My teenage son wears nothing but black t-shirts and he overdoes it with the rollon. What is the best way to get rid of deodorant stains on black shirts? I think I need to step in and do his laundry to rescue his clothes.
Sondra Lello, San Rafael
A lot of people ask me how to remove yellow armpit stains from white tops. But I’m really glad you asked about how to get rid of deodorant stains on black shirts. It’s something everyone who does laundry needs to know. And it’s easy to do.
To illustrate the point, the simplest method is to soak a cotton ball in rubbing alcohol and rub the stain. It shouldn’t harm the dye, but it will dissolve the residue on the fabric.
It’s also possible to use vinegar to remove deodorant marks on clothing. You’d normally combine two tablespoons of vinegar with a half cup of hot water to saturate the stain. Then let it sit for half an hour. If you’re concerned about the hot water leaching the color from the material, test this on an old shirt first.
Next, if you’ve ever tried the lemon juice and salt method on a white shirt, you know this might fade the black fabric. But you could try a paste made from three parts baking soda and one part water. Rub it into the cloth, then let it work about half an hour. After that, you should be able to rinse away the residue.
If you’re curious about other recipes for removing underarm stains from clothes, visit this page: https://www.tipsbulletin.com/how-to-remove-deodorant-stains/. For example, in a pinch, you can use laundry detergent itself to clean deodorant spots.
I hope all of your son’s shirts turn out like new with these tips.