Fashion & Beauty

Orange spots on white clothing?

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  • Jul 29th, 2012 5:53 am
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Deal Addict
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Sep 23, 2009
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Oshawa, ON

Orange spots on white clothing?

Pretty much I have two white shirts that have some orange stains that I can't seem to remove. Fortunately these shirts aren't one of my favourites/expensive. I've tried submerging them in hot water along with detergent, bleach did not work, made it worse (first photo) and hand washing focusing on the stains didn't do anything either. From what I've read online, this may be the cause of rust from the washing machine. I generally hand wash my clothes but I was in a rush that day. Does anyone know of a product to get these off?

http://i787.photobucket.com/albums/yy15 ... 522a08.jpg
http://i787.photobucket.com/albums/yy15 ... c8140b.jpg
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Jun 29, 2012
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You can use a powerful detergent powder to remove that spot. If not then you can color that shirt on another color to make it wearable.
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Sep 23, 2009
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I have tried Tide stain remover but it made no difference. Does anyone else also know what to use to get off the bleach stains I've made in an attempt to get off the orange spots?
Dwight10 wrote: You can use a powerful detergent powder to remove that spot. If not then you can color that shirt on another color to make it wearable.
Could you define powerful? Any brand detergent you recommend? If anything I'm just going to throw them away / donate.
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Oct 20, 2010
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Austin, TX
Those familiar orange spots are indeed rust spots from old laundry machines. You are too late in attempting to remove those stains because you used bleach. Once you use bleach on a garment with rust spots, the stain becomes permanent on fabric as a result of the chemical reaction between the oxidized iron on the spot and the chlorine from the bleach. If you rather not wear the garment with those stains there, discard it. Replace the laundry machine with the rust before the next victim is a more expensive or valuable piece of clothing.
The sea is behind you and the enemy is in front. — Tariq ibn Ziyad
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Sep 23, 2009
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flight878 wrote: Those familiar orange spots are indeed rust spots from old laundry machines. You are too late in attempting to remove those stains because you used bleach. Once you use bleach on a garment with rust spots, the stain becomes permanent on fabric as a result of the chemical reaction between the oxidized iron on the spot and the chlorine from the bleach. If you rather not wear the garment with those stains there, discard it. Replace the laundry machine with the rust before the next victim is a more expensive or valuable piece of clothing.
What would you mean by replacing the machine? As in entirely or a specific piece? I looked through it a bit, I didn't see any rust, so I'm assuming it's whatever outside the circular barrel holding the garments that can't be seen with the eye without taking it apart. Oh and our washing machine isn't that old, model wise.

I'm fine with discarding it, it's not one of my favorites or expensive shirts anyway. I'm just curious as to how this actually works..? Would a piece of rusted metal land on the garment to cause the stain?
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Jun 29, 2012
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TORONTO
I think the liquid chlorine bleach has caused the clothes yellow if you have iron in your water. Anyway, you can try with Shout Advanced Stain-Lifting Foam. It is effective for it.
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Sep 7, 2005
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Try using some vinegar and then putting on a baking soda slurry paste on top of the spot, rub gently and leave for 1/2 hr to set in and then try to launder as usual but line dry the shirt outside. The sun will help to whiten the shirt.

I did something similar for my patio furniture cushion that had some rust stains and it did the trick for me.
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Jun 29, 2012
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Use lemon or vinegar and put it under sun light.

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