The photo above isn't really a 'before'. I took it when I realized I might actually be able to save the shirt. I'm sure most people know that tech fabric is awesome but also fragile. Put it in a dryer and you'll lose the wicking ability and softness. Stain it and most stain removers or laundry treatments will kill the fibers too. Needless to say I was pretty sure a white tech shirt with black grease (that had already gone through the wash once) was a lost cause.
So how did I save it? Two things any woman will have at home. Hair spray and dish soap!
Steps to save technical fabric:
1) Apply dish soap (I used Palmolive) to the stains and let it sink in.
2) Rub it into the areas with your fingers.
3) Spray hairspray on the stained areas and rub it into the dish soap. A really cool foam appeared!
4) Rub gently with you fingertips or a soft brush (toothbrush?) until stain starts to lift.
5) Rinse in cool water and repeat steps on areas that are still stained.
By going through these steps twice I think the shirt is saved! As you can see in the 'after' picture there was still a spot in the seam that I couldn't seem to get to. The shirt is in the washer right now after soaking that seam with dish soap and hair spray for an hour so I'm hoping it will be completely clean when it comes out. Either way, I think Shane will be able to wear the shirt for work or play again!
I'll update with a final picture when it comes out of the wash!
UPDATE:
Post-wash perfection! It's like brand new again!
Have you found any stain removal tips for tech fabrics? Do you wear your race shirts for purposes other than running?
Awesome tip! I add blue Dawn and vinegar to the wash to remove odours (we have hard water), but have never tried using it with hairspray for stains.
ReplyDeleteI've used the hairspray trick before but I can see why the dish soap works too. How did it come out after the washer then?!
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