Taking care of your personal hygiene using deodorant is a courteous gesture towards humanity. However, the stains this product sometimes leaves on clothes are a real nuisance. Before you decide to stop using it, try the following methods to remove those unsightly marks from fabrics.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Remove Deodorant Stains with a Home Remedy
Step 1. Use distilled white vinegar
You can find it easily in the supermarket and it is incredibly cheap. Vinegar is a lighter version of acetic acid and is excellent for breaking down stains. Its characteristic odor will fade when the fabric has dried.
- Fill the bottom of the washing machine drum with cold water and add one cup (250 ml) of distilled white vinegar. Leave the stained garment to soak for at least half an hour, then drain the water and wash it using regular laundry detergent and cold water.
- If the stains are particularly noticeable, create a cleaning solution by mixing water and vinegar in equal parts, then apply it to the fabric that has directly contacted the deodorant. Scrub the area with a clean old toothbrush after saturating the fibers, then let the vinegar sit for up to an hour.
- If that doesn't help, you can turn the garment inside out and soak the stained fabric with pure distilled white vinegar. Once the fibers are completely saturated, rub the vinegar into the fabric with your fingers or a clean old toothbrush, then let it sit for 10 to 60 minutes, as needed.
Step 2. Use baking soda to remove stubborn stains
Baking soda can naturally cleanse and deodorize surfaces and fabrics and is gentle enough to be used on almost any type of fiber. Be that as it may, it's best to be foresight by testing it on a small, hidden area of fabric and avoid applying it to garments that can only be dry cleaned.
- Make a cleansing paste by mixing water and baking soda. It will need to be soft enough to spread on, but also dense enough to stay on the fabric once applied. Just prepare the amount you need right now.
- Leave the cleansing paste on until it dries. This should take around 30-60 minutes. Every 10 minutes, gently scrub it into the fabric using your fingers or an old, clean toothbrush to enhance the stain removal effect.
- Wash the garment as usual. Check the condition of the stains after the treatment and, if they are still visible, sprinkle them with a small amount of laundry detergent and rub them gently with your fingers or an old clean toothbrush, before putting the garment in the washing machine.
Step 3. Use lemon juice and salt
Lemon is an excellent cleanser, given its high citric acid content, low pH and natural antibacterial properties. It also smells fantastic and could hardly damage fabrics (but in any case it is better to be foresight and perform a test test on a small, inconspicuous area of fabric).
- Use the juice of a couple of fresh lemons or the concentrated juice from the supermarket. Apply it directly to the stains until the fibers are completely saturated.
- Add a couple of pinches of table salt. Rub it into the stains gently, but firmly. Pushing the salt and lemon juice against the fabric will help them penetrate deeply into the fibers, where dirt lurks.
- If possible, expose the garment to the sun and let it dry naturally. The sun's rays have the ability to lighten fabrics, so you can take advantage of it by leaving the garment stretched for as long as possible.
- Wash your garment in cold water. The fabric may stiffen a little after being exposed to the sun for a long time, so it's best to put the garment in the washing machine for a final final wash.
Step 4. Combine the power of salt, vinegar and dish soap to get a stain remover with miraculous powers
The salt helps the vinegar to penetrate deeply into the fibers, where it can dissolve the stain better. Dishwashing liquid helps dissolve the solid particles that caused the problem.
- Mix the three ingredients until they are perfectly blended. Use 200 g of salt, half a liter of vinegar, half a liter of hot water and 15 ml of liquid dish soap.
- Leave the stained fabric to soak for 1-2 hours, then wash the garment as usual.
Method 2 of 2: Remove Deodorant Stains with a Cleaning Product
Step 1. Use a stain and ammonia additive
Remove stains from white shirts, especially cotton ones, immediately after they appear. It is much more difficult to remove stains after they have set on the fabric.
- Work in a well-ventilated room, wear rubber gloves to protect the skin on your hands, and also protect surrounding surfaces by covering them with an old towel while mixing ingredients.
- Use the whitening additive and ammonia in equal parts, in a ratio of 1: 1. Rub the cleaning solution into the stains for 30 seconds, then let it soak into the fabric for about ten minutes.
- When finished, wash the garment as usual using cold or lukewarm water.
Step 2. Use pure ammonia
Again, don't overlook the importance of working in a well-ventilated room, wear a pair of rubber gloves and protect the surrounding surfaces.
- Apply it to the stained fabric using a sponge, then let it sit for a couple of minutes. If it is a delicate garment (such as wool or silk), dilute the ammonia with water in a ratio of 1: 1.
- When finished, wash the garment as you usually do.
Step 3. Make a cleaning paste using powdered laundry detergent and water
Mix the two ingredients and leave them on the stained fabric overnight, to allow the detergent to activate all its active ingredients. It will take care of dissolving stains and eliminating them while you sleep.
- Pour the washing powder into a glass or plastic container, not a metal one. Use only the amount you currently need.
- Add the amount of water you need to form a thick paste that won't run off the stained fabric once applied.
- Apply the cleansing paste where needed and let it sit until the next day, then wash the garment as usual.
Step 4. Use a fabric stain remover spray
This solution is more expensive because it may force you to buy it if you don't have it at home, but it takes less time than making your own using regular home care products.
- Pre-treat stains with stain remover. If the fabric has recently become stained, it should only take a few minutes for it to come clean. If, on the other hand, the deodorant has had time to set on the fabric, it is better to leave the product to act overnight. Rubbing the spray into stains will allow it to penetrate deeper.
- When finished, wash the garment using water at the hottest temperature possible. See the directions on the label. The heat will help activate the stain remover principles to remove any deodorant residue from the fabric.
Advice
- Hot water helps remove odors trapped in the fabric. Scrubbing the fibers is also very helpful. In any case, never exceed the maximum temperature recommended by the indications on the garment label.
- Bleach does not solve the problem of deodorant stains, it also leaves an unpleasant odor on the fabric.
- Determines if the garment can be washed with water or dry clean only. If it requires dry cleaning, do not attempt to clean it at home.
- Take the garment to the laundry if it can only be dry cleaned. Don't feel embarrassed, highlight the stains to the store staff so they know they need to pay special attention to them.
- Try using a natural deodorant that is free of aluminum salts. It is the chemicals and minerals in sweat that cause stains to appear.
- Make sure the stains are gone before putting the garment in the washer or dryer. If they were to get stuck on the fabric due to heat, removing them would become even more complicated.
