- To remove a brand new deodorant stain, rub the stained area with an old or ripped pair of nylon tights in circular motions until it’s gone.
- Or, soak stubborn stains in equal parts water and white vinegar for an hour, then launder as normal.
- For white garments, scrub the stain with a 2:1 ratio of hydrogen peroxide and liquid dish soap. Let the mix sit on the stain for 1 hour, then launder as normal.
Treating Stains with Household Cleaners
Rub fresh deodorant stains with an old or ripped pair of nylon tights. If the stain is still wet or sticky to the touch and the garment hasn’t been washed yet, grab an old pair of tights you don’t mind getting dirty and simply rub at the stain in circular motions until it’s gone. The abrasive texture of the tights will break up and lift the deodorant from the fabric. Tights are generally safe for any color or type of fabric. However, for delicates like silk, rub the tights in a discreet “test spot” just to make extra sure they won’t erode the fabric. Other coarse fabrics, such as denim, may also be effective.
Soak stains on any colored fabric in diluted white vinegar. Mix 2 tbsp (30 mL) of distilled, white vinegar with 1 cup (237 mL) of warm water and saturate the stain with the solution, working it into the fabric with your fingers or a brush. Toss the shirt into the washer and run the hottest cycle it can handle according to the instructions on the tag. Make sure the stain is entirely gone before putting the shirt in the dryer. If the stain is stubborn and still visible after a few minutes of scrubbing, leave the shirt to soak in a mix of equal parts vinegar and water, then scrub at the stain again and wash. Alternatively, fill your washing machine with cool water and add 1 cup (237 mL) of distilled white vinegar. Allow your garment to soak for at least thirty minutes. Drain the vinegar water solution and wash as usual with your regular detergent. Vinegar is a weak form of acetic acid and works great at breaking the stain down in light and dark colored fabrics. The smell will fade after the garment dries.
Saturate the stain with a baking soda paste. Mix 3 parts baking soda with 1 part water to form a thick paste (ideally, it’ll be thin enough to spread, but thick enough to stay put when applied). Cover the stain with the mixture, then let it sit for several hours until the paste dries out. Agitate the paste with your fingers or a brush every 10 minutes or so while it dries to further bust the stain. Without removing the dried baking soda, toss the shirt in the washer and run the hottest cycle that the garment can safely take according to the instructions on the tag. Consider adding a splash of white vinegar to the laundry for extra stain fighting power, or a splash of hydrogen peroxide to brighten white shirts. Test the baking soda on a small spot of the shirt first, and don’t use on dry-clean only garments. Baking soda is a natural cleanser and deodorizer that’s gentle enough to use on almost any type of fabric.
Douse stains on light shirts in lemon juice and leave them in the sun. Juice half a lemon directly over the stain, or combine equal parts lemon juice and water and rub the mixture into the stain. Add a couple of pinches of salt and rub it into the stain gently but firmly (this will help the salt work the lemon juice deeper into the stain). Keep rubbing until you can’t see the stain. Then, if you can, set the shirt out in sunlight for about an hour. Lemon juice becomes a lightening agent in the sun, so only do this for white or light colored fabrics. Lastly, wash the garment as normal. Lemons are great natural cleaners due to their high levels of citric acid, low pH, and antibacterial properties. They also smell fantastic and are unlikely to damage most fabrics, but to be safe do a spot test before applying to an entire stain.
Mix salt, vinegar, and liquid dishwashing soap for a DIY stain remover. Combine and stir 1 cup (300 g) of salt, 2 cups (473 mL) of white vinegar, 2 cups (473 mL) of hot water, and 1 tbsp (15 mL) of dish soap until the salt is completely dissolved. Soak the stained shirt in the solution for 1-2 hours, the wash as normal in hot water with your usual detergent. Alternatively, scrub the stain with dish soap and warm water and steam the garment before washing as normal. The salt helps push the vinegar into the stain to better remove it. The dishwashing detergent helps break down solids that created the stain in the first place.
