Dirt on shirt collars?

[JetBlast]

I have no solution to this, so I figured maybe SF is the place to ask-

I wear mostly point collar shirts and after washing most of them, the collars have some kind of dirt on the points (this also sometimes happens with my dad's button-down collars). I've tried washing them by hand and that doesn't seem to do too much. Anyone have any solution on how to stop this from happening?

It is noticeable in real life, maybe not as much with a tie-

I know it's not dirt from wearing the shirt, because the one below hasn't even been worn yet and it's already beginning to show up. I have only washed it once-

Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

 

[TheFoo]

That's really weird. I've never experienced that kind of problem. Do the marks only surface after washing?

 

[itsstillmatt]

Looks like rust marks from the iron. Zout it out and get a better iron.

 

[JetBlast]

Originally Posted by mafoofan

That's really weird. I've never experienced that kind of problem. Do the marks only surface after washing?

From what I have noticed, yes.

The shirts are washed in with other dress shirts and pants (khakis and slacks), but I don't think that should make a difference what I wash them with?

Originally Posted by iammatt

Looks like rust marks from the iron. Zout it out and get a better iron.

I do not use an iron, I just hang them up out of the dryer.

 

[TheFoo]

Originally Posted by iammatt

Looks like rust marks from the iron. Zout it out and get a better iron.

But why only at the points then?

 

[TheFoo]

Originally Posted by JetBlast

From what I have noticed, yes.

The shirts are washed in with other dress shirts and pants (khakis and slacks), but I don't think that should make a difference what I wash them with?

I do not use an iron, I just hang them up out of the dryer.

Do you see this on any of the shirt's other corners (cuffs, hem, etc.)?

 

[Fuuma]

Weird, rusty collar stays? (doubt it).

 

[JetBlast]

Originally Posted by mafoofan

But why only at the points then?

That's what I don't understand. I haven't heard of this happening before, and considering that the peach-colored shirt is literally brand-new, right out of the packaging (I washed it once and this happened, haven't worn it at all yet), I don't understand where it would have come from

 

[JetBlast]

Originally Posted by mafoofan

Do you see this on any of the shirt's other corners (cuffs, hem, etc.)?

No, just the collar. I also do not use collar stays.

 

[Mannix]

Oxy clean gets the dirt off of my French cuffs, perhaps it would work with your collars.

 

[Kuro]

Perhaps it is the dryer (which shortens the life of your garments btw)...try air drying them.

 

[JetBlast]

Originally Posted by Mannix

Oxy clean gets the dirt off of my French cuffs, perhaps it would work with your collars.

This wouldn't be a problem with colored shirts? I may have to try this.

 

[TheFoo]

^^^ It sounds like washing off the stain isn't the problem; it's the fact that it is mysteriously recurring.

Do you hang-dry or machine dry? Do you notice the stain before drying? Before ironing?

 

[JetBlast]

Originally Posted by mafoofan

^^^ It sounds like washing off the stain isn't the problem; it's the fact that it is mysteriously recurring.

Do you hang-dry or machine dry? Do you notice the stain before drying? Before ironing?

Machine dry. I haven't looked to see if it's there before drying- I'll check tonight. It is there before I iron the shirt.

 

[TheFoo]

Originally Posted by JetBlast

Machine dry. I haven't looked to see if it's there before drying- I'll check tonight. It is there before I iron the shirt.

Ah. Here's a theory: the washing cycle fails to rinse out all the detergent in your shirts, which gathers at your collar points in a higher density than elsewhere, so when heat is applied in the dryer, the detergent oxidizes and the points turn brown.