I went wandering through the garden one evening wearing my good white clam diggers and walked out covered in lily pollen. I washed them in hot water tide with a few scoops of that oxi powder. The stain now look like a mustard stain. Any idea how to salvage these? About a week ago someone said they left their jeans in the sun for about a week and the pollen stain went away. Will this also work on whites? By washing them, did I set the stain? I haven't dried them yet and plan to soak them in more of that oxi stuff and cold water.
Help! How do I get pollen out of my white clam diggers?
Wow! You bet, hot water will set any stain, whether it is catsup or mustard or grape juice or whatever. Always get it out first by hand scrubbing soaking, I find Wisk liquid detergent is really good at that, you rub and scrub and out it comes. However, lily pollen is really tough. At this point, I would try bleach. Good luck!
Heat set stains. On the bright side, at least with your pants being white, you won't have to worry about them sun bleaching except for the stain.
For future 'pollen rubs', first try touching it lightly with tape to take off loose pollen. Then I run cold water through from the back side of the fabric, then soak in cold water with liquid soap rubbed in to the spot. Then machine wash on cold. So far, that's done the job for me.
Edited to add ~ I only use bleach as a last resort. If your whites start to yellow, Mrs. Wright's bluing perks them right up. (I know this from many stained lab coats and pants) :)
This message was edited Jul 7, 2006 5:45 PM
Well, I didn't use "hot" water, I used the tide for hot water, so the water was actually warm with a cold rinse. I seem to remember someone telling me about Calgon Dishwasher detergent and using it to get her son's softball uniform clean. I wonder if that would work?
Success, the stain is now removed. I soaked them overnight in Cascade (not Calgon) and Dawn dishsoap. The stain was gone this morning.
Dawn is good for so many stains! I was mixing paint at work and had a can of brown oxide tint flip out of the mixer and splatter all over my favorite jeans. I went and bought new jeans and the lady I work with had me pick up a bottle of Dawn. We soaked the tint stain thoroughly and she took them home in a plastic bag, rinsed in cold water, reapplied the Dawn and next time I saw them they were like new. She said the second time with the Dawn was for the outline of the stain which had set a bit. Love that stuff:)
Glad your clamdiggers made it!
Era laundry detergent will work on a lot of stains too. Cascade is also recommended for baby clothes that are stained.
Glad you were able to save your pants!
oxi-clean....actually had to make a paste of some today and put it on a white plastic cutting board...had laid flowers down in kitchen and that stuff stained like crazy.
Also, before applying anything liquid, vigorously shake the area to remove as much loose pollen as possible. But no rubbing!
Actually, there was a blub about removing pollen in the B&D catalog. It said to let it dry and then to use a stiff brush on it. They said not to touch or try to remove the pollen until it is coimpletely dry.
Good to know. Now what do you do about the accidental nose stain? Giggle.
Nose stain on the clam diggers or a pollen stain on your nose. :)- lol!
Diann
ROTFL!!!
Nose, since I know no one with clamdiggers. Snort!
For pollen stains on your nose, you need to stand in the sun for 5 days. Once an hour shake your head vigorously, but don't touch the stain. After 5 days, and only if you are sure it is dry, use your DHs toothbrush and brush out the stain. If it rains, you're sunk and will forever have an orangish, yellow tipped nose. Not even good enough to pass for Rudolph. However, there is hope. I've heard that in Europe the men go wild for buxom women with orange noses. Please let us know if you're going to go to Europe anytime in the near future. There's several plant nurseries that need checking out.
LOL Beak-- I know for a fact that you can cut 1 day off of the 5 days by using Scotch tape on your nose first before heading out to the sun routine.
LOL
ROTFL!!!!! I love it!
Beaker! For shame! lol
Everyone knows the best way to get rid of pollen is to rub it back and forth across the grass.
Moby, what are you rubbing? your nose in the grass??? or Billy's nose in the grass:)-
Hey, no nose pollen here! Learned THAT lesson a looong time ago.
Usually I end up with forehead pollen.... My husband just laughs at me..
LOL Have to confess to that one today. And arms.
and here I thought I was just getting a good tan...
Reminds me of that stuff my sister use to use for a bottle tan. Turned her feet and hands orange. She got all streaky after being pushed off the dock one day. What a sight. 40 years later and I still kid her about it.
I'm still laughing!
I was running late for work this morning and grabbed my "Plays in Dirt" t-shirt from the laundry table and get it on and out the door. Get half way down the road and happen to look down the front of it and sure enough -- pollen stripes. Had to turn around, go home and change.. Never fails. :)
Diann
Someone told me the active ingredient in the color safe bleaches is hydrogen peroxide. Now I just buy bottles for 50 cents and dab a little on any protein based stain - it hasn't failed yet to remove any stain I've thrown at it including coffee and balsamic vinaigrette on an orange cotton shirt. My DH has challenged me to get beet juice off a t-shirt which I haven't given a shot yet but so far if anything will work, that will.