How to remove deodorant marks from clothes: white streaks and yellow underarms

Before you start

• Check the care label. It tells you the highest safe temperature and whether the fabric can be machine washed. Our guide to reading a clothing care label explains the symbols.
• Test anything new on a hidden area first, such as the inside of a hem.
• Use one product at a time, and rinse well before trying another. Never mix cleaning products.
• Avoid chlorine bleach. It can make yellow marks worse and damages many fabrics.

White streaks from getting dressed

These are fresh deodorant sitting on the surface of the fabric, usually on dark clothes.

1. Rub the fabric against itself. Pinch the marked area and rub it gently with another part of the same garment.
2. Try a dry sock or old tights. A clean nylon sock or pair of tights is slightly rough and lifts powdery marks well.
3. Use a damp cloth for anything left behind, dabbing rather than rubbing, then let it dry.

To avoid them, let deodorant dry for a minute or two before you get dressed, and pull tops on carefully over your head.

Yellow marks under the arms

Yellow or stiff patches build up over time from deodorant, sweat and body oils, mostly on white and pale tops. They are easiest to shift while they are light, so do not leave them.

Step 1: pre-treat

Work a small amount of washing-up liquid or a laundry stain remover into the mark with your fingers or a soft toothbrush. Leave it for 15 to 30 minutes.

Step 2: soak

Soak the garment in cool or lukewarm water with your usual detergent for a few hours or overnight. Biological detergents are good at breaking down sweat and body oils, but check they suit the fabric: many are not recommended for wool or silk.

Step 3: wash

Wash at the highest temperature the care label allows. Before you dry it, check the underarms in daylight.

Step 4: repeat if needed

Old marks often take two or three rounds. If the stain is still there after washing, repeat the pre-treat and soak rather than putting the garment in the tumble dryer.

Household options, used separately

If detergent alone has not worked, many people have success with these. Use only one, rinse it out fully, and never combine them.

• Bicarbonate of soda. Mix it with a little water into a paste, spread it on the mark, leave it for an hour, then wash as normal.
• White vinegar. Dilute it with water, dab it on the mark or soak the underarms for half an hour, then rinse and wash. Test first on coloured fabrics.
• Oxygen-based stain remover. These are sold for whites and many colours. Follow the instructions on the pack and check the care label.

Fabrics that need extra care

• Silk and wool: use only cool water and a gentle detergent made for them. Dab, do not scrub. For a precious piece, a professional dry cleaner is the safer choice.
• Dark colours: avoid anything with whitening agents, which can leave pale patches.
• Synthetics such as polyester: they can hold on to sweat smells. Our guide to getting smells out of second-hand clothes covers that.

Stopping marks coming back

• Wash tops after a wear or two rather than letting deodorant build up.
• Turn tops inside out before washing, so the detergent reaches the underarms.
• Use a little less deodorant, and let it dry before getting dressed.
• Avoid putting marked clothes in the tumble dryer.

Buying second-hand tops and shirts

Underarms are worth checking on any second-hand top, especially white shirts and T-shirts. Look at the listing photos carefully, and if there is no clear shot, tap Message the seller and ask for one in daylight. Our condition grades guide explains what "very good" and "good" should mean.

If a piece arrives with marks that were not mentioned, message the seller through the app and open a problem report on the order within 14 days of delivery. Our Terms explain the rest.

Selling tops with marks

Treat them before you list, using the steps above. If a faint mark will not shift, photograph it and say so. Buyers are often happy with a small, honest flaw at the right price, but not with one they discover in the parcel.

The short version

Rub fresh white streaks off with the fabric itself or a dry sock. For yellow marks, pre-treat, soak, wash and check before drying, repeating as needed. Use one product at a time, skip chlorine bleach and always check the care label.