[pct-l] Cleaning White Hiking Shirts

[Mary Kwart]

Hi, Sean:

I also used a white shirt for months--I was also amazed that it got as
clean as it did every time, because it looked horrendous when I would
put it into the washer. I just used regular soap and the regular cycle
at the laundromats in town. I got in the habit of using a little more
soap in the washer toward the end of the hike--but this may not be
acceptable for some newer washers, which I am sure people on this list
serv will gleefully point out. I would also occasionally rinse out the
shirt every couple of days to get the sweat stains out of it on the
trail if water conditions allowed. I used to fill my cook pot with
water and rinse it out that way. I carried Dr. Bonner's liquid soap in
a 3 oz. container and sometimes used that to lightly "pre-wash" the
shirt if it was particularly gross and I was going to hitchhike into
town or walk into town the next day.

When I got home I let the shirt soak in bleach and that got some long
term sweat yellowing out. One thing--in pics you can't see the faded
yellow sweat stains from the pack shoulder straps and where the pack
touches your back. Even thought the shirts look totally white--there
are probably faded stains you can't see in the pics. But it was always
within a tolerable range for me--I am not a clean freak, though. I
don't throw shirts out until they have ripped and frayed to beyond
reasonable use--then I keep them as trophies of hikes--they are full
of old memories.

I have switched to an orange colored shirt since then--it was on sale
and the effect of a white shirt keeping me cool was negligible, but I
don't react to the heat like some people. I also switched to darker
pants at the same time--I used to hike in all white and light tan.

-Fireweed