Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Get the chalk out

Today is a backwards edition of Works For Me Wednesday, where I tell you my problem and you give me the solution. This worked great the last time we had a backwards edition...you gave me the solution to my problem...so I'm hoping for great suggestions this time.

A couple months ago I bought Lukas a new pair of twill pants for church. The first time he wore them, he sat in sidewalk chalk in the play area after church and got light blue chalk all over the seat of the pants.

I didn't do anything to pretreat the pants before I put them in the wash, and the chalk didn't come out (I assumed it would). Then I tried soaking in OxyClean, I tried Spray N Wash stain cleaner, I tried blotting with alcohol (after I Googled chalk stains and saw this is what I should have done before washing the pants).

Too late...the pants were ruined...I must have washed them six or seven times...they went in the trash.

So your suggestions are for the next time I have chalk stains in clothing (it's unusual that this is the only time this has happened...Natalie is always playing with chalk, and often ends up sitting in it, and Lukas often sits in chalk too). Please! Suggest! Comment!

Thanks in advance for your suggestions, and visit Shannon to send more hopelessly lost people in the right direction with your wise advice.

2 comments:

Michelle said...

I see no one else has posted...I don't have any help for you! LOL Austin hates coloring so chalk hasn't entered our house just yet. I used Zout (sold at walmart) to get stains out of baby clothes and such...maybe that would work?

Anonymous said...

My suggestions would have been any of the ones you tried already. I think the type of chalk was to blame... usually it should be easier to get out. I would just pre-treat any chalk marks.

Sorry about the ruined pants... I hate it when that happens!
Thanks for your words of advice on my question. =0)