# Maintaining a clean uniform



## DrewTheTKDStudent1992 (Apr 28, 2018)

Hey guys,

I need help
1. How do we keep our Taekwondo uniforms free from stains?
2. What tools do I need to keep my uniform from yellowing b/c of sweat or deodorant stains?

I would appreciate your help at your earliest convenience, thank you.


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## drop bear (Apr 28, 2018)

Tie dye it so so no one can tell.


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## Headhunter (Apr 28, 2018)

A washing machine


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## Tames D (Apr 28, 2018)

Go with black. A mans uniform..


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## pdg (Apr 28, 2018)

Other brands are available.


While other colours might not show marks as much, it depends on the school as to whether other than white is acceptable...


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## Tez3 (Apr 28, 2018)

pdg said:


> View attachment 21420
> 
> Other brands are available.



This is very good at getting blood out of training gear.


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## pdg (Apr 28, 2018)

Tez3 said:


> This is very good at getting blood out of training gear.



Yep, I can vouch for that too.

Also, it sometimes helps to ignore the maximum wash temperature on the label...


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## Buka (Apr 28, 2018)

One must have several gis.

Or face it dude, you're screwed.


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## Tez3 (Apr 28, 2018)

Buka said:


> One must have several gis.
> 
> Or face it dude, you're screwed.




I have different ones, two BJJ ones and spare bottoms for them, a thick canvas type for karate kata, ordinary ones I use when taking kids classes and lots of Gi bottoms, all black to wear with rashguards and t shirts. I don't wear shorts lol. Over the years I've built up a collection.


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## Buka (Apr 28, 2018)

I wish I could remember all my favorite gis. I bet I had some corkers.


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## Earl Weiss (Apr 28, 2018)

Couple of things to try. 
1. Change deodorants.- Some stain worse than others. 
2. Before throwing it in washer  put detergent straight on stain - let it soak in. 
3. A few hours or night before washing put detergent straight on stain and throw it in a bucket and let it soak.


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## Gerry Seymour (Apr 28, 2018)

drop bear said:


> Tie dye it so so no one can tell.


It hasn't not worked.


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## Gerry Seymour (Apr 28, 2018)

pdg said:


> Yep, I can vouch for that too.
> 
> Also, it sometimes helps to ignore the maximum wash temperature on the label...


That latter can cause problems with some uniforms. My go-to gi's would both shrink two sizes if I washed on hot, one size if I washed on warm. Ask me how I know.


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## Gerry Seymour (Apr 28, 2018)

Tez3 said:


> This is very good at getting blood out of training gear.


Yes. I used a similar product when I decided to go to class a few hours after giving blood. It turns out that's not a good idea. Who knew??


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## Gerry Seymour (Apr 28, 2018)

DrewTheTKDStudent1992 said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> I need help
> 1. How do we keep our Taekwondo uniforms free from stains?
> ...


For most folks, yellowing via sweat stains won't be an issue - while the entire uniform may get less white over time, specific sweat stains won't form. There are some folks whose body chemistry causes yellowing at armpits, etc. I seem to recall a vinegar soak helps that, but I'd have to go back and search for that to be sure.

In any case, the answer will vary, based upon the uniform. Cotton shrinks, so if it's the right size, you don't want to wash on higher temps. Some synthetics will retain more smells if washed on hot (it can actually set the odor in the fabric). If the uniform is entirely white (no edging, no patches, etc.), then some of the whitening solutions can be useful if used a couple of times a year. If you have any non-white (again, edging or patches) then I'd avoid those, as some will turn red into pink and black into grey in a single wash. Avoid bleach (except as a very occasional fix for an entirely white uniform) because it weakens the fabric.

Generally, if you wash the uniform after EVERY class (please don't be the guy who waits until you think it stinks - your partners thought so 3 classes before you did) and make sure it dries fully (whether you hang it to dry or use a dryer), it will stay fresh and clean looking. Keep a stain stick or similar near the laundry area, and treat any stains as soon as you get home.

