07 Feb 2025
Stains happen, they’re part and parcel of wearing clothes!
One of the more frustrating stains to tackle comes from deodorant and antiperspirants.
Dark tops can stain with white streaks, whilst pale tops can develop yellowing or greying in the armpits. Over time these stains can ruin our clothing if not tackled at source!
The problem is made trickier because it’s often not just deodorant. It’s also sweat, bacteria from our skin and our antiperspirant or deodorant. Reactions occur between all three and that’s what can cause those hard yellow patches.
But don’t throw your arms up in surrender just yet (not until we’ve cleaned the marks from your underarms). We're here to help with...
7 deodorant stain hacks.
As always, when trying any of these stain removal techniques, always check your clothing care label for best recommendations. If you are in doubt then always test your method on an inconspicuous area of your clothing first.
1. smol bio laundry capsules.
A ground-breaking enzyme in smol bio capsules has taken stain removal to the next level.
Not only does it tackle invisible stains from our bodies; we’re talking skin cells, body oils, sweat and grime. But it removes the body odours and discolouration from our fabrics that have been caused by our sweat and deodorants mixing and reacting.
Best of all, it can actually prevent these stains from latching onto fabrics in the first place.
2. smol stain gel.
First wet the stained area with cool water and then apply a few pumps of smol’s bleach-free stain gel to the mark.
Leave the gel to work for a few minutes before washing your item as normal.
smol stain gel contains powerful enzymes that can digest and dissolve away stains and because it doesn’t bleach clothes your colours stay vibrant and strong.
3. clear vinegar.
Clear distilled white vinegar is actually pretty useful at lifting stains and removing discoloration caused by a deodorant and sweat.
Soak the stained area in a solution that’s half cold water and half vinegar for about an hour.
Gently brush the stain with an old clean toothbrush before washing your item as normal.
4. nylon tights.
If you’re battling white deodorant marks that are very fresh then try rubbing some rolled up nylons across the stains.
If you don’t have any old tights to hand then you could try this with a dry towel, but remember not to rub too hard.
5. bicarbonate of soda.
Mix bicarbonate of soda with some water until you form a thick paste like porridge.
Apply the paste onto the stain and leave it for 20 minutes before removing with warm water.
If the stain is stubborn you can leave this paste to work overnight then wash the item as normal in the washing machine the next day.
6. lemon juice.
A great hack for a sunny day!
Pour a solution that’s half lemon juice, half water directly onto the stain.
If the top is light coloured or white, lay it out in the sunlight for about an hour and you should see a natural bleaching effect, which can help remove discoloration.
7. hydrogen peroxide.
If you are concerned about using a harsher chemical such as hydrogen peroxide it is worth noting that it rapidly biodegrades completely into just water and oxygen. This means that it's completely safe for the environment. We would only recommend this method on light or white clothing as it can fade darker materials. Always patch test if in doubt.
Mix half a cup of hydrogen peroxide with 2 cups of cool water and soak the stain for 30 minutes in the solution.
Wash your top as normal.