Cleaning a White Patch on a Red Jacket?

My husband has one of those heavy cotton racing jackets with the name of the car manufacturer on it. It is red, white, and black with patches embroidered on it. It says DRY CLEAN ONLY. He got a stain on the white patch on the front that I tried to wash off with a soapy rag. Well, I didn't realize the white patch is sewed over the red fabric and the red bled through to the front.

I've taken it to 2 dry cleaners that both told me this type of jacket will "bleed" onto the white part and they won't even dry clean it. The rest of the jacket looks fine. Do you know how I can clean the patch without getting it wet enough to cause the red beneath it to bleed?

skwerlgirl from Wentzville, MO

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Grandma J
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December 2, 20080 found this helpful

I think you are where you are going to be. People get excited when buying coats, clothing like this without thinking of the cleaning factor, which eventually arrives.

My sons' went to the same college and thank heavens their college jackets of chosen were black in color, as it would be expensive cleaning them, esp with leather sleeves. Consider approximately $50 to dryclean their jackets, I would use a wet washcloth and warm water and sponge them clean OFTEN. Your colors limit you, esp with the fabric being of cotton. That will absorb any and all liquid, if the fabric color is red, that most often is a bleeder color. Since you are where you are in the cleaning of it, toss the jacket into a cool washer of water. See what happens. If it fixes it, (check at the rinse cycle or during the wash) SET the color with a couple cups of vinegar in the water.

In this day and age of mobility, chances were the coat was NOT US made, and the chemicals injected via preservatives during shipment into "foreign" fabrics will have a wash reaction. Been sewing for 50 years, and I still sometimes get stung when choosing fabric. Learned to read labels more closely. Many times we don't find this out until we wash the item.

Hope this helps.

By reniesue (Guest Post)

December 3, 20080 found this helpful

Do you sew? If not find a seamstress and ask for them to remove that patch, wash it and replace it when it is white again.

By skwerlgirl (Guest Post)

December 3, 20080 found this helpful

I thought about having the patch removed. But, it's HUGE and covers the entire center of the front of the jacket. And it's split in 2 sections to align when the jacket is zipped up. So, it's sewed into the zipper part too. I think it would be a big job to remove and probably expensive. Thanks for the feedback.

By BJ (Guest Post)

December 8, 20080 found this helpful

I had a similar problem and the dry cleaner told me to dip q-tip in pure bleach and work it over the red area. Don't know whether it will work for you. It worked for me.

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