The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Cleaning an Apron

John Ambrose's picture
John Ambrose

Cleaning an Apron

Testing the limits of the phrase "there is no such thing as a dumb question"...

My heavy cotton apron, I am shamed to admit, has not been laundered for a year. Does anyone have a suggestion on how to wash an article that is literally caked with dried dough, flour etc. My concern is that putting it in the normal laundry, a front load machine, will cause clogging in the system.

Thanks,

John Ambrose

Chode's picture
Chode

Laundry mat?

flournwater's picture
flournwater

When I load up a towel or dish cloth with pieces of dough my wife bars me from the kitchen  -  usually only for day until she settles down.

I have found that soaking the towel/apron in cold water for a couple of days and agitating it several times each day to loosen the disolving bits of flour works pretty well.  I then rinse it by hand to remove most of the disolved particles and toss it immediately into the washer (with nothing else   -  just the "infected" piece) for a normal low water wash cycle.

 

dmsnyder's picture
dmsnyder

No warrenty implied.

David

rick.c's picture
rick.c

Rick

ilovetodig's picture
ilovetodig

Dried sour dough starter?

Mary Fisher's picture
Mary Fisher

That was going to be my suggestion!

 

AnnaInNC's picture
AnnaInNC

quite a bit of fabric softener to the water, then see what happens after a day or so.

I even remove wallpaper paste with diluted fabric softener.

 

 

smasty's picture
smasty

This stuff is a bear to clean up!  After a baking session, I've learned to never let my kitchen scrubby sponge come into contact with any wet dough.  I use paper towels for washing out my mixing bowl and cleaning up loose flour.  Anyway...I know this doesn't have to do w/ your apron--  I'm just amazed how destructive a little flour can be.  I think it gives fodder to the people who argue that eating flour is the same as eating paste :)

jannrn's picture
jannrn

Try scraping or flaking off the dried dough first, then take it outside, hang it over a line and beat the krap out of it to get the rest of the flour...then just wash it on a very warm cycle.

Good luck!!

alabubba's picture
alabubba

You could send it to me and buy your self a new one. :o)

(I need a good apron)

Mary Fisher's picture
Mary Fisher

Nice one!

Wish I'd thought of that ...

Mary

John Ambrose's picture
John Ambrose

Thanks to all of you for your advice!

The solution, baking the apron, from dmsynder and rick.c worked well. After the apron cooled I laid it out on the table and scraped any remaining bits of dough using a butter knife.

Thanks again,

John Ambrose

dmsnyder's picture
dmsnyder

You should write up your experience for the TFL Handbook! Maybe it should be a "Lesson." Maybe Floyd should list it under "Favorite Recipes!"

David

jannrn's picture
jannrn

Just remember to be careful that you aren't baking a polyester apron that will melt and if it is cotton, remember that being organic, it will deteriorate from baking. Good luck with it all!! I like the baking naked idea myself!!