Deodorant Stains on Tops and Shirts

lindos90

So I'm getting through a mountain of ironing today and really noticing the armpits on shirts and T shirts (mainly other half and sons) Do a quick google and find lots of useful videos from the US suggesting a combination of hydrogen peroxide spray, dish soap and baking soda. 
Fantastic, I think I have 2 out of the three ingredients (banking on washing up liquid and bicarbonated soda as UK equivalents. 
It's the final ingredients thats causing me bother, I've done a couple of searches giving me contradictory info about it. Apparently comes in lots of different strengths from 'food grade' 3% up to a scary 40% for hair. I've also read you can buy it in boots for medical reasons, but then also that you are not allowed to buy it in case you have a plan to make a bomb! 
Can anyone shed any light on this for me please? I just want something safe to use (I dont know what % the sprays were that featured in the videos) that I can buy on the high street in a spray bottle. Thank you  

richardw

Firstly, avoid any heat from the iron on the stain. Hydrogen Peroxide is a bleaching agent so could take the colour out if the shirts aren’t white, so take care. 

Btw This https://www.waitrose.com/ecom/products/essential-waitrose-stain-remover-powder-colours/848351-220710-220711

gets good reviews.

JIL

I scraped the residue of the deodorant using a round headed knife and then used this 
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Maid-Simple-Hand-Laundry-Green/dp/B00HZJUT1O
Which I think is one of the best stain removers i have ever used.

PipneyJane

JIL said:

I scraped the residue of the deodorant using a round headed knife and then used this 
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Maid-Simple-Hand-Laundry-Green/dp/B00HZJUT1O
Which I think is one of the best stain removers i have ever used.

@JIL, does it work on embedded deodorant? Do you soak or just douse the area and then shove in the machine?   My DH has a couple of tee shirts that have hardened deodorant in the underarm area.  I’m not sure I can scrape any of it off but would like to rescue them if possible.  All advice welcome.

Many thanks,

- Pip

JIL

PipneyJane said:

JIL said:

I scraped the residue of the deodorant using a round headed knife and then used this 
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Maid-Simple-Hand-Laundry-Green/dp/B00HZJUT1O
Which I think is one of the best stain removers i have ever used.

@JIL, does it work on embedded deodorant? Do you soak or just douse the area and then shove in the machine?   My DH has a couple of tee shirts that have hardened deodorant in the underarm area.  I’m not sure I can scrape any of it off but would like to rescue them if possible.  All advice welcome.

Many thanks,

- Pip

I just scraped the deodorant from the underarm area, (I should have said these were my husband's work shirts all cotton), there was still some left on, I wet it and rubbed the soap on, stuck the shirts in the washing machine, switched the machine on  and got rid of loads of the residue. It is not perfect but very definitely better than they were.
I didnt think about soaking them, but I wouldn't think that would do any harm. Especially after giving them a thick soapy coating.
I am really impressed by the soap, it's got rid of so many household stains.

PipneyJane

Thanks @JIL, I’ll give it a go.

- Pip

JIL

PipneyJane said:

Thanks @JIL, I’ll give it a go.

- Pip

I think it's much cheaper in other shops, I got mine from ocado.  But that was a good while ago.  It's also good for taking on holiday (if only) 

Working_Mum

JIL said:

I scraped the residue of the deodorant using a round headed knife and then used this 
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Maid-Simple-Hand-Laundry-Green/dp/B00HZJUT1O
Which I think is one of the best stain removers i have ever used.

I simply want to say a THANK-YOU for this recommendation - I bought some last week and used it at the weekend. Wow the armpits of my son's work shirts are pristine!

Mistral001

I bought a shirt in a charity shop for a £1 and found deodorant stains in the armpits when I took it home.  At the stains the material was stiff like cardboard.  I tried various solvents on the stains and found that paraffin worked the best.  It took the stiffness out of the material, but the stains were still slightly visible.  I now use the shirt just for painting and doing DIY.

lindos90

Just a bit of an update, I eventually found a Uk seller on Ebay selling a range of % concentrations of Hydrogen Peroxide in a spray bottle. I chose 12% as I thought it would be strong enough, even if I added a bit more water with the soap. Its enabled me to bring several T shirts and work shirts back to wearable condition, and still plenty left in the bottle. So much cheaper than getting rid of the items and buying new