Lesley Barker, director of the Bolduc House Museum, authored the books "St. Louis Gateway Rail—The 1970s," published by Arcadia, and the "Eye Can Too! Read" series of vision-related e-books. Her articles have appeared in print and online since the 1980s. Barker holds a Bachelor of Arts in sociology from Washington University and a Master of Arts in Teaching from Webster University.
SUPPLIES
- Spray-on stain remover
- Liquid laundry detergent
- Baking soda
- Stiff clothes brush
Overview
Baseball uniforms are made of polyester, a strong fabric that can stand the punishment of sliding into home plate just before the catcher can tag the player out. They get filled with mud and grass stains, not to mention perspiration, so it is important to know how to get them really clean.
Step 1
Allow any mud to dry before laundering a soiled polyester baseball uniform. After it is dry, you can brush the mud off of the fabric. If there are any rips, mend them before washing. The action of the washing machine and the dryer may make a small tear bigger otherwise.
Step 2
Handle stains before washing the uniform. Soak blood stains in cold water. Coat perspiration stains with liquid laundry detergent before pre-soaking the uniform in warm water. Spray any other very discolored areas with a commercial stain remover like Shout, Oxi-Clean, or Spray N Wash.
Step 3
Wash the uniforms in warm water. In addition to the correct amount of liquid laundry detergent, add one half cup of baking soda to the water. Use the normal wash cycle. Make sure that you do not stuff the washing machine too full.
Step 4
Check any spots that you treated before washing to make sure that they are clean before putting a polyester baseball uniform into the dryer. If there is still a problem, repeat the treatment and rewash the uniform. If you put it into the dryer, the heat may cause the stain to set. Use a permanent press setting on the dryer and remove the uniform as soon as the timer goes off. You can even remove a polyester baseball uniform from the dryer when it is still slightly damp. Hang it up. It will finish drying without any wrinkles.
TIPS AND WARNINGS
- TIP : Remember to separate white baseball uniforms made of polyester from colored items and wash them separately.
Resources