As others have said, have more than one uniform. I usually only had two in my bag - my primary (the newest) and one of my old ones, in case the primary didn't get cleaned in time - and maybe one or two other old ones lying about at home. Having more than one will avoid the temptation to wear the dirty one if you forget to wash.


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## Tez3 (Apr 28, 2018)

gpseymour said:


> That latter can cause problems with some uniforms. My go-to gi's would both shrink two sizes if I washed on hot, one size if I washed on warm. Ask me how I know.




I have 'handwash' on my washing machine which along with a washing liquid designed for wool does the trick without shrinking. use it for my Guiding uniform tops which are horrendous for shrinking width ways and stretching in length so they end up looking weird.




gpseymour said:


> Yes. I used a similar product when I decided to go to class a few hours after giving blood. It turns out that's not a good idea. Who knew??



I could train after donating blood because I am not a 'bleeder', takes hours to get blood out of me so they usually take some and let me go off to my cuppa and biscuit.


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## drop bear (Apr 28, 2018)

soaking in vinegar is probably the only other tip.


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## DrewTheTKDStudent1992 (Apr 28, 2018)

pdg said:


> View attachment 21420
> 
> Other brands are available.



Other brands like Oxi-Clean?


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## pdg (Apr 28, 2018)

DrewTheTKDStudent1992 said:


> Other brands like Oxi-Clean?



I don't know, it's not my department...

I would imagine any of the bubbly type stain removal formulas would work more or less the same.


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## TrueJim (Apr 28, 2018)

Just on the topic of cleaning generally. My understanding (based on a few year of college chemistry) is this:

