Out, damn spots. Quickly.

April 2, 2018 5:38 PM

I have a lovely white raincoat. I'm accident-prone, so now it's a black and white raincoat. I leave for vacation in less than a week, and the obvious things aren't helping. How can I have a mostly-white raincoat in a few days?

I have the Columbia Arcadia jacket in white, and because I'm a klutz it got covered in coffee drips and scuff marks very quickly. The coffee came off with soap easily enough, but the ugly grey scuff marks (from leaning against things, mostly) won't budge for spray cleaner, dish soap, or Fels Naptha.

I'd really really like to have a not-filthy coat for vacation. (I got this coat specifically for this vacation, and don't have an alternate.) So...
--Can I take a Magic Eraser to it, or will that ruin the waterproofing?
--I know the coat is machine-washable, but I don't have an in-house washer. Is it likely that these marks will come out in a regular (cold) wash?
--Is there something obvious (or non-obvious) I'm missing to get these off, or is this just the fate of a clumsy person with a white raincoat?

Thanks in advance, laundry wizards of mefi!

posted by okayokayigive to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (7 answers total)

Response by poster: To clarify, by "regular cold wash" I meant "is it likely enough to come out in the wash that it's worth it to find the time to take this to a laundromat and stick it in a washing machine?"

/threadsit
posted by okayokayigive at 5:43 PM on April 2, 2018

I'd try the magic eraser in a small inconspicuous spot to make sure it won't ruin it, then launder according to the label, maybe with a small amount of Oxy clean. Or take it to a dry cleaner and ask what they can do.
posted by Green Eyed Monster at 5:46 PM on April 2, 2018

Try an oxi-clean soak. takes most of this clumsy girl's stains out.
posted by starlybri at 5:48 PM on April 2, 2018 [1 favorite]

So, the facing on this jacket is just regular nylon; the Omni-Tech waterproof membrane is underneath that (and then there's a mesh layer for comfort). You should be able to get reasonably aggressive with the nylon outer layer, but be careful of using harsh chemicals that might wreck the waterproofness of the underlying membrane. Oxi-Clean might be OK but I wouldn't use it in a soak; I'd apply it with a rag and not go too crazy. You could maybe try a water/vinegar mix too, again without fully soaking, just rub it on there gently. A magic eraser probably won't hurt, I'd definitely try that.

I actually would not wash this jacket normally, with regular laundry detergent. I don't know about Omni-Tech specifically but I've always been told that that's a big no-no for WPB (waterproof breathable) gear. There are special washes you can get though, such as NikWax Tech Wash (not an endorsement) that are designed specifically for cleaning this type of gear. You can get them in both wash-in and spray-on formats and they're available on Amazon Prime or at your local REI or equivalent.

Good luck!
posted by Anticipation Of A New Lover's Arrival, The at 5:59 PM on April 2, 2018 [1 favorite]

Best answer: A magic eraser is like taking sandpaper to the fabric. Do this if you want to wreck it.

Take it to a great professional drycleaners. Have a detailed convo about the waterproofing. Let them handle it.
posted by jbenben at 8:59 PM on April 2, 2018 [2 favorites]

Best answer: Selecting A Reader by Ted Kooser

First, I would have her be beautiful,
and walking carefully up on my poetry
at the loneliest moment of an afternoon,
her hair still damp at the neck
from washing it. She should be wearing
a raincoat, an old one, dirty
from not having money enough for the cleaners.
She will take out her glasses, and there
in the bookstore, she will thumb
over my poems, then put the book back
up on its shelf. She will say to herself,
"For that kind of money, I can get
my raincoat cleaned." And she will.

P.S.: have a wonderful vacation!
posted by KleenexMakesaVeryGoodHat at 12:40 PM on April 3, 2018 [4 favorites]

Response by poster: Thanks, all! I've unfortunately missed the window where my local dry cleaner can have it back before I leave on vacation, so I suppose I'm stuck with the scuffed coat for now.
posted by okayokayigive at 2:17 AM on April 4, 2018