Clean shirt collars and cuffs: 7 methods to restore them to near-new condition

There are some outfits that need a shirt, but definitely not one which is yellowing and/or is dirty or stained! In fact, it is inevitable that the prolonged use of a shirt - especially work shirts - end up with soiling and staining of their collars and cuffs that even regular washes cannot remove.

So, let's see how to deal with the restoration of a shirt's collars and cuffs using some home-grown methods.

Creativo

It is important to act quickly: in fact, the ideal method is to treat stains as soon as they are noticed, pre-treating them and putting them in the wash asap. However, old stains are more difficult to remove. But let's see what can be done:

• Use hydrogen peroxide and soap: just moisten the area to be cleaned by dabbing it with a soft, slightly wet cloth or towel. In a small bowl, mix a few drops of dishwashing liquid and two or three tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide. Apply the mixture to the stains and leave this to act for an hour. Then proceed with a regular wash.
• The same method above can be done using Marseille soap instead of dishwashing liquid.
• Delicate bleach: immerse the part of the shirt to be treated (not the whole shirt) in a little delicate bleach (oxygenized bleach, without chlorine), and leave it to act for an hour, then do a regular wash.
• Bicarbonate and hydrogen peroxide: this is a slightly more "aggressive" version of the first method and involves sprinkling a little bicarbonate (with a teaspoon), over the entire area to be treated and after having moistened it. In this way, you will get a greater abrasive action (so should not be used on delicate fabrics). As for dark colors, test this method an inconspicuous area of the shirt first to be sure it won't get damaged.
• Using solid Marseille soap: another method - and even faster - consists of wetting the stains with hydrogen peroxide and immediately rubbing a little Marseille soap on them, followed by scrubbing with a toothbrush to ensure penetration into the fibers. Leave on for half an hour and then do a regular wash.
• For very old stains, you can try repeating any these methods more than once, and they should at least lighten the stains a bit. In the case of all-white garments, you can try using regular bleach, leaving it to act for about ten minutes before doing a regular wash.

What's your secret to combat stains on shirt collars and cuffs?