Soak the stained garment in warm water and crushed aspirin. Crush 2 aspirin tablets, then mix the powder into ½ cup (118 mL) of hot water until it completely dissolves. Soak the stained portions of the shirt in the mixture for at least 1-2 hours, then wash as normal with the hottest water temperature the care instructions allow for. To crush the aspirin, use a pill crusher or place the tablets in a plastic bag and gently tap them with a hammer until they’re finely crushed. Test the dissolved aspirin solution on a discreet spot of the shirt first to make sure it won’t discolor.
Treating Stains with Commercial Cleaners
Soak the stain in diluted ammonia and treat with an enzyme stain remover. Mix 1 quart (0.95 L) of warm water, ½ tsp (2.5 mL) of dish soap, and 1 tbsp (15 mL) of ammonia and soak the stain in the solution for 15 minutes. Gently rub the back of the stain to loosen it, then soak for an additional 15 minutes. Rinse thoroughly to remove the mixture from the fabric. Then, soak the stain for at least 30 minutes in an enzyme-based stain remover, like OxiClean. Finish by washing the garment as usual. When working with ammonia, use a room with good ventilation and wear gloves to protect your hands. Protect your countertop or table by mixing your ingredients on top of an old towel. Do not mix ammonia directly with bleach or products like OxiClean that contain oxygen or chlorine bleach. The resulting fumes can be highly toxic. Ammonia is usually safe for colored fabric (especially when diluted), but to be safe, spot test the mixture before soaking the whole stain or garment.
Sponge the stain with equal parts water and ammonia. Combine ½ cup (118 mL) of ammonia with ½ cup (118 mL) of water and stir. Dab the solution onto the stain repeatedly until it’s significantly lightened or removed entirely. Then, throw the shirt in the laundry and wash as normal. Always make sure to treat your stained clothes with ammonia in a well-ventilated room. Wear cleaning gloves to protect your skin. Do not use ammonia on natural fibers like silk or wool. Diluted ammonia is typically safe for colored fabrics. Spot test the solution before applying to the entire stain or garment just to be safe, though.
Scrub stains on white shirts with a hydrogen peroxide mixture. Combine 6 tbsp (89 mL) of hydrogen peroxide with 3 tbsp (44 mL) of liquid dish soap, then scrub the solution into the stain with a small cleaning brush (the deodorant grime should disappear after a few minutes). Leave the mixture to sit on the shirt for about an hour, then wash the garment as normal with hot water (or the hottest water that the garment can handle according to the tag). Hydrogen peroxide has bleaching properties, so save this method for deodorant stains on white or very light colored fabrics only. If the stain is very set in the fabric, soak the stain in a mixture of equal parts hydrogen peroxide and water for about an hour, then wash. Make sure the stain is fully gone before putting the shirt in the dryer, or the heat will set the stain deeper into the fabric and make it even harder to remove.
Pretreat the stain with liquid or powdered laundry detergent. Apply a small amount of liquid detergent directly to the stain (check the instructions on the shirt tag and detergent bottle to make sure it’s safe for the fabric). Rub the detergent gently into the fabric and let it sit for several minutes. Then, wash the shirt as normal. Alternatively, make a paste of powdered laundry detergent and water (add just enough water to make a thick but spreadable paste). Apply it to the stain for at least an hour (or overnight for stubborn stains). Without removing the paste, launder the shirt as normal. This method is best for black or dark colored clothing and synthetic fabrics like polyester, since detergent is unlikely to lighten or discolor the fabric. For delicate fabrics and bras, hand wash the item in a bucket of cool water and laundry detergent with a small splash of hydrogen peroxide. Swirl and agitate the item for a few minutes, then let it soak for an hour. Press the garment to remove excess water (no wringing) and let it air dry.
Use a commercial stain remover. Pretreat the stain with the stain remover according to the product’s instructions—new stains may only need a few minutes of treatment, while older stains may need several hours of soaking. Gently rub the fabric to help the remover seep deeper into the stain. Then, wash the shirt as normal in the warmest water the shirt’s care tag recommends. Alternatively, try rubbing the stain with a stain remover stick.
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