Class B Stains

Starlock · April 25, 2011, 08:48:41 PM

Hello CAPtalk

So yesterday I spent 2 hours ironing my class B's and putting on all the pins. By the time I felt good enough about it, my sleeves were like cardboard, all looked perfect, all my pins were on down to a sixteenth of an inch, and then I discovered a very nice light brown smudge across the top of the left sleeve. I tried all I could at the moment to get it out but nothing was working; not even my dear mother could aid me in removing the smudge. We decided to take everything off and (incredibly, INCREDIBLY stupid decision on my part) I marked the holes where everything was to go back on with none other than a red sharpie. Yes, I am stupid. We've all done stupid stuff. I remembered soon thereafter "Wow, I won't always be wearing that medal there" and "Wow, I'm going to be getting a new ribbon rack soon, the marks for the GT badge will be showing." After it was washed, we still had red dots everywhere and a new problem arose: I realized there were congruent very light sweat stains on the underside of each sleeve and on the inside of the collar. How do I remove such stains? You can really barely see them, but they won't pass me at an activity I'll be doing this weekend.

Please help!

Al Sayre · April 25, 2011, 08:53:31 PM

Your best bet is about $20 at the nearest MCSS...

jimmydeanno · April 25, 2011, 08:59:26 PM

The sharpie stains will never come out.

The brown smudge may be from the iron.

Sweat stains can be difficult to remove, especially since you've already ironed over them, etc.

Try soaking the shirt in an OxyClean mix overnight, then wash it. If that doesn't work, before you dry it, test a small portion of the shirt with some peroxide (somewhere below the belt) and see if the color stays. If it does, use some peroxide on the stains.

SarDragon · April 25, 2011, 09:02:08 PM

Buy a new one. Your time is worth the cost of the new shirt.

ol'fido · April 25, 2011, 10:02:57 PM

I stopped measuring my stuff after C/A1C.

a2capt · April 25, 2011, 11:07:48 PM

$13 bucks at Vandenberg, probably the same at most other MCSS. Thats it. Learned your lesson. You'll never get 'em out for $13.

Starlock · April 25, 2011, 11:15:17 PM

How would I go about getting a shirt that's at an AFB that's not on my side of the country?

Hawk200 · April 25, 2011, 11:17:26 PM

Quote from: Starlock on April 25, 2011, 11:15:17 PM
How would I go about getting a shirt that's at an AFB that's not on my side of the country?

His point is that it will be cheaper at MCSS, not that you have to go to Vandenberg. Any local AFB should have them for the same price.

NCRblues · April 25, 2011, 11:20:10 PM

Quote from: Starlock on April 25, 2011, 11:15:17 PM
How would I go about getting a shirt that's at an AFB that's not on my side of the country?

your info says MO... so you get a choice... whiteman AFB or Scott afb... google them and see which one is closer

JC004 · April 25, 2011, 11:31:36 PM

wait for it...wait for it...

as for the topic, this is why you should have an extra blue shirt. this happens easily and often.

Starlock · April 25, 2011, 11:35:49 PM

I've just never really needed an extra shirt I suppose. I've been wearing the same Class B shirt since C/A1C. I suppose it's time to retire her

As for going to a PX, going to either of the two local AFBs is incredibly inconvenient. I've just put in an inquiry to get issued a couple more shirts to my squadron drop box.

Eclipse · April 25, 2011, 11:42:50 PM

Quote from: NCRblues on April 25, 2011, 11:20:10 PM
Quote from: Starlock on April 25, 2011, 11:15:17 PM
How would I go about getting a shirt that's at an AFB that's not on my side of the country?

your info says MO... so you get a choice... whiteman AFB or Scott afb... google them and see which one is closer

Those or AAFES or eBay.

lordmonar · April 25, 2011, 11:59:42 PM

Another issue is that you are over starching/ironing your shirt.

It does not have to be as hard a card board......we don't award extra point for extra starch.

Starlock · April 26, 2011, 12:36:42 AM

With an AF Honor Guardsman occasionally dropping in I coulda sworn we were

I don't believe the issue was the quantity of starch, I think it was the scorched spots on the iron.

SarDragon · April 26, 2011, 01:14:00 AM

The less starch you use, the lower the chances of scorching it.

Eclipse · April 26, 2011, 01:34:41 AM

I'm not sure which is going to win the fight in my mind - how impressed I am that you made it to C/SMSgt and 3 encampments with only one shirt,
or how epically "lights out" you must have been to put a sharpie on your old friend after all that time.

spaatzmom · April 26, 2011, 02:43:02 AM

Since you have nothing to lose at this point, after trying Oxiclean soaks at least 2 days changing the water daily and chemicals, rinse well. Next try saturating the areas with hair spray like aqua net, and wash. Often nurses will do this when ink gets on their uniform. If that does not work, RIT dye makes a packet that captures unwanted colors on fabrics. The packet is added to the washer. Good luck. Starch is not your friend nor are dirty and overheated irons. Pressing cloths are the best method of prevention of scorching and shinny blues pants.

SarDragon · April 26, 2011, 03:15:22 AM

Sharpie is pretty indelible. But, try leaving the shirt in the sun for a couple of weeks. Red dye fades the fastest. j/k

Actually, the shirt is toast. I've got clothing that I marked with various shades of Sharpie many years ago where the writing has barely faded. Spend the time doing something more productive.

Spaceman3750 · April 26, 2011, 12:57:45 PM

Quote from: spaatzmom on April 26, 2011, 02:43:02 AM
Since you have nothing to lose at this point, after trying Oxiclean soaks at least 2 days changing the water daily and chemicals, rinse well. Next try saturating the areas with hair spray like aqua net, and wash. Often nurses will do this when ink gets on their uniform. If that does not work, RIT dye makes a packet that captures unwanted colors on fabrics. The packet is added to the washer. Good luck. Starch is not your friend nor are dirty and overheated irons. Pressing cloths are the best method of prevention of scorching and shinny blues pants.

On the note of a dirty iron - how do you clean a dirty iron? Mine is a bit dirty and I've tried cleaning it with soap/water but haven't had any luck.

davidsinn · April 26, 2011, 02:47:33 PM

Quote from: Spaceman3750 on April 26, 2011, 12:57:45 PM
Quote from: spaatzmom on April 26, 2011, 02:43:02 AM
Since you have nothing to lose at this point, after trying Oxiclean soaks at least 2 days changing the water daily and chemicals, rinse well. Next try saturating the areas with hair spray like aqua net, and wash. Often nurses will do this when ink gets on their uniform. If that does not work, RIT dye makes a packet that captures unwanted colors on fabrics. The packet is added to the washer. Good luck. Starch is not your friend nor are dirty and overheated irons. Pressing cloths are the best method of prevention of scorching and shinny blues pants.

On the note of a dirty iron - how do you clean a dirty iron? Mine is a bit dirty and I've tried cleaning it with soap/water but haven't had any luck.

Throw it out and get a new one. They're cheap enough.