With The Pittsburgh Penguins going into their 2018 season, everyone will be sporting their favorite jersey this year! Model Cleaners thought it would be a great idea to let you in on some jersey upkeep and maintenance. This Jersey Stain Removal guide may be useful for any avid sports fan. We have had a positive experience in the past with these tips, and hope you do as well. Model Cleaners suggest you test each method on a small area of the jersey just to make sure it won’t have a negative effect on the jersey. If anyone else has any other advice, we would love to hear your feedback!
Laundering:
Turn your jersey inside out to prevent any damage to the crest, patches, nameplate, or numbers. Use the most delicate cycle and the coldest setting on your washing machine. We suggest adding about 2 TBSP of OxiClean for each jersey you’re washing, but don’t add any other detergent.
As a general rule with jersey stain removal, most people hang their jerseys to dry. This not only prevents any heat pressed logo issues, but it also ensures that if there is a stain that you missed when you decided to wash it, it won’t set into the fabric as much. In our experience, once a jersey is dried with heat, it becomes a lot harder to get the stain out.
Stains:
Method 1 – Using Household Products for Jersey Stain Removal
This method can be used on both White and colored jerseys.50% Baking Soda25% Hydrogen Peroxide25% Dawn Dish Soap
Mix these together in a small container until combined. Using a toothbrush, scrub the stained area with the mixture. Don’t be afraid of using too much of the mixture, it will wash out easily. Depending on the severity of the stain, we will scrub anywhere from 1-5 minutes. Once all areas of the stains are scrubbed, we hang the jersey up for 1-2 hours, or until the mixture has dried onto the jersey. Rinse the jerseys either in a sink or using a clean bucket until there are no more suds. From here you can hang the jersey up and allow it to dry or you can launder it. We typically launder it even if the stains are no longer there because extra soap may still be in the jersey and stains can be harder to see when wet.
Method 2 – Using OxiClean for Jersey Stain Removal
This method can be used on both white and colored jerseys.Following the directions on the container of Oxiclean, soak the stained jersey for up to 6 hours. Once soaked, you can wash the jersey as mentioned above.Alternatively, you can mix the OxiClean with water to form a paste similar to toothpaste. You can lightly scrub this paste on the stain with a toothbrush and allow for the paste to dry onto the jersey. Once dry, wash the jersey as mentioned above, but without the added OxiClean.
Method 3 – Using Dry Cleaning for Jersey Stain Removal
Let the professionals handle it. Our garment specialists have over 50 years of experience and will decide the best method to handle your jersey. We clean thousands of jerseys each year and have professional grade Green Earth chemicals, as well as dedicated machines for stain removal.
Method 4 – Using Bleach for Jersey Stain Removal
This method is ONLY for white parts of jerseys.Model Cleaners only recommends this method if you have tried other methods before and have had no success. We don’t recommend this method for thin white strips on a colored jersey. Combine bleach and baking soda into a thick paste, similar to toothpaste. Place something in between the front of the jersey and the back as well as the surface you’re working on to prevent any damage to the other side of the jersey or the surface. Very carefully place a thin layer of this paste onto the stain and allow it to completely dry. Once dried, scrape off any excess dried bleach and launder as mentioned above.
Removing Smoke Smell
Soak the jersey in vinegar overnight and put it through the wash. Might need a couple vinegar soaks to completely get rid of the smell, but it works.
Removing Grease Stains
Soak the stain in cold water. Take some standard original blue Dawn dish detergent and put some on the stain. Work the detergent into the stain either by rubbing or using an old toothbrush. You should see the stain disappear before your eyes if A. It’s grease and B. It hasn’t been set in for too long.
