Crap, crap, crap!

[auntiemeesh]

I checked all my pockets at least twice, maybe three times before throwing my stuff in the wash. And still? Sent chapstick through. And now nearly all my summer shirts have suspicious marks on them.

Will chapstick stains wash out or is my entire wardrobe forever ruined?

Comments

[rabidsamfan.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure. You haven't dried anything in the dryer yet have you? Because that will set stains worse than anything.

[rabidsamfan.livejournal.com]

Oh, and I've got a fabric conservator friend. I'll ask about chapstick.

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

Oh, you know, I didn't find the chapstick until I was pulling the clothing out of the dryer. If I'd found it earlier I would have run everything through the wash again right away. :(

[rabidsamfan.livejournal.com]

Gah... I don't know how long it will take to get an answer, but oils and dryers are not a good thing.

I've ruined lots of clothes that way, so you've got company.

[wishkey.livejournal.com]

chapstick is mostly wax and petroleum jelly. You can get specialty stain removers for that, but some fabrics may lose some dye in the process. Try a normal stain remover first, air dry and see what happens. If that doesn't help, move on to the specialty stuff. Carbona is one brand -- little yellow triangle-shaped bottles. Check Jo-Ann's as well as the grocery store.

Check around eHow and those kind of sites too. Someone might have a miracle trick!

On the up side, next time you want to splurge on clothes, you won't have to feel guilty when you go shopping. };-D

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the tip. Considering my current situation, it's going to be a while before I can splurge on new clothes, so I'm going to have to go with the stain removers, lol.

[lil-banik-slave.livejournal.com]

I don't know what a Chapstick is, however if you get Vanish Pink bottles in the States, that's the stuff you need. It gets anything.

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

Chapstick is a brand of lip balm, but also a fairly generic term here for lip balms. In this case, I actually use Blistex (http://www.blistex.com/home.htm).

[ani-no-mouse.livejournal.com]

Oh no! Sounds messy and frustrating. You have my sympathy ... I hope others are able to provide you actual "ask Heloise" type help.

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

I've got some good advice but since most of it involves going out and buying expensive stain removers, I guess I'll just continue to have waxy stains on all my shirts for the next year, until I can afford to buy new ones. :(

[apb-age.livejournal.com]

This is a little late I am sure but the chapstick should come out. It is the BLACK crayon in the dryer that will do it.

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

It's never too late. I can see how black crayon would cause a real mess in the dryer. Has that happened recently?

[b-briarwood.livejournal.com]

Kinda late to the party, but if the stain is oily/greasy I have a trick that really doesn't sound like it will work, but it does. WD-40. Also works wonders on pizza grease stains, even old ones. Test on an inconspicuous patch first to make sure the color doesn't run. Saturate the spot (try to spray no more than the affected areas) and wash right away.

[wishkey.livejournal.com]

Ooo, that is a good tip. I'm going to have to try that on half of my ruined shirts!

[b-briarwood.livejournal.com]

On older stains you might have to repeat the process, but the WD-40 will break up the old grease/oil so it can come out. Just make sure to wash it right away so the WD-40 doesn't create another stain. It helps to rub a little detergent directly into the spot before you wash.

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

This is what I'll probably end up trying. It sounds like a good tip, thanks!

[rabidsamfan.livejournal.com]

Got an answer:

Chapstick is mostly various oils, waxes and some dyes and flavorings. There
are two things to be done, but results depend on the type of fabric, age of
stain, did it go through the dryer too, etc.

Option 1: Less likely to work. Wash garment in hotest water possible in
the hopes of melting residual waxes and oils.

Option 2: More likely to work. Since like dissolves like, drycleaning the
garment is more likely to remove the waxes and oils. Dry cleaners also have
a wide range of stain removers at their disposal. If she tells them what
and where the stain is, they will have a better chance at getting it out.

With either method there will probably be a dark shadow of a stain from the
oils and possibly discoloration from the colorants (ie. Red Dye #2)

better late than never!

[wishkey.livejournal.com]

I just read this in the latest Pioneer Thinking newsletter:

Readers' Cleaning Tips
Oily Stain Removal
By Christine S_________

Having gone through a growth spurt, my 15 year old son needed all new clothing. After wearing them once he did the laundry, forgetting to remove the Blistex from the pocket of a pair of pants. After going through the dryer 2 pairs of dress pants and 3 dress shirts were badly stained with grease. After trying every method I could find to salvage the clothing, I tried spraying the grease stains with WD40. I let the clothing set for 5 minutes then treated with Lestoil and washed. One shirt required a repeat treatment, but all of the clothes were fine with no sign of stain afterward.

If he's 15, I am betting most of his clothing was cotton or cotton-poly blend. Not sure how this would work on silk, ramie, linen, rayon, spandex or acrylic.