My Laundry Question
I teach a culinary program and our chef coats and aprons are a cotton polyester blend. The problem is the material is getting grayer as we wash them, and stains are not coming out. Is there a special detergent that works best with blended materials.
Sincerely
Chef Paul
Share a Little Background Info
Over time aprons get dirty. The aprons are at least one year old. Students use them everyday and we wash as often as they need to be. They get everything on them; from oil and grease to cookie dough and frosting.
Lessons Learned
- We have tried all kinds of detergents and bleach. We have even soak our laundry.
Fabric Content of Item (if appropriate)
Poly/cotton blend I believe it is 60/40
Mary Marlowe Leverette, Laundry Guide, says:
Chef, let's address two issues: Returning your current chef's whites to their brightest and how to keep new whites white.
Since your whites are a poly/cotton blend, you do not want to use chlorine bleach. The chlorine bleach can actually cause them to yellow and become more dingy. To restore the whiteness, fill your washer or wash sink with warm water. Add 1 cup of oxygen-based bleach (OxiClean, Clorox 2, Country Save Bleach, Purex 2 Color Safe Bleach ) and submerge your whites. Allow them to soak for 24 hours. Then wash as usual. During the rinse cycle, add 1 cup of white distilled vinegar to help rinse away and detergent residue that clings to the fabric and looks dingy.
Another choice to is purchase Rit Color Remover and follow the directions on the package to help remove dinginess and greyness.
For new whites, again use the oxygen-based bleach for soaking and to remove stains. If you have hard water in your area, the white vinegar is a must in the rinse to help remove the detergent and soil that redeposits on your whites.
All the best to your students and you.
