Monday 14 May 2012

Completely Off The Cuff

I have an ancient jacket [at least 20 years] from Hawkshead. It is warm and waterproof and it is what I wear for playground duty in winter. The last few weeks have seen the jacket getting a lot more use, due to the inclement weather.

On Friday I went straight from school to church [for Dave’s funeral] and then on to a cold, windy cemetery. So I took my jacket out of the car and put it on over my smart clothes. That was when I noticed quite how grubby the cuffs and hem had become. The photo doesn’t do justice to the nasty greasy black marks round the edges!

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Total embarrassment as I realised I couldn’t remember the last time I washed the coat. I certainly had not washed it since I got my fancy new washing machine – but I do remember that the last wash in the old machine had not shifted the marks. I tried again, with a scoop of Vanish – and I was amazed at the result.

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All the stains have gone, it looks bright and fresh again. So I will not be surprised if the weather improves now, and I do not need to wear it again till the autumn!

swarfegaA school colleague told me recently that she found Swarfega was invaluable for removing greasy stains from her husband’s work jacket. I have never tried that – although a tub of Swarfega has always been around in my home, for cleaning hands.

How do you usually shift stains? Any tips?

10 comments:

  1. Luckily my dog walking/school duty mac is brown and doesn't show the marks - not sure what it would look like in a lighter colour!!! x

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    Replies
    1. So YOU are the person in the very old joke
      "Have you got a light, Mac?"
      "No, but I have a dark brown overcoat"

      Delete
  2. Vanish is what I use.
    I do remember once using a kind of bar of stain-removing soap that you rub directly onto the fabric. It restored to pristine loveliness a favourite demin skirt that had swished against something oily when I went to a classic car show. The huge swathe of oil just disappeared but I can't for the life of me remember the name of the product. I shan't rest until I have searched the contents of the cupboard under the sink to see if I still have some. I'm very doubtful that Vanish would have done the job so well.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh please try and remember - now we all want some!

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    2. I had one of those bars - I think it was the original Vanish before they came up with the powder and sprays!

      Lynn P

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  3. I always try neat washing up liquid first, cheaper than some of the specialist cleaners and effective on grease. Will the coat still be waterproof after washing with vanish?

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  4. I hadn't thought about the 'proofing' being affected. I shall have to see what happens next time I wear it in the rain. I hope I don't shrink!!

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  5. I have loads of waterproofing spray - I'll give you a coating before you go out. The jacket, that is!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you darling, you are a most considerate man - although I am not sure I want to suffer your reproof!

      Delete
  6. A Fels-Naptha bar can be used as spot-treatment for stains - I wonder if that's what Jean was thinking of?

    Saliva is sovereign for removing fresh blood. (Very handy to know when hand-sewing or quilting.)

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