Thread: Washing grubby mechanic's oily clothes...

When I was a twentyish young fitter I worked for a while in a ship repair gang where we used to get incredibly dirty. I had left home and had to do my own laundry. I would put the overalls in a bucket of kerosene and pump them up and down with my hands or a stick, hang them over the bucket to drain then wash them in a gas copper. The flats i was living in then did not supply washing machines only coppers and coin operated gas meters.

Another solution is for the OP to replace the washerwoman with a newer model.

Kerosene was cheap then. Nowadays one has to see one's bank manager before buying a 20 litre drum of kero.

Hi,
I've used the cement mixer to clean overalls after caving in a particularly cheesy pot hole.
Cheers

Originally Posted by 1950landy

Back when I worked as a mechanic the 1st thing I taught my apprentices was to keep them selves clean , ( no sitting on floor , no wiping dirty hands & parts in their work cloths , etc) nothing worse than getting grease on customers upholstery. Back then there was no seat covers or paper floor mats so you needed to keep your clothes clean.

Especially if the car had cloth inserts... usually wool for the superior Carriages.


YES !!!

I was a Lithographic Platemaker (Printing) last Century, and plates were processed in large shallow sinks which we had to lean right over... with various brews, - solvents, aqueous detergent like stuff, lots of sprayed/hosed water, acids, talcum powder and INKS. Yep, oily sticky Printer's Ink.

My Tradesman was from the Hippy era, a dapper bloke, who would sometimes come to work in a 3 piece suit, - handmade silk ties and shirts - only taking off his coat to make plates. NO dustcoat. Hands never got dirty, only fingers, and not a drop of chemical on his clothes.

Just shows it CAN be done... and just as quick as us boiler-suited rabble.

This morning, we can track where he's walked in the lounge... Charcoal cut pile does NOT hide oily boot prints.
The Maternal Unit has Auto-programmed in order to violate the * Three Laws of Robotics...
And his board is going up...

*(SF author) Isaac Asimov's tracks close.jpgTracks 1.jpg

Two machines is sounding good, but Household Unit is a legacy model, pre-set for Twin Tubs and Drivers for Top or Front loaders will not 'load'.
Haier T/T is showing wear, so maybe can be re-cycled as H/D work only and a replacement for Delicates etc ordered...

Will be trying all the above !

Pre soak overnight in hot water in the trough with sodium percarbonate. Should remove the bulk of it before it gets to the machine.

Originally Posted by 1950landy

Back when I worked as a mechanic the 1st thing I tough my apprentices was to keep them selves clean , ( no sitting on floor , no wiping dirty hands & parts in their work cloths , ect) nothing worst than getting grease on customers upholstery. Back then there was no seat covers or paper floor mats so you needed to keep your clothe clean.

My wife also had some degreaser that did not have an odor , she would put about a cap full in the wash, my work cloths were always the last load of washing . She would then do another wash wiith some old towels with a couple of degreaser to clean the washing machine.
Sorry can't remember the name of the product but was only available Tupperwear type parties ( but I don't think it was a Tupperwear product.)

I remembered who sold it . It was a Amway product but that was 40 years ago & don't they sell it now .

IMAG2098.jpg This is our dogs washing machine , it is a caravan washing machine , only small but does a good job of dogs bedding . Don't think it would be any good for work cloths can't fit much in it. Bought it from ALDI for $99

My father in law was a mechanic and wore white overalls as they where cooler when working outside on cars. Cleanest mechanic l’ve ever seen!!
Mother in law use to wash in coke!! If they did get dirty!!

Me too. If correct, it was a watery liquid not viscous. Worked very well. There was another product sold by a different 'Pyramid' company, similar smell and equally effective. Can't recall name.

Went out to get some SARD 'Degreaser' spray, - and metho to lift the worst out.

Son appears undamaged, and interracting amicably with MU.
- Miracles still happen.