# chef coat maintenance



## chefjohnnie (Aug 11, 2006)

ok i have been a member for a long time but have not been real active for this i apologize.
i have a question i pulled out my jackets out of storage after a year off for a broken back they are all yellow i have bleached them oxy cleaned i cant get them clean any one else have this problum


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## allie (Jul 21, 2006)

When you washed them, did you toss them in the dryer? If so, then you might have set the yellow stain in and I have never had much luck removing a stain after that happens.

I'd recommend trying Iron Out if you haven't already. I use KidsNPets on most food stains and it works great but I don't know if it will remove that yellowing from storage.


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## botanique (Mar 23, 2005)

I have always had the best luck with FOLEX (white bottle, purple writing) in the US. Cheers! S


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## bughut (Aug 18, 2007)

Just this week my whites came out of the washing mashing looking like the dog had barffed on them... The culprit 2 Yellow dusters had hidden themselves in the laundry basket. I know the perpetrator. She knows who she is. I'll bide my time!!
Dont have a clue what to do. Bleach is my only recourse.


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## chefraz (May 10, 2007)

is all else fails send them to a professional cleaner. they have stuff that cleans almost anything.


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## bughut (Aug 18, 2007)

Hope the back's okay now chefjohnnie. Good luck with the laundry


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## free rider (May 23, 2006)

I've used that on something and it is great. Friend lent me some.


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## chefjohnnie (Aug 11, 2006)

thank you so much for the replies and i will try to find the folex sounds good ty


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## jayme (Sep 5, 2006)

so how did your jacket come out?? I worked an outdoor event a few weeks back (Festa Italia) and we used a propane stove/oven and steam tables that got soot everywhere. Despite my apron, I ended up with soot down the front of my jacket and NOTHING worked to clean it- bleach, scrubbing, degreaser, dish soap, folex carpet cleaner, orange cleaner.... I washed and scrubbed it probably 7 times. It still has a bit of a soot stain.... just have to button it the other way always....LOL anyone got a miracle cleaner?


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## shoemaker (Sep 20, 2007)

Hmmmmm, have never had a "yellowing" problem from storing - in fact, I just pulled out an emergency white coat a few weeks back after being in my closet for years and it still looks new. Go figure. Luckily for me now, though, is that we wear black chef's coats, so stains,etc aren't such a problem .... although they DO look pretty crappy after being at work for a bit while using flour, which is, ummm, most days  Good luck with the yellow problem, I don't know what to tell you on that issue.


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## jim berman (Oct 28, 1999)

I have my students iron their jackets with spray starch before the jackets are ever worn. The starch works as a stain repelent. That said, I have seen the yelloe stains and, unfortunately, I think the jackets will be a loss. Often, the stains come from grease/oil that has penetrated the threads of the fabric then been allowed to sit (usually hanging in a closet.)


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## inabox (Nov 27, 2006)

i soak mine in oxy clean at the end of each night


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## greyeaglem (Apr 17, 2006)

If your coat isn't 100% cotton, bleach will cause yellowing. Try washing it in automatic dishwasher soap, the powdered kind. I have the best results with this on white things. You could also try soaking it in a strong white vinegar solution. It won't hurt anything and it the yellowing is caused by something acid based, it might soak out. Good luck.


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## steve a (Mar 13, 2006)

I've heard white vinegar produces decent results.

I used to toss my coats in my washer at the end of the night to soak with a little bleach and detergent until morning. When I woke up, the rest of whatever needed washed (whites) went into the machine and the switch went to "go." By the time shift started, I had washed and dried my uniforms and other laundry.

Ciao,


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

my are t-shirts....there is a pile of 30 or so white t-shirts with propaganda from past events that have really rough stains. How can I wear an apron and still end up with blood on my stomach? 
ugh. too many rags and not enough shirts that are clean.....


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## siduri (Aug 13, 2006)

I'm not a professional but i have a little experience with stains. I don;t ever use bleach because it really deteriorates the fabric, and after a few washings it begins to fray or rip easily. Instead *washing soda* (arm and hammer in the states) (it's not baking soda, but washing soda, stronger) is miraculous - for things with stains, wet it, sprinkle the soda on the cloth (this works on colors too, like jeans with heavy grease stains) roll it up and throw in the washing machine with the hottest water the color will take. The cloth should look like you got it wet and sat on the sandy beach, completely covering the cloth.

For yellowed white cotton, i;ve gone back to the methods of the olden days - boiling the cloth in a pot on the stove with washing soda. (actually, for curiosity, i tried ashes too - the way clothes used to be washed - they'd layer the cloth with sifted ashes and fill the pot with water and boil. When they cooled down they'd wash them (I tossed in the washing machine) and they actually did get clean. the ash mixed with the grease produced soap)
On the other hand i can;t seem to get out the gradually increasing dingy grey that comes with repeated washing in hard water.

I imagine you all know about getting stuck burned pots clean by filling with water and washing soda and boiling - the burnt on stuff just lifts off.


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## damack (Feb 21, 2007)

ya i have a few shirts where i work where dont wear chef jackets they get stains but luckly i whear a black apron, T-shits with the compay logo on it, but at culanary school i whear my jacket, i bleach my 3 jackets evey week and i have got blood( yes mine bad cut last week and chicken) BBQ sauce and eveything eles. also spray the **** out of it with simple green and let it sit in a bucket with water after you scrub it then after a day wash it


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## the_seraphim (Dec 25, 2006)

i have some jackets that have started to go grey... i only need them to last oh i dunno a month or so, so im prepared to go all out with the bleach to get them to sparkle... they are 100% cotton so they should survive...

at the minute ive got them in a boil wash with some fairly strong detergent stuff... 

but then im no expert... if all else fails theres a dry cleaners in tesco/sainsbury who will sort them and spare (new!) jackets at work on hire from a company who keeps them clean and repaired and stuff...


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