The OS Doorstep - a helpful and supportive thread in these tough times

FairyPrincessk

Thanks fuddle! I might give the dye a go first, and if it doesn't take I'll try the marker. Can I also ask--OH has a tie with a spot on it. Fortunately, it is not one of the posh silk ones but is polyester. It says dry clean only--will it cost much to have it done? If it will are there any things I could try at home first? I'm not sure what the spot is (looks like it might be oil-ish as it is just a darkening), only noticed it last night when I was telling him a certain tie did NOT match that shirt:P

fuddle

Polyester is such a tough material. It can withstand anything!

Clothing manufacturers, I believe and others in the dry cleaning business also have agreed, can put dry clean only on items because if anything happens to that fabric during cleaning, well who compensates? The dry cleaner or the shop it was bought from?

That being said you have to know about fabric compositions as to whether you can take the risk and not follow the guidelines. Always follow the guidelines as a consumer, if you don't you have no way of getting compensation if something goes wrong.

Ok, polyester. If it was my tie and certain that it is 100% polyester I would try rubbing the stain with a little washing up liquid (grease remover ) and then handwash carefully. You need to handwash to remove the water mark that will be left when removing the stain.

A drycleaner will (or would have in 1998!) rub in oil removing soap with a brush then blast with water to remove the soap/now oily residue. the tie would then be thrown in a barrow with old mans pee pee trousers and deary knows what else. They're all rinsed together in a solution that has been used many a time over and then dried together in the same drum.

The chemicals dry cleaners use are awfully dangerous. Really horrid, my hands look older than my 34 years and I only dealt with clothes that had been washed in that solution for 18 months.

If you dare risk losing the tie, try it yourself because polyester can withstand it. The problem with ties is their interfacing. These may wrinkle and cause rippling of the tie. HTH Dry cleaning will clean the problem away most probably but again with oil there's never any guarantee.

Mrs_Chip

Morning Peeps!

Well didn't know we had an in-house stain expert . May I pick your brains please?

I have got a white linen shirt which has suffered the fate of all my white tops and has food stains down the front . Not just stains, but curry stains :eek:. It has been washed, but they have not shifted. Any hope of removal? I know turmeric is a total bu88er, but the professionals might have a sneaky trick?

Waiting for the tree man to come and quote for removing the overgrowth along the back of the three cottages here. This is third attempt to get him here - last time we agreed Friday at 6, he turned up Wednesday at 6 and found us out - no wonder as we were working :mad:. He said there seemed to have been a misunderstanding! Well there was, but not by me!. OK he said, I will text during Friday to say when I can come - nothing. So I have to ring him. What's the betting he doesn't come?

FairyPrincessk

Thanks Fuddle! I might give that a go, with OH's permission...or maybe I'll do it while he is at work;)

Mrs. Chip, I'm not good at dry clean stuff, but with linen I have a few tricks as my mum and I both love old textiles. For an all white, all linen (as in 100%, not blended with something) I'd probably start with a soak in a solution with a vanish type powder then wash as normal. Do not iron or tumble dry, just air dry on the line, preferably on a sunny day. If the mark is still visible, give it another go or two--I once did a table cloth three times to get out red wine--came up as good as new but took some persistence. Failing that, then a very weak normal bleach solution could be tried, just remember normal bleach will weaken the material so mix it as weakly as you can to start with. Main thing is do not apply heat until the stain is completely gone!

fuddle

Well if there's one bit of luck in this it's that it's white linen and white linen means you can faff about without hurting a colour. MrsC, you've given me a tough one there.

It's the curcumin in it not being water soluble, so washing out won't help much at all. As it's white linen I'd dab over a bicarb paste and let it sit for a couple of hours, maybe even diluted bleach if you're brave. Pre-treat with detergent and then a hot wash. All that should get the stain as faded as possible because, and you're not going to believe this when I tell you, but sunlight helps tumeric fade It breaks the curcumin in the tumeric down further. You might have to soak/wash and repeat but sunlight will keep on oxidising the curcumin, each time removing it more and more. Good luck HTH

Mrs_Chip

Thanks both!

I knew it would be a toughie, curry stains always are. I'll try the bicarb and then the bleach. If I can't get them out I will dye as it is very comfortable and I love it!

What would you lot call 'late morning'? Suffice to say that was when tree man said he would be here... :mad:

Mrs_Chip

:mad::mad::mad:

Grrrrrrrr.............................blo88dy workmen :mad::mad::mad:.

I just called tree man to see when he would be here - he said "Well I said I was available late morning, but you did not come back to me". I had replied to his email straight away, he says he did not see it.... !!!!!!, would you not check if you had had a reply???

So now he is coming this afternoon, which is time I had put aside to do some catering cooking for the weekend.

So fed up with trades they are nothing but hassle (sorry for those with OHs who are trades :rotfl:).

mardatha

Snap Mrs C - we're stuck in waiting for the roof tiler to come who was supposed to come Monday morning...

mardatha

Urgent mad cooking question - when making a beef stew in the oven for a couple of hours, do you keep the gas on at 5 all the time or turn it down??

Mrs_Chip

Reg 5 sounds a bit high Mar - long time since I cooked on gas but I would cook about 3 I think, or 2 if I could leave it in longer.

Fancy stew, send some down!