[illmaticnyc]

is it bad to use bleach?

 

[JCV]

No not at all.

The only bad thing I hate about bleach is that if it gets onto your hands, and stays there for a long time it will REALLY REALLY start to rash a LOT.

Also you should use extra rinse on your white dress shirts so then more of the bleach gets out of your shirts so then nothing bad would happen when your clothes get into the dryer.

It's good to wash your dress shirts regularly with bluing or bleach.

I usually use bleach and bluing more often.

 

[crobson06]

What is Bluing?

 

[[email protected]]

One danger of bleach is that in some shirts, the interlining in the collar is not cotton and the bleach can react with that and get yellow. There is a good write up of what bluing does here:
[email protected]

 

[Scoundrel]

Bleach

Just remember to take out your collar stays!

 

[Andy]

illmaticnyc:

But remember to mix the bleach in first and then add the white shirts as described in detail in the Clothes Care Chapter of The Encyclopedia of Men's Clothes!! :icon_smile:

There are some alternatives, such as Borax, also mentioned in that Chapter. Don't have a copy of The Encyclopedia of Men's Clothes yet?

Get yourself a Holiday gift! :icon_smile_big: See below.

 

[burnedandfrozen]

Perhaps I've been mislead, but I recall hearing someplace that over time, bleach while getting whites white, also is harsher on the fabric and thus the garment will not last as long.

 

[Jovan]

I usually just use a bit of Oxi-Clean or a generic equivalent -- any thoughts on that? I only use bleach once in a long while on my white undershirts and athletic socks.

 

[Wizard]

The absolute best laundering instructions that I have ever received came from on the Kabbaz-Kelly & Sons customshirt1.com website. Using these instructions with the Octogon soap enabled me to resurrect a half-dozen shirts that had been relegated to garage or under-sweater duty.

 

[Spence]

I usually just use a bit of Oxi-Clean or a generic equivalent -- any thoughts on that? I only use bleach once in a long while on my white undershirts and athletic socks.

I'll go the oxy route and use a little Sodium Poborate (sp?) on my undershirts or white dress shirts when needed. Haven't had any issues, although I don't do it that frequently either...

-spence

 

[Jovan]

The absolute best laundering instructions that I have ever received came from on the Kabbaz-Kelly & Sons customshirt1.com website. Using these instructions with the Octogon soap enabled me to resurrect a half-dozen shirts that had been relegated to garage or under-sweater duty.

One of these days I'll try this route. So far, Shout has been pretty effective in getting the stains out of collars and cuffs.

 

[Wizard]

One of these days I'll try this route. So far, Shout has been pretty effective in getting the stains out of collars and cuffs.

I tried that on these shirts to no avail. Shout, bleach, assorted stain removers. Nothing worked. Octagon Soap is my new 'best laundry friend' (blf)! :icon_smile:

 

[Jovan]

Interesting. Maybe I'll try the Octagon soap before washing for now.

 

[MBK]

Here's a question on the Kabbaz method:

If you can't do laundry every other day, what do you do? Can the shirts "soak" for longer? Could I build up my stockpile of soaped shirts through the week and do a load on the weekend?

 

[dfloyd]

I must be living right ....

I read all the posts about yellow shirts, and I wonder why I never, well once I had a problem, see any yellowing to my white shirts. I spray on a stain remover on collar and cuffs, then wash in warm water. Sometimes I let the shirts soak a bit in soapy water, then continue washing and hang dry. I never use bleach and the stain remover brand varies as I always get the cheapest available. One time I had a white dress shirt yellow. I took it to my dry cleaners who also do a lot of shirts, but not mine. The dry cleaner told me the yellowing was because I was putting too much detergent in the washer, and it wasn't getting totally out in the rinse cycle. Have never had a problem since.

 

[Wizard]

Here's a question on the Kabbaz method:

If you can't do laundry every other day, what do you do? Can the shirts "soak" for longer? Could I build up my stockpile of soaped shirts through the week and do a load on the weekend?

I have let them sit for a week (oops, forgot they were down there!). No problem. It seems to be OK as long as you keep them damp. I wrap them in old, undyed, plastic shopping bags. This was with white shirts. I don't know the long-term effect on colored shirts.

 

[Wizard]

Interesting. Maybe I'll try the Octagon soap before washing for now.

I use the Octagon regularly now. Thinking back on the ressurecting of the shirts I recall that I also alternated with soaking them in denture cleaner. It took a week of back and forth but the shirts are back in rotation.