*Enzymatic cleaners* are often sold in pet stores under brand names such as _Simple Solutions_ and _OxiClean Pet Stain Remover_ to remove pets' pee and poop stains from carpet and upholstery. These sprays contain a variety of organic chemicals called enzymes that are good at breaking-down other organic molecules. Some of the enzymes break-down proteins, some of the enzymes break down fats such as oil and grease, and some enzymes break down starches. Generally speaking, these cleaners work remarkably well at breaking-down organic stains so that subsequent washing can actually remove the staining materials. 
Some laundry detergents such as some kinds of _Tide_ and some kinds of _Arm and Hammer_ also contain enzymatic cleaners. So if you're trying to remove organic stains (such as blood and sweat) then enzymatic cleaners are great. But you don't actually have to buy an enzymatic laundry detergent to accomplish this: you  can just go to the pet store and buy an enzymatic spray to pre-spray organic stains before throwing them in the wash! Wait a few minutes before washing so that the pet spray can do its job. By the way, for people who live in hot humid climates, pet sprays are also a good way to clean sweat off mattresses (and they work well if your kid wets a mattress by accident). 
So this will get sweat and blood out of your dobok, but it will do nothing for deodorant stains. The active ingredients in deodorants are _inorganic_. 
Though we don't generally think of it this way, *Oxygen* is a ridiculously corrosive substance - it really really really wants to interact with other elements. Oxygen is so corrosive that if you take even a simple piece of wood, and you make it very warm, that heat will activate a chemical reaction that causes the surrounding oxygen to corrode the wood in a spectacular burst of energy called flame  releasing heat quickly in the process, and leaving only ash where the wood was. This corrosive process works even with something very strong, like iron...though it takes longer, releases less heat, and leaves iron-ash (which we call rust) as the end product. Bottom line: oxygen really likes to react with other chemicals -- a lot. 
Oxidizing cleaners don't always _remove_ stains -- but the oxygen is eager to interact with whatever chemicals are causing the stain. Oxidizing cleaners often react chemically with whatever substance is causing the stain to merely change its color to something that can only be seen under UV light. Essentially, this is just another form of bleaching. The actual stain is still there, but you can't see it. But for other kinds of materials (depending on the type of stain), the corrosive effect of oxygen may cause the staining substance to actually break down (like wood turning to ash). Oxidizing cleaners are called *Non-Chlorine Bleaches *such as _Clorox2 Stain Remover_. Oxidizing bleaches are generally good at changing the color of organic materials (like sweat and blood) but they often don't actually remove the material.
I don't know for sure that this is true, but I think *OxiClean* also just changes the color of the pigments in a stain. So the stain isn't actually removed, it's just no longer visible. Bottom line: an enzymatic cleaner actually _removes_ a stain, while bleaching agents just _hide_ stains. 
OxiClean claims on its website that the "bubbling" that goes on when its sodium percarbonate interacts with water (to release oxygen) serves to "lift the stain" away from the underlying fabric. I strongly suspect that's just hype. The mechanical action of bubbling is meager compared to the mechanical action of your machine's tumbling drum, so I don't know what a little bubbling is going to accomplish. The only reason that bubbling is important is because it's the outcome of the chemical reaction that releases the oxygen. 
*Chlorine Bleach* doesn't use oxygen to interact with stains, it uses sodium hypochlorite instead -- but the effect is the same: Chlorine Bleach interacts with pigments so that they're no longer in the visible spectrum for human eyes. Unfortunately, this applies to all pigments, not just stains. Chlorine Bleach has the added advantage that it kills microbes by destroying their cell walls (it does the same to the cells in your skin). So small amounts of Chlorine Bleach can be useful for removing a dobok's odor (which is caused by all the stinky bacteria living in the fabric, bacteria that was living off your sweat). 
Like bleach, *Lye *(sodium hydroxide) breaks down fats to make *soap*. Have you ever spilled a little bit of bleach or lye on your fingers and felt how slippery it is? Yah, uh, that's your skin being converted to soap! A basic laundry detergent is just *liquid soap*, often with some perfumes added. What does soap accomplish? Read on...
*Water* is a *solvent*. It's not necessarily the best solvent the world, but it is the best at being a general-purpose solvent. Water is medium-good at dissolving almost everything: both organic and inorganic compounds. The only disadvantage of water is that it adheres to itself really well (which is why rain comes down in the form of _drops_ rather than as a molecular mist). This makes it difficult for water to penetrate into the weave of fabrics: the water wants to bead on the surface of the fabric instead. This is where soap comes in: _soap makes water wetter_. Soaps breaks down the surface-tension of water so that water can penetrate fabrics better. Bottom line: laundry detergent does NOT actually clean clothes; all laundry detergent does it make it easier for _water_ to do its job. Water is the real hero here. 
*Dry cleaning* is not actually dry! Dry cleaning is just as wet as a regular washing machine, except that instead of using water, the dry cleaner's washing machine uses _tetrachloroethene_. This chemical is much _better than water_ at dissolving organic materials (such as sweat and blood). 
Bottom line: 

To remove organic materials such as sweat and blood, the easiest thing to do is go to the pet store and buy an enzymatic spray, and use that as a pre-spray before washing your dobok.
If your dobok is getting very stinky, nothing is going to work better than washing the dobok in a very mild solution of bleach, but you will lose some of the color.
For inorganic stains such as deodorant, your best bet is probably to just wash the dobok with detergent. But if that doesn't work, OxiClean or Clorox2 Stain Remover will at least change the color of the stain so that you can't see it. 
A competent dry cleaner understands the difference between all the various types of stains, and knows which chemicals to use to attack which types of stains. So taking your dobok to a dry cleaner if it's overly stained actually isn't a bad way to get some more life out of an old dobok. 
Ten years of college was not wasted on me.


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## pdg (Apr 28, 2018)

TrueJim said:


> OxiClean claims on its website that the "bubbling" that goes on when its sodium percarbonate interacts with water (to release oxygen) serves to "lift the stain" away from the underlying fabric. I strongly suspect that's just hype. The mechanical action of bubbling is meager compared to the mechanical action of your machine's tumbling drum, so I don't know what a little bubbling is going to accomplish. The only reason that bubbling is important is because it's the outcome of the chemical reaction that releases the oxygen



If the bubble forms between the stain forming compound and the fabric fibres then the mechanical force is far greater (and in a more advantageous direction) than the tumbling action of the drum.

