Class B Stains

[jimmydeanno]

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.

My personal opinion is that it depends on what is dirty.  Is the area inside the holes in the bottom rusty?  If so, I'd probably throw it away and buy a new one.  If it's just some nastyness on the bottom, it can usually be cleaned with some rubbing alcohol, or something similar.

[Starlock]

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.   

Yeah, it was a pretty ditzy decision to try marking off the holes. Again, I've put in a request for a new shirt to our squadron Logistics officer. Unfortunately, it looks like I'll have to wear the shirt to the meeting tonight... Everything is still in its precise correct spot however 

[Starlock]

My personal opinion is that it depends on what is dirty.  Is the area inside the holes in the bottom rusty?  If so, I'd probably throw it away and buy a new one.  If it's just some nastyness on the bottom, it can usually be cleaned with some rubbing alcohol, or something similar.

I've had this issue before, it was just shmutz on the botton of the iron. Nothing internally. I've asked my mom about pitching it and buying a new iron, her only response was "That Rowenta iron cost me more than your delivery. No, we're not doing either of those." She's so loving sometimes 

[davidsinn]

My personal opinion is that it depends on what is dirty.  Is the area inside the holes in the bottom rusty?  If so, I'd probably throw it away and buy a new one.  If it's just some nastyness on the bottom, it can usually be cleaned with some rubbing alcohol, or something similar.

I've had this issue before, it was just shmutz on the botton of the iron. Nothing internally. I've asked my mom about pitching it and buying a new iron, her only response was "That Rowenta iron cost me more than your delivery. No, we're not doing either of those." She's so loving sometimes 

You could go buy your own iron.

[EMT-83]

There are several methods which can be used to clean an iron; just Google it. Odd timing for this topic, since my wife cleaned ours just last night.

It's a whole lot easier if you don't wait until it gets really crappy.

[MSG Mac]

My personal opinion is that it depends on what is dirty.  Is the area inside the holes in the bottom rusty?  If so, I'd probably throw it away and buy a new one.  If it's just some nastyness on the bottom, it can usually be cleaned with some rubbing alcohol, or something similar.

I've had this issue before, it was just shmutz on the botton of the iron. Nothing internally. I've asked my mom about pitching it and buying a new iron, her only response was "That Rowenta iron cost me more than your delivery. No, we're not doing either of those." She's so loving sometimes 

You could go buy your own iron.

Or you can take it to the local Cleaners and have it starched and pressed $2 is a lot less than the cost of a new iron.

[Starlock]

I've tried a couple times. The only cleaner in reasonable distance has an entirely different definition of "heavy starch" than I do...

[MSG Mac]

You said you liked them to be as stiff as cardboard. That's too much starch, which wears on the shirt. A medium starch will last at least two wearings. Leaving your insignia pinned to the shirt also damages it.

[ElectricPenguin]

My god, that is my worst nightmare. I hate it when I get brown stains from my iron, I just had to replace it. and don't use a sharpie on a uniform... That is stupid considering we don't own the uniforms. (Most of us don't anyways.)