Saturday 5 October 2013

Purge Me With Hyssop And I Shall Be Clean

..Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow [Psalm 51]

I had a major washing disaster last week.Usually I am incredibly diligent about sorting my washloads – lingerie goes into a separate nylon bag so it doesn’t tangle and snag round things, and whites are almost always laundered separately.

But Bob was away, and I got up early one morning and put a load in the machine really early,before I pootled off to school …and one solitary white item somehow got in with the coloured stuff. When I got home, I unloaded the damp washing, and found that everything was fine and dandy except my white shirt.

IMG_0832

There was a large grey stain right in the centre.

I washed it again.

Then I soaked it in Vanish.

Then I soaked it in bleach.

Then I gave up and let it dry.

I haven’t felt like ironing it yet.

I have no idea what caused the stain. I am certain the mark was not there before it went in the laundry bin. Nothing else came out of the machine with stains on it. And this one seems ineradicable. It measures around 5” by 2½”. Which is huge as such stains go – but this one won’t go, and that’s my problem. It remains a large grey splodge in a very visible part of the garment.

I could just about get away with wearing it as a ‘tucked in’ shirt - but would then have to take in the sides a bit, as there’s quite a lot of fabric in it. And anyway I like the loose tunic style.

Has anyone got any suggestions? All ideas gratefully received. I really don’t want to consign the shirt to the bin or rag bag – the pleats and embroidery at the top are lovely. And as you can guess, this is actually something I purchased new [admittedly in a sale, with a voucher] and not a charity shop bargain. It cost me hard earned cash!

Help!!

18 comments:

  1. Is it the sort of fabric that would take a dye well? If so you could dye it black. It wouldn't be your lovely white shirt but it would still be wearable.

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    1. I am afraid that it might not dye evenly- and would end up dark grey with a darker grey stain!

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  2. What a shame.Have you tried rubbing Vanish soap in? Or ask a drycleaner for advice?

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    1. Tried soap, and that didn't work. Maybe I should take it to the dry cleaners [although I have not found our local ones to be that helpful lately "We cannot guarantee to remove stains if you don't know what they are!" I was told last time I asked]

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  3. After crying,I wouldn't know what to do.
    Jane x

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    1. I have to confess that I did not cry. I said an uncharacteristically rude word to the empty house!

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  4. What a weird thing, could you get any hint of what it could be from the other things that went in the machine. Almost looks like grey paint, but surely that would have been on more than one thing.
    I think you might have to right it off as just one of those odd things that happen sometimes.

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  5. Have you checked what was with the blouse in the washing machine? Perhaps you could get a clue as to what leached into the fabric. Here's a link to unknown stain removal

    http://home.howstuffworks.com/how-to-remove-unknown-stains.htm

    Love from Mum
    xx

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  6. There was nothing apparent on any of the other garments - either before or after they were washed. And all were 'old' so it wasn't something being washed for the first time leaching dye. I have done two washes since, with no disasters. It is a great - and annoying- mystery!!

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  7. Could you cut it up to above the stain line and wear it with a tightish, longer length t-shirt thing underneath? Symp[athies. I ironed a very favourite dress the other night to find a mixed red and blue (and therefore also slightly purple) stain in the middle of the bottom flouncy bit. The usual suspect was called in but investigations remain fruitless. The stain remains too!!

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  8. What a pity! Such a pretty tunic.

    Since overdyeing seems fraught with peril, what about lace or fabric insertions? You could cut around the shirt above and below the stained section, then perhaps cut the unstained bottom section horizontally, and insert a couple of matching or contrasting bands to make up the lost fabric. (Perhaps a tiny print or a white-on-white?) You could add a small strip of the trim fabric to the sleeves just above the gathers. If you used a contrasting fabric with colour, you could change up the buttons to match.

    Hope you're able to salvage it! :)

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  9. I don't know if we have the same types of products on opposite sides of the pond. After bleach and stain remover, I'd probably try some Fels-Naptha soap (a hard, yellow bar soap specifically for laundry) with the assistance of a firm scrub brush. Also, a combination of hydrogen peroxide and Dawn dishwashing soap (this is s liquid soap that cuts grease well, usually blue in color), 1/2 and 1/2 combo., is a good stain remover. Sorry about that shirt -- it certainly is pretty! If you truly long to keep the shirt (esp. the top), you could carefully cut away the bottom "skirt" part, and sew back on a complementary fabric in the same style, hiding the joint at the waist. Something in a pale color might be nice.

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  10. Thank you everybody for the really helpful [and also sympathetic] comments. I don't thinkwe have Fels-Naptha over here [sounds fabulous though!]

    The cutting/inserting ideas are beginning to take shape in my head though.

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  11. looks a bit oily or painty. Ma always swore by Swarfega. Apply a liberal dollop to the stain and leave over night. Wash in the normal way next day and see what happens. Saving grace of this is that if it doesn't work then it will do no harm either. This has been my saving grace on many occasions including getting gloss paint and there was lots of it out of a pair of flannel trousers. Ma used it on a wool sweater(brand new) that was covered in engine oil. Both garments came up pristine. Hope it works.

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  12. How about using your awesome embroidery machine to go over the top of it with funky grey or other coloured pattern. Or add some appliche (don't know how to spell it)?
    X

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    1. I hadn't thought of the embroidery machine - brilliant suggestion. I had considered appliqué, but not quite sure what design to use. Thanks for these suggestions Kezzie

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  13. How about removing and reattaching the skirt part (can't think of what else to call it) and inserting vertical sections of lace or broderie anglaise? Then you could reattach it with a horizontal band under the bust line.

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  14. try a mix of hydrogen peroxide and fairy washing up liquid - works great on some stain but no guarantees

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