mom2jjka Posted July 31, 2010 Share Posted July 31, 2010 We went swimming in a lake yesterday and my kids wore their (brand new) rash guard UV shirts. When they got our of the lake, there were little black spots that almost look just like mildew all over the shirts and their swim suit bottoms. I soaked them overnight in Oxyclean and then washed them this morning - but the spots are still there. I have not put them in the dryer, though. What could the spots be? Algae? Are our suits ruined? :crying: Any ideas how to get rid of the spots? (other than bleach - I think that would ruin the suits for sure ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted July 31, 2010 Share Posted July 31, 2010 Strange. I've been swimming in dozens of different lakes, and I've never seen anything like that. Perhaps it's a problem with the fabric of the suits. I'd call the manufacturer, maybe try to get a refund. That shouldn't have happened. And you could possibly try soaking them in vinegar, see if that does anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2jjka Posted July 31, 2010 Author Share Posted July 31, 2010 I would have thought that if it had just been one suit - but it's all 4 suits....and they are by from manufacturers.... I will try vinegar - thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrianne in TX Posted July 31, 2010 Share Posted July 31, 2010 That happened to my daughters bathing suit at a local lake..the only thing I can think it might be is oil from the speed boats----I tried washing it and oxycleaning them 2x--no luck!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2jjka Posted July 31, 2010 Author Share Posted July 31, 2010 Hmmm...there were a lot of boats going by. Maybe I'll try a de-greaser, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dobela Posted July 31, 2010 Share Posted July 31, 2010 I have never had that happen to any rash guard suits - and we have bought them from several places over several years. The oil theory sounds insteresting and plausible. I wouldn't think mildew would happen that fast and be that permanent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justasque Posted July 31, 2010 Share Posted July 31, 2010 Sand? Oil seems plausible to me, too. :-( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mabelen Posted July 31, 2010 Share Posted July 31, 2010 Sand? Oil seems plausible to me, too. :-( We got this too at the beach. I think it must be the combination of sand and tar... there is some naturally occurring so it's possible! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K&Rs Mom Posted July 31, 2010 Share Posted July 31, 2010 My 2 got sand embedded in the fabric of their suits somehow. I can stretch it and scratch it out, and it's definitely sand, but doesn't come out in the wash (it's been about 15 washes by now). I don't know how they did it, but it doesn't seem to be affecting the fabric so I'm just living with it. It seems the rash guards picked up much more than the bottoms (skirts), even though they are made of the same fabric from the same company. :confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted July 31, 2010 Share Posted July 31, 2010 I have heard that Goo Gone works for this problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted July 31, 2010 Share Posted July 31, 2010 My dd ruined a brand-new suit this way. We never figured out what it was, and her two sisters swam in the same lake and didn't have it happen (though it could be she went in at a different time from them - it was while we were at a cabin on a lake for a few days). I also could never figure out how to get the spots out... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moxie Posted July 31, 2010 Share Posted July 31, 2010 This happened to us in Lake Erie a few years ago. Only one child's suit had it happen. I never could get it out. Sorry!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferdie Posted July 31, 2010 Share Posted July 31, 2010 I have heard that Goo Gone works for this problem. :iagree: We used to get tar on our feet/suits swimming in the ocean in CA. Goo Gone works great. Not sure what tar would be doing in a lake though, but it is worth a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted July 31, 2010 Share Posted July 31, 2010 My 2 got sand embedded in the fabric of their suits somehow. I can stretch it and scratch it out, and it's definitely sand, but doesn't come out in the wash (it's been about 15 washes by now). I don't know how they did it, but it doesn't seem to be affecting the fabric so I'm just living with it. It seems the rash guards picked up much more than the bottoms (skirts), even though they are made of the same fabric from the same company. :confused: This is my experience too. It drove me INSANE last summer, until I finally realized it was sand. We're just living with it too, but I was able to remove some of it by stretching the suits with my hands and running hard, fast water from the inside out. ETA: By any chance, are they Lands End rashguards? I've only really noticed this with our Lands End suits, and I've not been thrilled with their quality either :( Maybe the material is more porous or something? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2jjka Posted August 2, 2010 Author Share Posted August 2, 2010 ETA: By any chance, are they Lands End rashguards? I've only really noticed this with our Lands End suits, and I've not been thrilled with their quality either :( Maybe the material is more porous or something? YES! They are Land's End. It actually does look like sand. (and the sand at the beach was a gritty/fine sand so that very well could be it.) We have some Goo Gone, and I think I'll give that a try...I've tried a bunch of other stuff with no luck, and I figure it couldn't look any worse than it does now. And ...mental note to myself...Do not buy WHITE rashguard shirts again! :rolleyes: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted August 3, 2010 Share Posted August 3, 2010 YES! They are Land's End. It actually does look like sand. (and the sand at the beach was a gritty/fine sand so that very well could be it.) We have some Goo Gone, and I think I'll give that a try...I've tried a bunch of other stuff with no luck, and I figure it couldn't look any worse than it does now. And ...mental note to myself...Do not buy WHITE rashguard shirts again! :rolleyes: If it is sand, I have heard of people stretching the shirt and using a tooth brush to nudge the sand out. Wow, this really sucks... I wouldn't have imagined that sand would have got lodged in the weave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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