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September 2nd, 2004

Mystery Stains

It has happened. One of my favorite shirts is now demonstrating a mystery stain. It’s a very small stain. I’m not sure where it came from (detergent?) but just washing and drying isn’t doing it.

This isn’t the first time this has happened. I had a white t-shirt that had to be retired to rag status lately after it developed some yellow stains on it. These stains apparently came from thin air. (Or, could it really be my detergent?)

But when mystery stains happen to your favorite clothing, it’s like the writing on the wall. “It’s going to go away someday. You’ll have to retire it.” Mystery stains do their best to break that retirement date up a few months, or so. That’s when you call in… Shout.

I’m not the only one who gets mystery stains on clothing, am I?

Posted in Everyday Life

Jeff February 29, 2008, 3:39 am

Had the same exact problem and just figured out for sure what it is. The cleaning spray I use in my apartment has bleach in it. So 1) I could have been getting the spray directly on my clothes while cleaning 2) (definitely more likely) is after I clean I throw the rag I used into the hamper with my clothes! As a test I just sprayed some of the cleaner onto an old black sock, sure enough, it was instantly covered with the orange stain. I feel like a complete idiot now, but at least I know how to put an end to this.

Jamie May 1, 2008, 10:52 pm

this is a strange blog here.

i bet that dudes daughter masturbates constantly

Kay April 22, 2010, 5:48 pm

This is making me crazy! This was the first time I wore the shirt [and look up cute in the dictionary, and there’s a pic of me in this crisp white shirt!) to fly to LA and a coffee-like stain appeared all over the back of it and on the front. I thought it had to be the x-rays at airport security, but can find nothing about that ever happening.

Do April 3, 2011, 7:55 pm

Back to the mystery stains on white clothes. I find them on clothes that have been hanging in the closet awhile, unworn, and they weren’t like that when hung up so it happens in the closet??? Today I took a quilt out of a bag, it is brand new, never been used, and it something that looks like rusty water marks on all the cream colored areas. I washed it but they didn’t come out. What the heck is this? Was in a plasic zippered bag for 3 years………….

Donna October 9, 2011, 11:28 pm

This has happened to me several times. Always white clothes and favorite ones at that. This year after returning from a 5 month absence, both of my white cotton jackets were stained. The stains appeared on the back, shoulder area, and on the front next to the buttons where they never appeared before. They were simply hanging in my closet. I’ve tried everything to get them out but no luck. I wish someone could tell me what causes this.

What is this then?

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