Beer and Mud

[Kilted Taper]

Hope this is the right place to post this....

Over the weekend I wore my new X-Marks kilt to a beer fest in VA. Not the smartest move on my part. Started out with torrential rains. Ok, I was a little worried about getting it wet, but knew it would make it through. Then, because of the rain mud was created. Now I've got a few big mud splots on the kilt. The kicker of it all....my wife comes up from behind me and spills a beer all over the front apron of the kilt.

Again, not worried about the watter. Got all but one mud spot completly off. But the beer...I'm worried about it. Some of the white has changed a shade of yellow. How should I clean it? I've searched, and no one can really agree it seems. I think I'm at the point of wanting to avoid a dry cleaner, but what, if anything, are my other options? Thanks.

Brian

[Kilted KT]

well, at least is is now thoroughly broken in!!!

[Riverkilt]

Think if you searched the board for "wash" and "clean" you'd probably wind up hand washing it in cold water with Woolite in the bathtub...

Ron

[Roan Carter]

Firstly -- for the sake of the kilt, start hanging out with liquor people.

Just kidding. Beer is like mustard though -- evil. There used to be markers that you could use on clothes and carpet for stains, but I'm not sure if there was one for white...

[Freelander Sporrano]

The mud should be easy enough to remove when dry with a brush. Either get the kilt dry cleaned by a reputable vendor or you could invest in a steam cleaning jug or a steam cleaner and do a little cleaning yourself..Good luck.

[Pour1Malt]

ai had mine drycleaned after a dark ale incident....

[James]

What's the problem with dry cleaning?

For many years now I've used dry cleaners, and have never had a kilt suffer/be damaged by them.

Adding that they also have the facilities for ironing-a better job than I can do: and do any little running repairs.

I cannot comment upon some of the faux kilts, but I'd prefer to have my traditional ones handled by a professional-than start messing about myself.

James

[mbhandy]

First get yourself some big fluffy towels and some woolite and do it the old fashion way and get down on your knees next to your tub and wash it like a man :rolleyes: or have your wife do it.

In a Monty Python voice of Mrs. Haverston " It's Your Bloody Kilt. Do it your self."
You "What ? Down on ME knees? Oy, dats your job"
Her "Pi** off!"





MrBill

[bubba]

James, most dry cleaners in the US whouldn't have the first foggy clue how to press a kilt and would end up ruining the pleating by not aligning them properly. The cleaners you use may well know how, but in the US it's a different story.

[Barb T]

Once fabric is washed, it has a different "hand". I would avoid washing an all-wool kilt, even by hand. Also, if you wash it, you'll have to be _very_ careful pressing it to get the pleats right. I wouldn't dream of pressing it without basting the pleats.

What I _would_ consider is spot washing with a decent enzyme detergent (e.g., Era). Dilute the detergent, lay a towel under the affected area of the kilt and wet it, take a cloth such as a dish drying cloth (something white or light-colored!!), soak it in the Era solution and _blot_ (don't rub, or you'll make the tartan fuzzy) until the stain comes out. Letting the Era solution sit on the tartan for a few minutes helps. Rinse by taking another cloth, soaking it in clear water, and blotting to rinse until the tartan isn't soapy any more. Let the kilt dry, and steam press any wrinkles out. I've gotten everything from catsup to blood to clown make-up (don't ask...) out of the white part of a dress tartan kilt this way. Works great.

If you consider dry cleaning (and I would dry clean before I would wash a trad kilt in Woolite), be sure to ask the cleaner _not_ to press the kilt. As mentioned above, if the pleats are pressed wrong, it's tough to fix. Take the time to baste the pleats yourself and press the cleaned kilt with a damp press cloth between the kilt and the iron.

Cheers,

Barb