Easily Remove Deodorant Stains from Clothes with These Household Solutions

Deodorant-stained clothes must be treated before going into the washing machine. We’ll show you how to remove deodorant stains without using heavy chemicals. 

Deodorants often contain aluminum salts and other kinds of salts, just like our sweat does. The white or yellow patches that they leave behind on your clothes aren’t a good look. We’ll show you how to remove deodorant stains from your clothes before they become crusty and hard. The best part? You don’t need any store-bought cleaning products. 

How to Remove Deodorant Stains with Concentrated Vinegar

Concentrated vinegar is often used for cleaning and contains much more acid than regular vinegar (about 25-30%). Concentrated vinegar is especially good for removing deodorant stains from dark or colorful clothing because it will remove the salts while also protecting colors. 

Here’s how to get deodorant stains out of shirts using concentrated vinegar:

1. Mix four parts water to one part concentrated vinegar in a large bowl or bucket and lay the shirt in the liquid.
2. Let soak overnight.
3. Rinse and wash normally. 

Get Rid of Deodorant Stains Using Baking Soda

Don’t have concentrated vinegar at home and still wondering how to remove deodorant stains? Baking soda is another effective household solution, but you’ll only want to use it on white clothes, to avoid damaging colors. 

1. Dampen the shirt and sprinkle baking soda on the affected areas. 
2. Rub the baking soda in and then let sit for several hours.
3. Rinse and wash normally. 

Last Resort: Lemon

Putting deodorant-stained clothes in the washing machine untreated will usually make them worse: laundry detergent tends to turn the stains yellow and hard. If you’ve already made this mistake, lemon juice can help. But be careful: lemon juice can damage colors. 

Here’s how to get rid of deodorant stains with lemon juice:

1. Add one to two spoonfuls of lemon juice to about four cups of warm water. 
2. Let the shirt soak overnight to give the lemon juice time to work.
3. Rinse and wash as usual. 

Treating Delicates

Certain materials, like wool or silk, are especially sensitive and require special care. Here’s how to remove deodorant stains from easily damaged cloth:

Silk:

• Because silk has such a smooth texture, deodorant stains can often be removed with a sponge. Carefully use a clean, soft sponge to rub the stain away. 

Wool:

• Deodorant stains can be removed from wool using gall soap.
• In an inconspicuous area, test to see if the gall soap affects the color of your shirt.
• If the gall soap doesn’t seem to damage the dye, dampen the stained areas and carefully apply the gall soap. Be gentle to avoid ripping the wool fibers. 
• Let the soap work in for about thirty minutes and then wash the shirt on the delicate cycle in the washing machine.

Important: Gall soap contains bile from animals, and therefore is not vegan. 

How to Avoid Deodorant Stains

If you avoid them in the first place, you’ll never have to wonder how to remove deodorant stains again. Take the extra few minutes in the morning to let your deodorant sink in before putting your shirt on. If you don’t have any time to spare, try switching to a different deodorant with more natural ingredients, or try making your own homemade deodorant.

This article has been translated from German to English by Christie Sacco. You can read the original version here: Deoflecken entfernen: Mit diesen Hausmitteln geht es ganz leicht

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Tags: Cleaning DIY Household Practical Tips