
Bleach It Away
Try this trick only on white and off-white shirts and you have to be very careful while using bleach for your shirts.
Mix two tablespoons of oxygen-based bleach powder (any brand) with two spoons of ammonia in a non-metal bowl. Wear rubber gloves without fail.
The mixture will release some pungent strong gases, hence, be in a ventilated room.
Apply the mixture to the stain with a soft-bristled brush or deodorant removing sponge and rub gently for a minute. Allow it to sit for 10-15 minutes before washing away the shirt in the washing machine using your regular laundry detergent.
Watch the stain wash away. Note that using chlorine bleach instead of oxygen-based bleach can cause poisonous fumes.
Hydrogen Peroxide To The Rescue
This is a handy stain remover for tough stains caused not only by deodorants but by red wine, oil, and many more.
Mix five tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide with two-and-a-half tablespoons of any dish soap. Apply the mixture with a toothbrush or scrub brush onto the stained area.
Scrub the affected area for a couple of minutes, and the pesky stain must be gone. Don’t wash the shirt immediately after this treatment. Let the solution sit for an hour before you wash it with your regular laundry detergent.
Alcohol To Your Rescue
Alcohol can not only set the mood of the party but can keep your spirits high by getting rid of that unsightly deodorant stain on your shirts.
Rubbing alcohol (any brand) directly on the stain and then washing it thoroughly will remove the toughest deodorant sweat stain from all your shirts. This is the best trick to remove deodorant stains out of white shirts.
Try Commercial Stain Removers
You have important work lined up for the week, and you don’t have the time to try home remedies – try commercial deodorant stain removers.
Follow instructions thoroughly to avoid any damage to the garment. Commercial stain removers are quite strong and may cause more harm than good. Hence, using home remedies to wipe off that deodorant stain is highly recommended.
You can try whichever trick you think can work for you. Always keep this in mind that stains that are not dealt with immediately will become difficult to get rid of. Also, not all shirts are of the same fabric, hence, don’t be rough with soft ones.
Read here: How to Clean Urine Stains