To wash or not to wash

[deathsled]

that is the question. Original Shelby tee. Has a but if yellowed staining on the front. I plan to display. Wash or dry clean or leave as is?

[Vernon Estes]

Looks pretty good to me, should display nicely as is!

Vern

[Shelby_r_b]

+1^^^^

[deathsled]

I believe you are correct Vern.  No good can come of cleaning it further except to wear it out even more.  Hell, it could come completely unraveled.  There are not many left due to the thinness of the cotton.  Display case it will go into for the wall.  Next question becomes display front or back.  Maybe have glass on both sides so it can periodically be rotated.

[Chris Thauberger]

I believe you are correct Vern.  No good can come of cleaning it further except to wear it out even more.  Hell, it could come completely unraveled.  There are not many left due to the thinness of the cotton.  Display case it will go into for the wall.  Next question becomes display front or back.  Maybe have glass on both sides so it can periodically be rotated.

Glass on both sides, excellent idea!

[Jim Herrud]

That's not a stain. That's patina!

[GT350Lad]

That's not a stain. That's patina!

Agree totally

[FL SAAC]

kool shirt ! if you do decide to enclose in a glass display and will be turning it over occasionally, make sure the frame and attaching points will accommodate for a clean display

that is the question. Original Shelby tee. Has a but if yellowed staining on the front. I plan to display. Wash or dry clean or leave as is?

[deathsled]

I like that! Thanks for the tip!

[6s1640]

Don't wash.  That is history on the shirt.  If something happened during the cleaning, you'd  never forgive yourself.

Best of luck

Cory

[deathsled]

You're 100 percent correct, Cory. I will not wash. The mildew smell has dissipated. It smells more like old books in a library. That's tolerable to me. Thank you. I am taking your advice and that of others. I could say it is the sweat and grime of a Shelby mechanic who did a final tweak before a Cobra won the race. Lol. Total fantasy but that is how rumors start. I prefer to keep a clear transcript of the history. Let the object speak for itself. And they do speak!

[terlingua11]

ok, just found this thread.

I was posed with this same question about 10years ago. I had a Don Prudhomme Super Snake shirt that had a large yellow water stain on it. Looked horrible and had some yellowing from age. I bit the bullet and found a big tupperware plastic container big enough for the dirt. I used some warm water and mixed in a bit of Oxy Clean. I let it sit overnight and then hand rinsed the shirt to remove the oxyclean with cold water. I then neatly hand rung the water out and laid it flat on a towel on a flat surface. Let it air dry and low and behold...... it looks NOS.

Not for the faint of heart but I gambled and I think the results speak for themselves. I have done it with 2 other shirts ( GT350 ) and have had success. Just another option if the staining is not to your liking. I figured it's been washed when it was new.....

[deathsled]

I'm going to live with it. The material of the shirt, though in great condition, seems delicate and it's about half a century old. Too risky in this instance I think.Thank you for your input.

[Shelby_r_b]

ok, just found this thread.

I was posed with this same question about 10years ago. I had a Don Prudhomme Super Snake shirt that had a large yellow water stain on it. Looked horrible and had some yellowing from age. I bit the bullet and found a big tupperware plastic container big enough for the dirt. I used some warm water and mixed in a bit of Oxy Clean. I let it sit overnight and then hand rinsed the shirt to remove the oxyclean with cold water. I then neatly hand rung the water out and laid it flat on a towel on a flat surface. Let it air dry and low and behold...... it looks NOS.

Not for the faint of heart but I gambled and I think the results speak for themselves. I have done it with 2 other shirts ( GT350 ) and have had success. Just another option if the staining is not to your liking. I figured it's been washed when it was new.....

Wow!  You've got some good stuff in that closet. 

[Chris Thauberger]

I find this thread interesting.

Here we are discussing the delicacy of a t-shirt, if it should be washed and putting it in a glass case on display instead of just wearing it as it was meant to be.

If this was a car we were discussing something like " they were meant to be driven" would be the rally cry.

Any one else see the irony? I mean no disrespect. To each his own.


Just sayin'