I recently got some new clothes. This made me realize how dirty and stained my older items in the wardrobe are
The resilient stains mostly seem to be from the different oils and grease in the shop. Now that I’m using more cutting lubricants and such for metal work, I only see it getting worse over time.
Are the any tips and tricks for getting shop stuff out of clothing? Any particular laundry detergents folks swear by?
Or do I just need to dedicate some shop outfits (or more realistically, keep one nice outfit for date nights )
Best to shield your clothing with one of these aprons that I bought in March of 2015. I bought two, but I haven’t managed to ruin even one of them! (My 12 year old grandson is now using the spare.)
Some stains are from clear paints or oils that are supposed to polymerize eventually like finishings. Even some greases polymerize eventually (become rancid). Oils can be removed by chemical cleaning rather than washing, the solvent for oils is not one can achieve with any waterish solution like detergent, detergent just disperses hydrophobic matter in water, it does not dissolve it. That is what chemical cleaning is invented for: dissolving hydrophobic stuff. If chemical cleaning does not dissolve it the grease is polymerized, and became part of the fabric.
Even fine dust changes the apearance of clothes. Cannot really brushed out of the depth, and from seams.
If you go to a date night with shop clothes you must be after a very very special one: the shes in this world also have noses…
Yes, I think, keeping dedicated shop clothes is a good idea.
When I get motor oil or transmission oil on me I use a spot remover called Shout. They key is to spray it relatively fast. I saturate a shirt and fold it up so the Shout does not dry up and an hour or so later I get it into the washing machine.
I am retired so all I wear is blue jeans and tee shirts. The oil is not that big of a deal to me but what I get on everything is wood glue. Unfortunately wood glue does not come out unless you wash it out when wet. If it dries it is there permanently.
I always figured aprons were for physical protection, not something I need to worry about too much with all the small work I do.
But you opened my eyes a bit, they are for protecting clothing as well…funny how obvious things can be in hindsight
Thank you kindly, I’ll probably grab a lighter/easier to throw on and off item like my chef coat. An item designed to protect against incidental oil and stains. Again, seems so obvious
)
(My 12 year old grandson is now using the spare.)
