garment care/oxiclean use
If any of you guys use oxygen bleach/oxiclean to stain treat your clothes would love your advice.
I’ve found there really isn’t a stain that soaking in oxygen bleach can’t get out, but I don’t want always want to wash the garment (old apartment, no in unit laundry)
After the soak the garment will always have this kind of residue which I doubt is good for it or my skin.
Any tips on how to get that slick residue off without a full wash?
12 Replies
You have to rinse it very thoroughly in water. Probably multiple changes of water. It's probably easier to use a washing machine (you don't have to use soap or do a full cycle), even though that's inconvenient, than do it in your sink.
And, yes, it's not good for your skin. I soak my dress shirt collars in oxiclean, and when I get some on my skin it has the same effect as caustic chemicals like lye.
If you're going to rinse it in your sink, you should probably wear rubber gloves
Thank you @jfarrell468 ! It really does bring them back to life in a crazy way. I think I’ll probably put them in a bucket with a gentle detergent after I’ve soaked them and lightly hand wash and then rinse out
How long do you soak them for?
Usually 24 hours or so @Benji
I've never tried that long. How much oxiclean do you use?
Oh wow it really can do miracles if you let it sit in a bucket for a day. Amazing for sheets and pillow cases and stuff too.
Depends. Anywhere from like a 10th (if it’s one garm I don’t want to wash) to half a scoop if it’s a bunch of stuff I will wash
ok, that sounds like a similar quantity to what I use. I use a very small container, barely big enough for 1 shirt. I should probably get something bigger.
Oh yeah I’ve got a big mop bucket I use cannot recommend highly enough I truly don’t even get stressed if something gets stained anymore
I use just a touch of oxi in most loads. But for direct stains, I use Shout + Naptha Soap. Spray stain, rub in soap on it, wash.
I’ve had very good luck recently with the picks from Wirecutter for stain removing:
- Amodex (squeeze bottle) and OxiClean Max Force (spray bottle) for spot stain removal
- Clorox 2 & Oxi Clean for a full item overhaul
- Clorox Bleach for white sheets & towels
- Tide Ultra detergent for all loads
Wirecutter also recommends Zout for spray stain removal, but I’ve been able to find OxiClean Max for cheaper. They don’t recommend Shout spray compared to the others, not as effective.
I buy a lot of my clothes from eBay, so it has been helpful to get really good detergent and stain removers to get the more heavily used items “like new” again.
Both articles are worth a read. Lots of other options depending on what kind of stains you’re dealing with.
https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-laundry-stain-remover/
https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/the-best-laundry-detergent/
Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World
The Best Stain Removers
We tested more than 20 stain removers on fresh and set-in stains, and Amodex Ink & Stain Remover is the most well-rounded choice to have on hand.
Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World
The Best Laundry Detergent
We tested dozens of laundry detergents and found that Tide Ultra Oxi Powder and Tide Free & Gentle Liquid tackled the widest range of stains with ease.
For a big refresh / stain removal of heavily stained / worn items , I’ve been doing the following:
- Pre-soak in hot water with detergent, spot stain remover, and some combo of Oxi Clean, Clorox 2, and/or chlorine bleach
- Heavy Duty cycle with hot wash and hot rinse
- Extra rinse if that’s an option
This is a pretty intensive cleaning, and undoubtedly reduces the life of things. So I definitely wouldn’t do it every time, only when really need it.
And as I’ve gotten more into quality clothing, I’ve been going a lot gentler with everything. Warm or cold water, gentle or medium cycle, single cold rinse, low or medium dryer, not over-drying and more items hang to dry. It’s helping for sure.
This isn’t going to help you if you don’t want to wash them, but I wait until I have a bunch of stuff I want to oxiclean, soak them in it in the washer (4-5 scoops), then do a gentle/cold wash after letting them soak for 24 hours and agitating a little bit during that time
The worst stains that I can identify that I cannot get out: sweat (collar) and anti-perspirant. It’s gross to end up with something with these anyway, but I used to try it on a $4 shirt.