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Stain on my whites...

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illinijoe05

Nachos
pilot
so I am comissioning in one week and i decided to try on my chokers one last time to make sure everythng was good to go. I took them out of the dry cleaning bag and noticed that there is a dime sized black stain on the sleeve. It looks like grease or something. Any suggestions on how to get it off? Id take it back to the cleaners but i think they may ahve done it. I dont have time to get a new one and get it hemmed before comissioning.
 

zab1001

Well-Known Member
pilot
Super Moderator
Contributor
Ah, thank you whoever, for giving us WHITE uniforms.

Oxyclean or whatever powdered oxygen-based crap you can find in the store. Wet the sleeve really well and apply a paste of water and the oxy-stuff. Inside too. GENTLY scrub it with a SOFT toothbrush. Don't go crazy, it will tear up the material. Rinse, repeat. It may not completely come out, but that's the best you're gonna do.

When you're done, turn the jacket inside out and wash it in the washing machine (remove all the buttons) on the delicate cycle, in warm water (not hot, it will shrink), with a little (1/4 cup) "Tide with Bleach". If your dryer actually has a no-heat tumble cycle, use that, otherwise, hang it carefully on a wooden or plastic hangar (metal will rust and fvck it up more) to dry. Then take it to the cleaners and specify you do not want dry cleaning, just a pressing.

disclaimer: I've done this with both Abott's and issued crap (i.e. velcro collar) chokers. Just make sure you keep an eye on em, don't try to do this while playing 40 Hands or during a Power Hour. You crazy college kids...

Side note: The gentle wash cycle/Tide thing will take out any "yellowing" that may occur if you left your chokers in the plastic dry cleaning bag and left them in the closet for a year or so (i.e. wear em to commissioning, wear them 1.5 yrs later at winging). The best bet is to wash em yourself, and have the cleaners press them. That, or take them out of that bag and let them breathe, the dry cleaning chemicals yellow the cloth over time.
 

KBayDog

Well-Known Member
Yeah, avoid bleach - it will stain, yellow, and degrade your fabrics. A colorsafe bleach/detergent (Clorox 2, Tide w/bleach, etc.) will make things right again.

Do yourself a favor and never leave the dry cleaner, tailor, or any other military uniform sweatshop without checking your gear inside and out, upside and down. Once you walk out the door, most places turn over liability to you.
 

webmaster

The Grass is Greener!
pilot
Site Admin
Contributor
zab, I am seeing you in a "new" light and I don't know if I like it, you all miss little houesmaker with the cleaning tips, didn't know you were so domesticated! You get that from watching HGTV?

Side note, good info... Also, damned if it didn't work, I got something on my whites at a ball, and an O6 handed me a piece of white chalk of all things, and sure enough, it "covered" it up. Wife also has the little Shout swabs, in the packets, when we go out, damn white uniform....
 

Ryoukai

The Chief doesn't like cheeky humor...at all
[threadjack] With the new uniforms coming to town why hasn't anybody taken a look at the dress whites? White jackets mean you can't touch anything, white pants mean you can't sit on anything and stress the fact that you can't touch anything and white dress shoes are silly. When I wear white clothes, generally they come back dirtbag filthy, should I abandon all hope of ever becoming an officer now? [/threadjack]
 

KBayDog

Well-Known Member
Ryoukai said:
White jackets mean you can't touch anything, white pants mean you can't sit on anything and stress the fact that you can't touch anything

It's a positive and proactive way to cut down on inappropriate contact between servicemen...er, servicePERSONS.
 

fc2spyguy

loving my warm and comfy 214 blanket
pilot
Contributor
Man, the chokers are the best looking uniform we've got....In my opinion of course :)
 

KBayDog

Well-Known Member
hehe..."chokers"...."They want you, they want you, they want you as the new recruit..."

Personally, I like the dunkaroos, or whatever you call those things. Real...1940s.
 

zab1001

Well-Known Member
pilot
Super Moderator
Contributor
webmaster said:
zab, I am seeing you in a "new" light and I don't know if I like it, you all miss little houesmaker with the cleaning tips, didn't know you were so domesticated! You get that from watching HGTV?
You gets extra hate from Silky Johnston today.

HATE HATE HATE.
 

PropStop

Kool-Aid free since 2001.
pilot
Contributor
if it weren't for all the dining outs, we'd not need choker whites.
 

DairyCreamer

Registered User
webmaster said:
zab, I am seeing you in a "new" light and I don't know if I like it, you all miss little houesmaker with the cleaning tips, didn't know you were so domesticated! You get that from watching HGTV?

Side note, good info... Also, damned if it didn't work, I got something on my whites at a ball, and an O6 handed me a piece of white chalk of all things, and sure enough, it "covered" it up. Wife also has the little Shout swabs, in the packets, when we go out, damn white uniform....

My dad told me a while back that when he was in OCS, the dry cleaners near/on base out there got rust stains on their whites pretty frequently. He said that when he was unable to get the stains out before a critical inspection, he ended up using white shoe polish to cover it up. Of course, it isn't good for the uniform, but if you're in a real pinch, that might help. He said the instructors gave him full credit for uniform appearance because he tried to make it right despite problems he couldn't control.

Just an idea...
 

snow85

Come on, the FBI would have given him twins!
when you put it in the washer w/ tide, you can also add bluing. (that's why white towels, sheets, tablecloths, etc always look so white when you first buy them.) but pay attention to the directions, and only add a miniscule amount.

http://www.mrsstewart.com/

also, i don't recommend the shout wipes on anything dyed-- they'll take the color out. (not a concern on whites.) if you do have to use them, make sure you dilute the area with water, or just use whatever soap is available. then treat it for real when you get home.
 
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