Cleaning shirts

Ed_K · September 15, 2006, 12:50:47 PM

Rita wants to know what y'all use to clean logging shirts? I cut a lot of pine which is hard to get out, but we're finding that sap from red oak is worse.
So lets hear your recipe for laundry soap.

Tom · September 15, 2006, 01:01:54 PM

Red Oak is a terrible stain. I dont know how you get the stain out besides bleaching.

Pine is sticky resin and we pre-soak in a 5 gal bucket. Loggers and sawyers will use Pinesol or rubbing alcohol or even break it up a little before the soak with some WD-40.

My clothes may go in the pri-soak when I take them off and stay there until washday.

tcsmpsi · September 15, 2006, 01:17:41 PM

Oh, Tom, when is washday? ;D

Mine just pretty much get stained. Long as they're clean, I don't try too hard on stains. They all blend in pretty well after a short time.

Lot of pine resin in the hair, now, that takes a bit of work. :D

beenthere · September 15, 2006, 02:49:15 PM

There is red dye in that bucket that Tom soaks his shirts in, and I think that's a fact.

CHARLIE · September 15, 2006, 11:20:17 PM

Well, I don't know about pine tar and Oak sap........I usually get super glue slung across my shirt and watch and the only thing keeping it from my face is the face shield.....which is appropriately covered with straight lines of super glue. You see, I use the glue in my woodturning sometimes and turn the lathe on before it sets. :

I know of nothing that will remove it either.

Now......this is something you can share with your wives. To remove coffee stains or red wine stains just spray the stain with 409 cleaner just before putting it into the wash. The 409 takes the stain right out. 8)

submarinesailor · September 15, 2006, 11:30:15 PM

Charlie,

I think acetone will loosen/soften it. Used it several times when I had young men stick themselves together or to each other. Yes, I said to each other - remember nothing is sailor proof.

Bruce

Mrs. Customsawyer · September 16, 2006, 05:46:12 AM

I too have fought the good war on removing stains. I've pretty much tried all the above suggestions, as well as some other creative ones not mentioned (or worth mentioning), and unfortunately nothing has worked well enough to brag on. My solution, darker colored clothing show the stains less. ;)

Minnesota_boy · September 17, 2006, 11:25:32 AM

Forget about removing the sap stains. Wear them with pride as it shows you actually work for you money. 8) 8)

Paschale · September 17, 2006, 11:52:43 AM

When I was a kid, anytime we'd be out helping dad work on a car or some other greasy thing, and get our clothes all covered with grease, mom would have everybody soak their clothes in a mixture with something called Lestoil and water. It seemed to be the only thing that would break down the oil and grease so she could get it out. I wonder if it would work on sap too? ???

Ed_K · September 18, 2006, 08:15:22 PM

I tried a car product called tar & bug cleaner, it didn't do much on the oak stains. Did better on the pine tho, but we had to leave the cloths out on the line in the rain for 5 days before the smell went away enough to let me bring them into the house :(. That was after I washed them 3 more times and when Rita got home from work she said I ruined her washing machine :'(.
Thanks for the advice.
Today I got into the pine again, was warmer than last week, I looked like Jeff's soda can at Tom's mill ;D.

old3dogg · September 19, 2006, 06:20:15 PM

Try some Coca Cola. Its good on grease. I have used it to clean some really dirty clothes.
Dump a 12 ounze can or bottle in with your work clothes. Stuff works pretty good.

Woodcarver · September 21, 2006, 12:33:20 AM

We use Goop hand cleanser on pine tar. Rub it on the "sappy" spots and let it soak overnight before the clothing goes in the washer. Works fairly well. Dunno what it might do with oak stain.

Ga_Boy · September 21, 2006, 11:07:13 AM

The worse stain I have found is Black Cherry. It has ruined my work shirts, nothing takes it out.

But then again I did a poor job of seclecting my work shirts, I choose a light kaki shirt. When these are replaced I'll go with either a dark Green or dark Blue work shirt.

Coon · September 22, 2006, 12:39:46 AM

The pine tar is quite easy to get out of clothing. Every household has what you need to do this too.

Simply take a tablespoon full of margarine and glob it on the pine tar. Using a fingernail scrub brush work the margarine into the tarred area until you can see the tar is lifting. IMMEDIATELY!! put in clothes washer and wash it as you normally would. If you don't wash it right away you'll be left with a grease stain on the whole area that was in contact with the margarine. Give it a try. I did and never again looked for another better way.

Brad.