I recently moved into my college dorm and while I've been doing my own
laundry for several years, I've recently come upon a problem with my
laundry.  The last couple loads I have done have had deodorant marks
(some people call them deodorant stains, when the deodorant ends up on
new parts of the clothes).  My question is thus:  What's the best way
to prevent having the deodorant marks?  They're horribly annoying, and
while I know how to deal with them when I spot them, we all know that
Prevention is worth about 16 times what Cure is.

Greetings Lucidiguana:

There is certainly more information on removing deodorant stains from
clothes than preventing them (as you have probably discovered). 
However, I found a few tips:

STAIN PREVENTION

"How can you prevent deodorant stains?  Be sure to let your underarms
dry before getting dressed.  Look for deodorant that dries clear..."
http://www.tipking.com/Tips/publish/tip_57.shtml

**********

"To prevent deodorants or antiperspirants from tainting your clothes,
follow these steps:

**Use alcohol-free deodorants with a natural pH rather than an acidic
antiperspirant. Avoid deodorant products that contain acidic solutions
of aluminum chloride.
**Apply the product as instructed, and avoid overuse. 
**Allow the product to dry before dressing. 
**Avoid prolonged contact with antiperspirants and deodorants. 
**Use underarm guards when wearing delicate garments, especially those
made of silk."

From http://www.oxxousa.com/garment_care.htm
The site at http://pike.extension.psu.edu/Family/NDN/1999/Aug-Oct%2099/Consumer.html
offers basically the same instructions.

*********

"Wear natural fibers.
Not that we EVER sweat, but if we did, we would surely wear cotton and
other breathable fabrics to avoid unsightly perspiration. (If you are
really worried about this, you can go to your local fabric store and
buy underarm guards. They are little pads that adhere right into the
arm holes of your clothes.)"
From http://www.glamnet.com/glamhints/archive17.html

Regarding underarm guards (shields/pads) for men and women, see the
site at http://www.advantagewear.com/info-oval-dress-shields.htm -
they offer a wide selection of different types.  These will definitely
stop underarm stains from reaching your clothes.

Other links to these types of guards are:

http://www.advantagewear.com/brazaclothingshields.htm

http://www.garmentguard.com/

*********

I also located some deodorants that *claim* to be anti-stain and you
may want to experiment with different brands:

http://www.edirectory.co.uk/pf/static/880/ca10327.html

http://www.drugstore.com/qxp26162_333181_sespider/right_guard/sport_antiperspirant_and_deodorant_aerosol_powder_dry.htm

http://www.walgreens.com/store/product.jhtml?PRODID=6284&CATID=100240

http://www.supernature.org/acatalog/Supernature_Hair___Body_26.html
[see the second product]

*********

I also found a reference to scrubbing your underarms with a tawas
rock:
"For tight, dark colored shirts or outfits with sleeves, try using a
tawas rock after you have showered on damp underarms and trust me, no
deodorant stains."
From http://www.inq7.net/lif/2002/feb/20/lif_8-1.htm
Unfortunately, I could find no place to buy a tawas rock - this may be
similar to a softer type of pumice stone.

******************
******************

STAIN REMOVAL

Regarding the *removal* of deodorant stains, I have located a few
possible remedies for you but, of course, you'll have to experiment
with them before we really know if these "cures" will effectively
work.  White vinegar seems to be the most popular treatment as you'll
see from the many links below mentioning it.

White vinegar is recommended at
http://www.mediterraneanfoodmarket.com/vinegar1.html#DEODERANTSTAINS
"Lightly rubbing the affected area with white vinegar (can’t stress
enough, it has to be white vinegar) and then washing the garment as
usual."  Many more sites recommend white vinegar, too:

http://lotsofkidssite.com/19usesvinegar.htm

http://www.seasonsindia.com/lifestyle/tipsStain_sea.htm

http://www.themissingsock.com/Tips.htm#Deodorant%20Stains%20on%20the%20Underarms%20of%20Washable%20Shirts

http://www.allabouthome.com/tips/cleaning/home.html#Anchor-Removing-40878
[this site and others here also mentions using denatured alcohol]

http://acmehardware.com/HomeTips/Cleaning/home.aspx#Anchor-Removing-40878

http://www.soapman.com/tips/TipsPages/OtherCleaningTips.html

http://www.pioneerthinking.com/cgi-bin/mb/YaBB.pl?board=cleaning;action=display;num=1055748793

http://creativehomemaking.com/forums/Cleaning/posts/134.html

*********

The Stain Solver at http://ww4.bhg.com/default.sph/SaServletEngine.class/com.meredith.stainSolver.main
recommends applying liquid laundry detergent and a product called
Carbona Stain Devils. "Lay garment flat and pat stain with a spoon to
get between the fibers. Don’t rub the material. Wash either by hand or
machine with the hottest water safe for the fabric. If clothing is
bleachable, try color-safe bleach, then chlorine bleach. Or, blot
stain with a cotton ball and Carbona Stain Devils or K2r, following
directions carefully."

The Carbona products site is located at
http://www.carbona.com/products/all_bottles.htm# - I wasn't able to
locate a place to purchase the product called K2r.

*********

A message left at http://pub19.ezboard.com/fhouseholdtipsandtricks86248shareyourhintortrick.showMessage?topicID=27.topic
recommends a product called Zout to remove deodorant stains.  The post
states that Zout is available at Wal-Mart and the Zout website is
located at http://www.zout.com/.

*********

The site at http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/cleaning/msg0910015910660.html
mentions baking soda "brush it on deodorant stains on clothes with a
little water before laundering to help remove the stains."  One of the
vinegar links above also mentioned using white vinegar with baking
soda.

*********

Boomer Kids, the site at http://www.boomerskids.com/fascartip.html
recommends using baby wipes to remove deodorant stains but I think
these are for the white stains getting on clothes, not into clothes. 
Baby wipes are also mentioned at
http://www.soulkurry.com/v2/style/article.php3?articleid=1118

*********

The white vinegar would be my first try to remove these stains.  You
might also experiment with one of the newer Oxy-type cleaners as a
pre-wash and in-wash treatment.  Try making a paste of the Oxy-type
powder and applying it to the stains before washing.  I have not tried
this with deodorant stains but I have tried it on a red wine stain on
a white shirt and it removed the stain completely.  I wouldn't use
large quantities of bleach because too much will weaken fabrics.

Should you require any clarification of the links or information I
have provided, please request it before closing and rating this
question and I'll be happy to respond.

Best regards,
journalist-ga


SEARCH STRATEGY:

"prevent deodorant stains"
preventing "deodorant stains"
"underarm guards"
"underarm pads"
"underarm shields"
"clothing shields"
"anti stain" deodorant
removing "deodorant stains" from clothes
removing "deoderant stains" from clothes
removing "deodorant stains"
"Carbona Stain Devils"
K2r
Zout

Thank you so much.  I've got several things to try now.

I used to have problems with streaky white deodorant residue that
would transfer onto my clothes. I now use Lady Speed Stick Clean
Glide, which is quite effective as a deodorant and antiperspirant,
comes in several pleasant scents, and leaves no streaks or stains
anywhere. I love this stuff!

http://www.ladyspeedstick.ca/home.htm

Here are some web sources for tawas rock, also known as crystal
deodorant. You can also Google "crystal deodorant".

http://www.crystal-deodorant.com/deodrant.html
http://www.crystaldeodorantprotection.com/
http://www.backbenimble.com/new/pages/crystal_deodorant/