Uniform cleaning

[Azmyth]

How would I clean my uniform, with patches? I had thought about bleach, but how do I do that with the patches. I want it back to that bright white color.

[aes]

Here is what I do to keep my Gi nice and white.

 

Never wash it with anything other than my Gi so nothing with anything other than white is mixed with it. Even very light greys will make a Gi look dirty with time.

 

Always wash it in cold water (helps with shrinking and does not put as much wear on it).

 

I use Zout (sp) to spot treat the stains that build up on it like around the neck line and underarms.

 

Blood stains I take out with rubbing some milk into it and letting it sit for a short while before washing. Again never with hot water especially on blood as it sets the stain.

 

My patches look nice and new still and my Gi is still very fresh looking.

[tommarker]

NO BLEACH!!!!

 

I wash in hot, but I always hang it up to dry. The dryer is what will really shrink your uniform (and make the armpit stains really shine

[Budderfly]

I used bleach once and it faded my patches. So yeah, stay away from those. Spot clean the most troublesome areas right away (neck line, wrist line, underarms) with whatever spot cleaning agent you use and wash in hot water. Hot water is okay for whites, but not for colours or darks.

 

With coloured uniforms, I find giving them a pre-soak with 1 a cup of vinegar, rinse and then a full cycle on their own for the first few washes keep sthe colours looking their best. This also works with new sheets and towels.

 

Another laundry tip: For blue jeans, wash a new pair with an old pair and the older pair will get some of the blue back.

[DLopez]

I am really glad our dobahks in Kuk Sool Won are black.

 

I just toss 'em in the washer in cold water (fabric softener in the rinse), and hang 'em up to dry.

 

Hassle-free laundry. Gotta love it!

[tekki]

I can't really comment on proper care for the synthetic material uniforms now available, being a karate stylist who has only owned all-cotton uniforms, but here's what seems to work for me:

 

-Even if you wash the uniforms witih other clothes, be sure to only wash them with other whites. Even some greys can come off and make your white gi/dobok look a bit dingy.

 

-Try to avoid using bleach. Seek a non-chlorine bleach substitute laundry detergent. If the dobok/gi gets noticibly dingy, you could use bleach on RARE occasion, but it is not a good practice to do regularly, as the cotton uniforms tend to get eaten apart by bleach.

 

-Try to machine dry as little as possible. This seems to not only shrink the uniform, but even after the uniform has reached its maximum shrinkage, it still seems to weaken the seams of the unifrom nonetheless.

[The Saint]

I have two uniforms, one for competition (bright white) and the other for training at the dojo (almost yellow). Just chuck it in the white wash and hang dry. No Bleach, it ruins the fabric and could ruin your patches/crests

[Pacificshore]

Stay away from straight bleach, but subsitute with Tide Alternative

[Akima]

OXY CLEAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I should do an ad for it.

 

My uniforms are as white as when I bought them.

 

I recently got a flat tire coming home from class, I had to change the tire, my Gi pants were blackend in some areas. Oxy clean totally made the uniform brand new white again!

[The Saint]

I'll agree with that oxy clean works great...