Korean Job Discussion Forums

periwinkle · Joined: 08 Feb 2003

I swear that everything I own has a kimchi or gochu jang stain in varying shapes and shades of red (God, I love that red pepper!!!). I think it's part of my clothing christening process. I need to work on table manners, granted, but I really am at a loss as to how to get stains out without ruining the fabric. Please don't suggest that I wear all black from now on. I went through that phase in high school. I love soda water, but it's tough to buy in Korea. I ruin my clothes with bleach (never learned the proper dilution). Well, Koreans are the obvious authority... Anybody know what the Koreans do to remove the stains (I work with men- they have no idea what to do with my dilemma because they have wives. Maybe I should get a wife...)? What have you done that is effective? I just ruined a brand new dress shirt yesterday- looks like I'll be wearing it under a jacket or under a sweater from now on!

I'm too cool to wear an apron that restaurants sometimes provide, so please don't suggest that either! Wink

Just doesn't fit with my image, you know....

schwa · Joined: 18 Jan 2003 Location: Yap

Soju!

tzechuk · Joined: 20 Dec 2004

Use baking soda. It should get the stains out. Also, if you can, dry your clothes in direct sunlight - the Sun is a natural bleach (even through a window works wonders!).

pet lover · Joined: 02 Jan 2004 Location: not in Seoul

I've found that dish soap works wonders on a lot of food stains. After all, it's meant to cut right through the stuff on dishes.

canadian_in_korea · Joined: 20 Jun 2004 Location: South Korea

My husband's sister told him to use something (basic)...dove soap (the bar that you use to shower) works great. Interestingly when I take my white stuff out of the washer I can still see a trace of the stain, and lo an behold when its dry..nothing. Must be the sunlight thing that tzechuk mentioned.

Ekuboko · Joined: 22 Dec 2004 Location: ex-Gyeonggi

this happened to me during school lunch last week! and on a cashmere sweater, too!

One of the teachers showed me exactly what to do: she dabbed undiluted dishwash detergent on the stained area (NO water) and left it for about 5 minutes. Actually I forgot what she told me to do after that but I went and added a couple of drops of water and gently agitated and then rinsed out the detergent.
The stain was pretty much gone - yay!

eamo · Joined: 08 Mar 2003 Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.

Oxyclean. It's a stain-removing machine powder you add with the the washing powder.

I know it works because last year in the supermarket I confused it for regular washing powder and washed my clothes with it alone for 2 months. Everything I own is 3 distinct shades lighter and very clean!

ajuma · Joined: 18 Feb 2003 Location: Anywere but Seoul!!

You can buy "Spray and Wash" at Costco. It takes out almost any stain. I stock up on the "Stain Stick" when I'm in the States. Haven't met a stain yet that I couldn't remove with it!

coolsage · Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2005 8:30 am Post subject:

If soju doesn't do it (and it's been known to clean the grout out of bathroom tiles), a butane torch should do the job.

desultude · Posted: Sun Apr 10, 2005 5:50 pm Post subject:

I got some stuff at Home Plus that works great. It comes in a small (7.5 x 2.5 inch) green container with a brush on top under the lid. Yesterday it got red ink out of a top. It has worked on everything so far.

In Hangul the label says Eun Shin Keu Rin Q. On the bottom of the back it says Oxy and Reckitt Benckiser.