Deodorant vs. antiperspirant—what's the diff, and which one is better for your clothes?

Here's the ingredient you should avoid if you want to prevent stains on your clothing.

I’ve written about deodorant before, but I haven’t covered the topic of antiperspirant until now! Actually, up until recently, I’d never even considered the distinction between deodorant and antiperspirant. They aren’t the same thing. And now I know that one of these products (ahem, antiperspirant) is more likely to cause pit stains on your clothing. Let’s find out why.

Deodorant vs. antiperspirant: What’s the diff?

Deodorant deodorizes, meaning that it fights odors caused by bacteria that break down sweat. Antiperspirant actually combats perspiration itself—it contains an active ingredient (usually aluminum-based) that prevents underarm wetness by interfering with your sweat glands.

Recently, I used Degree MotionSense Active Shield Antiperspirant and it stained the underarm areas of my cotton jacket, triggering flashbacks of my old benzoyl-peroxide-stained pillowcases from high school. This product doesn’t contain any benzoyl peroxide. So which ingredient was responsible for bleaching my clothes?

degree motionsense antiperspirant deodorant review

Degree MotionSense Active Shield Antiperspirant ingredients

My Dad the Chemist on why antiperspirants stain clothing

It turns out that antiperspirant with this active ingredient (aluminum zirconium tetrachlorohydrex gly) stains clothing. Sweat reacts with the aluminum to discolor clothing. He is going to try to use vinegar in hopes that the acid may help remove the stain. So now we know—not all deodorant or antiperspirant is created equal. If you like your cotton clothing and you don’t want to potentially stain it, refrain from using aluminum-based antiperspirant because it could stain your clothes. Of course, sweat stains can also happen, even if you don’t use antiperspirant. Perhaps opt for an aluminum-free deodorant like Old Spice Classic Deodorant, which uses a combination of denatured alcohol and fragrance to keep your underarms dry and mask odors.

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