Removing Deodorant Stains

Deodorant stains are inconvenient and annoying, especially if they come from the deodorant sticks that promise not to mark your clothing. They can also be quite a bit of work to remove if you do not get to them quickly.

An easy way to deal with deodorant stains is to send the stained garment to the drycleaner. If, however, you are pressed for time, or if you often get deodorant stains, a few home remedies might work for you.

One way to attack the deodorant stain at home is to apply a stain remover product. Let it sit for 5 minutes, then apply a dab of liquid laundry detergent and gently rub the stain against itself—fold the fabric so that only the stain touches the stain. (If this is a silk shirt, do not rub. Just apply the spot remover or some hand washing detergent).

After rubbing the stain, run the item of clothing through the washing machine at its normal settings. Check the stained area(s) before putting the clothing in the dryer to make sure the stain is gone.

If you have the right materials in your house, there are a variety of other methods you could try. Many people have had success in removing deodorant stains by using baby wipes. Before trying this method, you should test the baby wipe to see if it will damage your clothing by wiping it on a hidden part of the shirt. If it does not mark the test area on the fabric, gently rub the stain with the baby wipe, being careful on more delicate fabrics to only rub in one direction, not in circles, since you do not want to damage the fibers of the fabric.

If you catch the stain right when you remove the shirt, you could try dabbing at the stain with a cloth that has been dipped into a solution of vinegar, dish detergent, and water. To make the solution, add a drop or two of detergent and a drop or two of vinegar to 1/2 cup of water. Dab or press at the stain, then rinse with water. Repeat until you have removed as much of the stain as you think will come off. If the stain is still there, rinse it well with water and let it dry. Dab at the stain with a cloth that has a couple of drops of rubbing alcohol on it. The remaining stain should come off the shirt and onto the cloth, so use different parts of the cloth to blot as the deodorant comes off onto it.

With a bit of dabbing and sponging, your deodorant stains should come right out.