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!
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.
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!
How do you usually shift stains? Any tips?
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
ReplyDeleteSo YOU are the person in the very old joke
Delete"Have you got a light, Mac?"
"No, but I have a dark brown overcoat"
Vanish is what I use.
ReplyDeleteI 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.
Oh please try and remember - now we all want some!
DeleteI had one of those bars - I think it was the original Vanish before they came up with the powder and sprays!
DeleteLynn P
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?
ReplyDeleteI 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!!
ReplyDeleteI have loads of waterproofing spray - I'll give you a coating before you go out. The jacket, that is!
ReplyDeleteThank you darling, you are a most considerate man - although I am not sure I want to suffer your reproof!
DeleteA Fels-Naptha bar can be used as spot-treatment for stains - I wonder if that's what Jean was thinking of?
ReplyDeleteSaliva is sovereign for removing fresh blood. (Very handy to know when hand-sewing or quilting.)