Laundry Solutions / Upcycle Clothing

[tortoise]

Thread for photos and instructions for salvaging clothing by laundry processes.

Stripping, stain removal, etc.

 

[tortoise]

Results

 

[tortoise]

Success!

 

[Hinotori]

I'm someone who regularly has to use WD-40 to remove hydrolic fluid and aircraft grease from shirts.

 

[flowerbug]

i have a light green shirt on that is a hideous color. i asked Mom if we could squirt it with ink or something to make it look better. then i asked about getting some brighter green dye because i hate wimpy green color clothes. no luck with either of those ideas so likely we'll just bleach it and hope it ends up white enough that i don't want to barf when i see it...

institutional green is almost as bad as institutional peach...

 

[Hinotori]

Kaboom in the aerosol can removes iron scale in the shower and sink. I use The Works in the toilet. I think it's mostly lye. It's the iron buildup in the pipes that flakes off and clogs things that annoys me. Usually I use vinegar and just use the chemicals every few weeks.

 

[tortoise]

My next project is a 100% silk turtleneck. From ThredUp, paid $3.90 on final sale (clearance, as is, no returns)

Shirt looks dull, feels coarse/scratchy, is shrunken and has pit stains. Looks like a laundry problems to me! I'm curious what will happen 😁 due to shrink I dont expect to add it to my wardrobe. Its like XXS, size 0-2. Labeled S size 4-6.

I was curious and tried the shirt on. The neck was shrunk and wouldnt go over my head. Not even close!

I cut the turtleneck off and tried it on. I was wrong about the fit! :O Lots of stretch in rib knit! I could wear it!

I decided it was worth $3.99 to dye it to a color I like. I plan to use the fabric from the turtleneck to make a finished neckline.

Progress picture while drying

 

[Hinotori]

I'd saturate the armpits with Zout for half an hour then hand scrub. Then I'd soak it in a heavy Oxyclean solution. Then wash and air dry to see if it removed it.

 

[tortoise]

I'm someone who regularly has to use WD-40 to remove hydrolic fluid and aircraft grease from shirts.

Wow, I would never have guessed!

Super Clean degreaser in the purple bottle works wonders on laundry. I used it diluted 50% most of the time, sometimes full strength. I damaged one thing using it full strength, beware. I stopped using products with fragrance so I haven't used it in a long time.

Superclean Cleaner-Degreaser | SuperClean Brands

The SuperClean Cleaner-Degreaser removes dirt, stains, grease, and oil on contact. It’s biodegradable and phosphate-free. Order today.

superclean.com

 

[tortoise]

My next project is a 100% silk turtleneck. From ThredUp, paid $3.90 on final sale (clearance, as is, no returns)

Shirt looks dull, feels coarse/scratchy, is shrunken and has pit stains. Looks like a laundry problems to me! I'm curious what will happen 😁 due to shrink I dont expect to add it to my wardrobe. Its like XXS, size 0-2. Labeled S size 4-6.

View attachment 20391

I soaked it overnight in a solution of washing soda, tide free/clear powder, odormute and BIZ. The first two are for removing oils, the second two are for removing organic material (sweat, etc).

It wasn't as bad as I expected.