Laundry challenge!

May 8, 2014 6:31 AM

So, I am wearing a dress today that I haven't worn since last summer, because it's a warmer weather dress (a green gingham version of this dress, actually). Upon changing a work from my riding clothes, I discovered an odd, yellow stain on it. The stain didn't respond to soap and water and I couldn't figure out what it was. Then I noticed a similar residue in the pocket. So now I figure that the last time I wore it, I left some multivitamins in my pocket, and washed and dried (and somehow ironed without noticing this? I need better light in my place) the dress with the multivitamins in the pocket. Do I have any hope of lifting the stain now after all this time and after heat has been applied? What should I do to improve my chances of getting it without destroying the fabric?
posted by Kurichina to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (10 answers total)

You heat set the stain/dye by drying and ironing. I think you are screwed. I would just dye the dress a different colour. Something darker so that there will be no sign of the stains.
posted by PuppetMcSockerson at 6:47 AM on May 8, 2014

Best answer: I had a light blue plaid shirt come back from the laundry with a yellow stain on the pocket and a tag that said nothing they were willing to try would get it out. I soaked it in a medium strength solution of OxyClean for two weeks and washed it again and there's no trace left of the stain.
posted by Bruce H. at 6:48 AM on May 8, 2014 [6 favorites]

Oxyclean is pretty darn great. Try soaking it as Bruce H suggests. You've got nothing to lose.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 6:50 AM on May 8, 2014

Hard to say without knowing what the stain is exactly, but Jolie Kerr is pretty obsessed with OxiClean. I'd actually try putting some directly on the stain as a pre-treater and then rubbing the fabric against itself and let it sit for a bit before soaking.
posted by radioamy at 7:00 AM on May 8, 2014

Oxi Clean is great and I've also had good luck with Gonzo, even getting out old stains from vintage clothing (just test the fabric in a hidden spot first).
posted by Shadow Boxer at 7:19 AM on May 8, 2014 [1 favorite]

Soaking in oxyclean got sharpie marker out of my son's formal-for-formal-occasions suit, without ruining the linen.

I'd recommend it for anything.
posted by anastasiav at 7:23 AM on May 8, 2014

If oxyclean is a bust my next step is zout, which works on years-old baked-in blood stains, even, but you have to scrub.
posted by Mizu at 7:27 AM on May 8, 2014 [1 favorite]

After the above, (Oxyclean and Zout) try Goop hand cleaner. You will find it in the automotive section.
posted by 445supermag at 11:36 AM on May 8, 2014

Soak it in cold water, air dry it. You've got nothing to lose by repeated trying (though blot, don't rub, you don't want to wear the fabric). I've gotten rid of stubborn stains by using a shout gel stain stick and leaving it on up to a week, washing it in a cold load, then if it didn't come out, just air drying and re-applying the stain stick and putting it back in - I'd repeat this and wash with every cold load I did, and I've had really good luck with eventually getting back clothes I thought for sure were gone (motor oil, shoe polish). Though lately I've been using this home-made stain remover and it works really, really well.
posted by lemniskate at 4:37 PM on May 8, 2014 [2 favorites]

If it's from a vitamin, maybe it's beta-carotene based? If so, maybe sun will remove it?
posted by sarah_pdx at 11:25 PM on May 8, 2014