I first met you hanging knickers on the line

[venta]

So, last night, being a wild and crazy sort of individual, I thought I'd do some washing. Rummaging through the laundry bin, sorting things into loads, I realised that a lot of my favourite clothes were lurking in a carrier bag in there - the things which belong in that most annoying of categories: handwash only.

I boldly started on the handwashing, but rapidly lost interest. I eyed up the pile of white and cream things, and decided they could take their chance in a 30-degree program in the washer. In they went, looking a little frightened, with me doing my best to reassure them that they'd be OK.

Later on, the first thing out the machine was my lovely, embroidered white overshirt. It had, of course, survived the wash perfectly. However, the tomatoes (or something) I'd spilt down the front hadn't come out :(

The label insists the shirt should be handwashed at 30, and it's already been through a machine at 30. The label tells me the shirt is "100% RAMIO/RAMIE/ROSTSZAL (RAMIO)" (I assume one of those is English?) Does anyone have any useful recommendations for getting stubborn tomatoey stains out of a (potentially) fragile material ? To be honest, I'm expecting that the fragility is down to the embroidery, not the material itself.

Everything else survived the washer, too. Of course. Bloody attention-seeking handwash-only garments.

Comments

[lanfykins.livejournal.com]

It's for things like that that I use the 'handwash' setting on my washing machine.
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No, there really isn't anything I can say, is there?

[waistcoatmark.livejournal.com]

Get some tomato-specific stain devil type stuff?

[venta.livejournal.com]

Yup, that is an option. But I was hoping that (a) I could solve it without financial outlay on specialist wotists, and (b) that if I had to buy a specialist wotsit, someone could vouch for a particular one.

[strange-complex.livejournal.com]

My first approach would be pour on a little neat washing powder, and scrub at the stain with a damp nail-brush. But I don't know whether that will wreck your embroidery.

Otherwise, most products made under the 'Vanish' banner should do the trick - especially Vanish Oxi-Action. 'Shout' stain-remover spray is pretty good, too.

Of course, you know what your Mum would say, don't you - it should have gone into soak straight away, not sat in a carrier bag for weeks.[/finger-wagging]

[stompyboots.livejournal.com]

The rule of thumb my mum gave me was to handwash all handwash items the first three or four times, to get them used to the concept of being clean, and then to chuck everything in a machine willy-nilly once it had proved itself capable of surviving the washing process.

Except bras. You should always handwash bras to make them last longer.

Not that this is of any use for tomatoes, mind.

[timeplease.livejournal.com]

Not that this is of any use for tomatoes, mind.

You should definitely not handwash tomatoes.

The washing machine is probably a bad idea too.

[stompyboots.livejournal.com]

I'd rather handwash them than put them in the machine, though. Imagine all the bits you'd get stuck in the drum!

[venta.livejournal.com]

handwash all handwash items the first three or four times

Yup, that's pretty much what I do. All these things had had their first few friendly washes, and it was time they learnt to play with the big kids.

[stompyboots.livejournal.com]

Yup! I don't take no shit from no clothes. I like having a life!

[venta.livejournal.com]

[/finger-wagging]

Yes. I'm sorry. I'll try to do better in the future.

Of course, what's most annoying is that that's almost certainly correct - immediate soaking would have removed the problem.

[venta.livejournal.com]

I don't know about you, but I always make my tomato sauce in the washer. It reduces a treat on a hot spin cycle.

[ar-gemlad.livejournal.com]

Hmm, tomato sauce actually gives me an idea.
Try using white vinegar to get the stain out. Should be safe whether it works or not - you just have to wash it afterwards to get the vinegar smell out!

[redcountess]

Do they sell "Wonder Soap" here? That should do the trick, and it doesn't have any enzyme nasties in it.

[ghoti.livejournal.com]

Personally, I'd just bung it in at 50 and hope for the best. That usually works, if the normal wash at 40 which I give all 'handwash only' items (except those belonging to other people) hadn't worked.

This may not be helpful, though

[j4.livejournal.com]

I second the "Vanish" recommendation; the soap is fine if you don't mind scrubbing by hand, but the spray-on pre-wash stuff is also pretty good (minimum effort, and usually works).

But, yes, soap/scrub/soak straight away is even better!

[eostar.livejournal.com]

I usually use salt on "red" stains like wine and tomato whilst the stain is wet. No help to you at the moment, *but* ... I noticed that thrifty fun website recommend a paste of salt and baking soda ...

[kauket.livejournal.com]

I too did handwashing last night.

Co-incidence, or something more boring? :)

[(Anonymous)]

Sorry to disappoint, but Venta's mum is just as likely to stick it in a carrier bag and forget about it too! Venta will tell you I don't do conventional mummish, but I endorse Vanish (esp the soap tablet sort)& Shout I'm also in Stompyboots' mother's gang on handwashing things the first few times only, which is why Venta does it (I assume).