First steps
Start here
- Treat it before it goes in the wash, while the mark is fresh.
- Pretreat with liquid laundry detergent, or undiluted hand dishwashing liquid for a light mark.
- Check the care label first, because it decides which products the fabric can take.
Deodorant and antiperspirant leave residue made of aluminum or zinc salts plus waxy or oily carriers, and that residue doesn't always rinse out in one wash. The salts can also change the color of some dyes, which is why a dark shirt may show a patch of changed color. Fresh marks usually respond to a pretreat and a warm wash, but built-up residue may never fully come out, so the original color may not come back.
Deodorant marks on a black shirt call for a pretreat on the mark before the wash, not after. Test any product on a hidden seam first, since the salts can shift dye on dark fabric. If built-up residue shows up on dress shirts or scrubs after a few washes, a dry cleaner can check what's left.
7 items
What you'll need
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- Liquid laundry detergentPretreats a light mark and works into the fabric before the wash. (opens Amazon)
- Prewash stain removerUsed for heavy marks, left to stand for 5 to 10 minutes. (opens Amazon)
- Undiluted hand dishwashing liquidA light-stain pretreat if you have no laundry detergent on hand. (opens Amazon)
- Oxygen bleachGoes in the warm wash on colorfast fabric. (opens Amazon)
- White vinegarA few drops for an old stain that has changed the fabric's color. (opens Amazon)
- AmmoniaA few drops for a new color-change stain only. (opens Amazon)
- 3% hydrogen peroxideFor a mark that is still there after a wash. (opens Amazon)
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5 steps
How to get deodorant out of clothes
Step 1 of 55 to 10 minutes
Pretest, then pretreat the mark
For a light mark, rub in liquid laundry detergent or undiluted hand dishwashing liquid, working it in with your fingertips. For a heavy mark, use a prewash stain remover and let it stand for 5 to 10 minutes before you move on. Either way, the pretreat needs to be done before the item goes near the washer.
Tip. Work from the inside of the garment when you can, so the residue doesn't spread.
Careful. Pretest any remover on a hidden spot first, and stop if the color transfers or changes.
Step 2 of 5
Wash warm with an oxygen bleach
Rinse the pretreated spot with plain water, then launder the item in warm water with an oxygen bleach added to the load. Keep the wash warm rather than hot, since hot water isn't right for every fabric.
Careful. Oxygen bleach is for colorfast fabrics only, so check colorfastness before you use it.
Step 3 of 5
Treat any color change right away
If the deodorant has changed the fabric's color, use a few drops of white vinegar on an old stain or a few drops of ammonia on a new one. Rinse with plain water, then move on, and use only one of the two.
Step 4 of 5
Treat what remains with peroxide
If the mark is still there after the wash, dab on 3% hydrogen peroxide from the drugstore, then launder the item again. Use only that strength, not the stronger solution sold for bleaching hair.
Step 5 of 5
Air-dry and check the spot
Hang the item to air-dry, then check the spot in good light. If any trace is left, repeat the wash before anything else.
Tip. Check in natural light, since indoor light can hide a faint mark.
Careful. Heat sets deodorant stains, so never iron the spot and keep the item out of the dryer until the mark is completely gone.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for deodorant
Look for liquid laundry detergent, a prewash stain remover and an oxygen bleach labeled for colorfast fabric, plus 3% hydrogen peroxide from the drugstore.
OdoBan Odor Eliminator & Disinfectant Concentrate
How we picked these: each product is made for this type of stain, its maker doesn't warn against using it on this fabric, and its directions fit the steps above.
Finished the steps? How does it look?
Nice work. Let it dry completely and check it again in good light before using any heat. Here is what done looks like:
How to tell it's really gone →A faint mark usually needs one more round, not a stronger product.
See what to do for what you're seeing →A smell that keeps coming back needs the longer treatment.
If the smell lingers →When to call a professional →Pick what it is on
Deodorant on every material
No match. Try the main search for anything else.
How to tell it's working
Each pretreat and wash should lighten the mark, so a fading spot is a good sign. If the fabric's color has changed, it should look closer to its normal shade after the rinse. A mark that still shows after a full wash means repeating the steps, not drying the item.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your fabric
Whites and white shirts
White cotton and linen can take the full method, including hot water if the care label allows it and an oxygen bleach in the wash. White marks and streaks are residue on the fabric, so the pretreat needs to work the product in before the wash.
For yellowing or buildup on a white shirt, try a paste of baking soda and water, but only after the main steps. Chlorine bleach has its own rules, so keep it for the final treatment.
Black and dark clothes
Dark clothes follow the same order of steps, with the wash kept warm. Dark dyes can fade in the wash, so leave out the oxygen bleach unless the color is known to hold, and test a hidden seam first. Hot water and chlorine are only for colors known to hold.
Use the same order for a dark shirt, from pretreat through the wash. Peroxide is only needed if a mark is left after the wash.
Dress shirts, polyester and scrubs
Polyester and other synthetics take warm water well but not hot, so keep the wash warm. Oil in the mark is what makes synthetics hard to clear, so give the pretreat time to work.
Dresses, bras and scrubs follow the same steps, as long as the fabric label allows the products you pick.
Silk, wool and delicates
Silk and wool can't take chlorine bleach, oxygen bleach or enzyme detergent, so skip those. Don't rub or brush silk, and don't agitate wool in water, which makes it felt and shrink.
