We’ve all lost many a good outfit to antiperspirant stains, but there’s no reason for those white smears to rule what you wear. Here are some homespun tricks to get antiperspirant stains out of your clothes.
Cleaning antiperspirant stains from your clothes: the washing machine doesn’t seem to work, and sometimes you just have to throw those favourite tops and t-shirts away.
But this shouldn’t have to be the case – there are many time-tested home remedies for cleaning those stains from the arm-pits of your clothes, and they can be done with simple ingredients from around your home.
We collected some of the best tips for getting antiperspirant stains out of your clothes:
Vinegar
Great on chips, it’s also pretty decent at getting rid of antiperspirant stains.
- Take some white vinegar (other vinegars may colourise the material) and apply liberally to the affected areas of your clothes.
- Rub the vinegar into the stains, trying to remove as much of the antiperspirant build-up as possible. *You can use a cloth or old toothbrush to help you achieve this.
Afterwards, leave the material saturated in vinegar overnight, so it can really get to work. The next day you should wash your garments in your washing machine as usual and it should remove the last traces of the stains (and the vinegar!).
Salt
Also pretty good on chips, also great at getting stains out.
What you need to do is wet some salt and apply it to the affected area of fabric.
- Rub it in a little to allow it to permeate.
- Then, add more salt on top.
- Leave garment overnight to allow the salt to take effect.
Nylons/Tights
If you have an old pair of tights to hand, they can help remove visible stains.
This tip couldn’t be easier: simply rub the tights against white, powdery antiperspirant marks and they will disappear.
The trick is that fine-woven tights can be actually be delicately abrasive, and should lift off any antiperspirant residue.
Baking Soda Paste
Baking soda seems a wonder-drug of home remedies and, again, it works perfectly against antiperspirant stains.
- Make a paste out of some baking soda and water.
- Then, using an old toothbrush, work the paste into the stain.
- Once it’s deep into the material, leave for an hour for the soda to get to work.
- Then, rinse the paste off and throw the garment into the laundry as normal.
Frequently asked questions
What stain-removal methods does this article cover?
The article covers white vinegar, salt, fine-woven tights, and a baking soda paste as household methods for removing antiperspirant residue from clothing.
Should I check the garment care label first?
Yes. Follow the care label and spot-test any cleaning method on a hidden area before treating a visible stain.
Can fine-woven tights help with white antiperspirant marks?
The article suggests gently rubbing white, powdery residue with fine-woven tights to lift marks from the fabric surface.
What should I do after pretreating an antiperspirant stain?
Follow the garment care instructions and wash the item as usual after the chosen pretreatment step.
Christopher Andersson is Co-founder and COO of DryDry, a Swedish-made clinical-strength antiperspirant brand for heavy sweating. With 20+ years of experience in the personal care industry, Christopher leads a brand that has sold over 10 million units across European markets since 2006.