Have you ever started pressing one of your dress shirts only to find a pesky ring forming on the collar? It’s a common occurrence, but it can be frustrating. The good news is that many simple ways exist to remove or prevent these collar stains from forming on dress shirts. In this article, we will talk through why they happen, and discuss step-by-step our favorite way to remove them.
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What are shirt collar stains?
If you aren’t familiar with these stains, here are the basics! They typically build up on the collar of men’s dress shirts. You will most commonly notice the stains right around where the collar fold over, or on a collarless shirt, at the top of the band. They most commonly appear on shirts made of cotton.
They typically look like a faint line of discoloring, usually brown or grey in color.
What Causes the Stains?
These stains are most often caused by a build-up of skin cells, sweat/ oil, makeup, or hair product. They can be any combination of these elements
The good news is that these stains are not too noticeable to people who aren’t wearing the shirt. An audience typically would not be able to tell that there is a ring on an actor’s collar. However, as a wardrobe professional, you should still stay on top of these stains, as the actor will be able to notice that it is there when he or she puts on the shirt. Seeing stains such as these on your personal costume pieces might make an actor feel as if their clothes aren’t as clean as they might be.
What Products Help Remove Shirt Collar Stains?
Clorox 2 Pen
Our favorite product we use to eliminate these pesky collar stains is the color-safe Clorox 2 stain pens. We have found these pens to be extremely effective for pre-treating dress shit collars before putting them in the wash.
Note: Since the last time we purchased these pens in bulk, it seems like they have become harder to come by. (The orange pens are different from the pens with white caps, as the orange-capped pens are color safe). There is a possibility they might have been discontinued? (Hopefully not, cross your fingers!).
While we look for other sources, we notice that there are now bottles of Clorox 2 being sold. On our next purchase, we will buy one of these bottles and see if they work the same as the solution in the pens. Will keep you updated!
Shout Spray
We like to use Shout Spray for preventatively treating collar stains. Just spray a couple of times on the collar and rub the collar together to work it into the fabric!
Step By Step Shirt Collar Stain Removal
What You Will Need:
Clorox 2
Toothbrush
Optional: Shout Spray
Optional: Oxiclean
Step 1: Pretreat
Coat the collar ring with a healthy amount of your Clorox 2. You want there to be enough that some of the solution is sitting on top of the fabric.
Step 3: Scrub
Use your toothbrush to work the Clorox solution into the fibers of the shirt. You might see some suds as you work your solution into the collar in small circular motions.
Step 4: Let it Sit
If you are working with a stubborn collar stain, let your pretreating solution sit on the shirt for 5-10 minutes while you put all your other laundry in. Letting your stain fighter sit for extra time allows it to really set into the shirt you are treating.
Step 5: Wash Cycle
Throw your pretreated shirt into the wash with all the rest of the laundry!
Step 6: Hang Dry
If possible, allow the shirt to air dry. If you put the shirt in the dryer and the collar ring is not completely removed, the dryer might actually set the stain into the shirt and make it even harder to remove.
Step 7: Check the stain, repeat steps 1-6 if needed
If you still have a bit of a stain on your collar, don’t fear! Some collar stains might be set in, so repeat steps 1-6 again! This time, add a bit of OxiClean paste (created by mixing 1 tsp of water with 1 tbs of OxiClean) or a spritz of shout spray to your pre-treating solution.
Before & After Comparison
How to Prevent Shirt Collar Stain Buildup
To prevent these stains from building up, you have a couple of options!
First, you can pretreat the dress shirt collars in your show any time you wash them, even before you see anything build up on the collar. This is fairly quick and easy. Find your favorite stain fighter (we prefer the shout stain fighter in the white bottle). Spray the stain fighter on your collar, rub the treated collar together to work the stain fighter in, and then throw it into the wash.
Another option is to use disposable collar protectors. These are typically sold in a roll, or packs of 50 or so protectors. They are typically sticky on one side, with some kind of absorbent material on the other side. his option isn’t used a lot in theatre, because it can end up a little wasteful to have to add so many fresh collar protectors to different shirts. Depending on the number of shirts in your show, it can be hard to stay on top of– and it could get expensive quickly! However, it is a possibility!
No matter which method you choose, removing a collar ring is a quick and easy process. With a little effort, you can have your shirt looking like new in no time.
What are your favorite techniques and products that you have found to eliminate collar stains? Let us know in the comments below, or reach out using our contact page!