Blot gently with cool water and let the item air-dry flat. A solvent spot remover is the only product left for a stain that won't lift, and only after a pretest on a hidden spot.
Dry-clean-only items
Water-based steps and oxygen bleach don't belong on dry-clean-only fabric, so skip the wash method entirely. Velvet with an S code on the label needs dry-cleaning or solvent cleaners only, and it should never be ironed.
Blot with a solvent spot remover only after a pretest, and take the item to a professional cleaner if the mark stays. Heirloom textiles shouldn't go in a washing machine at all, even on a gentle cycle.
If the smell lingers
An old stain that has changed the fabric's color is where the vinegar treatment matters most. Give it a prewash stain remover and a 5 to 10 minute wait before the oxygen-bleach wash.
A stain that has been through the dryer has been set by the heat, which makes it far harder to lift. Residue built up over many wears may not come out completely, so the original color may not come back.
On white cotton or linen labeled bleach-safe, a diluted chlorine bleach can be the very last step, after everything has been rinsed out. Keep it separate from the vinegar and ammonia, and never use it on silk, wool or spandex.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on deodorant?
Only a few household remedies fit deodorant on clothes, and the main method already uses the ones that matter most. The rest are either for a different stain or only help with a side problem like odor or buildup.
Works4Helps2Skip1
Chemical safety
Never mix these
Some products in this guide react dangerously with each other. Use them one at a time and rinse with water in between.
Chlorine bleach + Vinegar
Vinegar is an acid, and acid mixed with bleach gives off toxic chlorine gas.
Chlorine bleach + Oxygen bleach (OxiClean)
Both makers advise against combining them: OxiClean says not to mix it with chlorine bleach, and Clorox says the two bleaches cancel each other out.
Chlorine bleach + Hydrogen peroxide (3%)
Washington State's health department says bleach reacts with hydrogen peroxide, and Clorox says not to mix bleach with other household chemicals.
Oxygen bleach (OxiClean) + Vinegar
OxiClean's maker says it should not be mixed with household chemicals other than detergent in the wash.
If they mix by accident: Stop and add nothing else; leave the area for fresh air, open windows and keep children and pets away; call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222, or 911 if anyone has trouble breathing.
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't use bleach at full strength
Chlorine bleach only ever goes on at a diluted strength, and only on the fabrics that can take it. Undiluted bleach can weaken the fibers so the item tears or wears out sooner.
Don't over-soak the item
Soaking longer or using more product than recommended can leave yellow marks that can't be removed. Stick to the wait time in the steps and don't leave the item to soak for hours.
Don't reach for bar soap
Bar soap sets many stains, so it's a bad choice for a fresh deodorant mark. Use liquid detergent or the undiluted hand dishwashing liquid from the first step instead.
Don't use acetone on acetate
Acetone and nail polish remover dissolve acetate, triacetate and modacrylic, so they're off the list for synthetic blends. Check the label before you use any solvent on a synthetic.
Troubleshooting
If the stain is still there
Pick what you're seeing:
The underarm area changed color
Use a few drops of ammonia if the stain is new, or a few drops of white vinegar if it is old, then rinse. Test on a hidden spot first.
A stiff white patch survived one wash
Treat it as a heavy stain: prewash stain remover for 5 to 10 minutes, then an oxygen bleach wash. Air-dry and check again.
The fabric is silk or another delicate fiber
Pretest every product, and be especially careful with solvent spot removers. If the garment is dry-clean only, take it to a dry cleaner and point out the stain.
When to call a professional
If the mark survives two full rounds of these steps, or the item is silk, wool or dry-clean only, a professional cleaner is the safer next step. Tell them the stain is deodorant residue, since aluminum and zinc salts may need their own treatment.
Questions
Why do deodorant stains happen?
Deodorant and antiperspirant leave product residue, mainly aluminum or zinc salts with waxy or oily carriers. Those salts are acidic and can change the color of some dyes. Letting the product dry fully before you dress is the simplest way to keep residue off your clothes.
Can antiperspirant stains be removed?
Often the mark lifts with the same steps, but aluminum or zinc salt residue may be impossible to remove completely. Work through the steps and aim for a result that looks clean, since the original color may not come back.
How do I get yellow deodorant buildup out of clothes?
Start with the main steps, and use the baking soda mix on white shirts if the yellowing stays. Buildup that has been there a long time is the hardest kind, and the original color may not come back.
Will deodorant come out in the wash alone?
Only if you pretreat first, since the residue needs to be worked into the fabric before the wash. Then wash in warm water with an oxygen bleach and check the spot before drying.
Can I use hydrogen peroxide on deodorant stains?
Yes, the 3% drugstore strength works for a mark that is still there after a wash. Don't use the stronger solution sold for bleaching hair, since it's a different product.
Does the same method work on black shirts?
Yes, with the wash kept warm. Colors can't take hot water or chlorine unless the dye is known to hold, so check that before you choose a bleach.
Can I use the same method on silk or wool?
No, not the wash steps. Silk and wool can't take chlorine or oxygen bleach, so use the gentler approach described for them.
Related
How we know this
Every method, amount and warning here comes from university extension services, industry bodies and product makers. We read them, check every step for unsafe combinations and changed amounts, and write it up so you can follow it.