Whether that actually happens with any of these products I just can't say, I have no evidence 



I have had a thought though - ultrasonic?


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## Gwai Lo Dan (Apr 28, 2018)

gpseymour said:


> Generally, if you wash the uniform after EVERY class (please don't be the guy who waits until you think it stinks - your partners thought so 3 classes before you did) and make sure it dries fully (whether you hang it to dry or use a dryer), it will stay fresh and clean looking.


Yes, wash your uniform immediately after class. Personally I wear an undershirt too, and never have the yellow stains that others have.


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## WaterGal (Apr 28, 2018)

DrewTheTKDStudent1992 said:


> Other brands like Oxi-Clean?



Yeah, the Oxi-Clean blue gel is great. I always recommend that to our students.


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## Tez3 (Apr 28, 2018)

pdg said:


> I have had a thought though - ultrasonic?




I have an ultrasonic cleaner for my gum shields. Cat hates the noise it makes though.


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## Dirty Dog (Apr 28, 2018)

Wash your dobak with a good detergent after every class. Not a few days after. Right after. 
And hang it up. A dobak that's all wrinkled from being in your bag looks nasty. There is a traditional method of folding the dobak that works well.
Depending on the material, bleach may cause yellowing. 
Hydrogen peroxide is the best way to remove blood. Trust me on this. I'm willing to bet money I've got more experience getting blood out of clothes than anyone here.
Buy a new dobak. They can be as low as $20, so buy several.
If your school allows colors, use them. Nothing shows ick as much as white.


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## mrt2 (Apr 28, 2018)

[QUOTE="gpseymour, post: 1898933, member: 27826"

Generally, if you wash the uniform after EVERY class (please don't be the guy who waits until you think it stinks - your partners thought so 3 classes before you did) and make sure it dries fully (whether you hang it to dry or use a dryer), it will stay fresh and clean looking. Keep a stain stick or similar near the laundry area, and treat any stains as soon as you get home.

As others have said, *have more than one uniform.* I usually only had two in my bag - my primary (the newest) and one of my old ones, in case the primary didn't get cleaned in time - and maybe one or two other old ones lying about at home. Having more than one will avoid the temptation to wear the dirty one if you forget to wash.[/QUOTE]
I realized quickly when I came back to MA that I needed more than one uniform.  Honestly, I don't know how I did it back in the day.  Pretty sure I only washed my uniform once a week, but I trained 2 to 4 times/week, so I must have just stunk the place up. 

Once the weather gets above 50 degrees, I like to hang dry my uniforms out in the sun.  I do the same with my cycling gear, and I swear clothing that is hung dry outside seems to smell better.


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## mrt2 (Apr 28, 2018)

Dirty Dog said:


> Wash your dobak with a good detergent after every class. Not a few days after. Right after.
> And hang it up. A dobak that's all wrinkled from being in your bag looks nasty. There is a traditional method of folding the dobak that works well.
> Depending on the material, bleach may cause yellowing.
> Hydrogen peroxide is the best way to remove blood. Trust me on this. I'm willing to bet money I've got more experience getting blood out of clothes than anyone here.
> ...


On my second class, there was a fellow wearing black pants with his white uniform.  So I asked if this was allowed.  Not until you reach the rank of black belt.  So, stuck with white pants for awhile.


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## Dirty Dog (Apr 28, 2018)

mrt2 said:


> On my second class, there was a fellow wearing black pants with his white uniform.  So I asked if this was allowed.  Not until you reach the rank of black belt.  So, stuck with white pants for awhile.



I don't think that's uncommon. It's how we do it. Geup ranks wear all white. Chodanbo can wear the black collar. Dan holders can wear whatever they want. A lot chose to wear black pants with a white top. I wear black pants with diamond pattern tops in various colors.
So there's your best reason to promote; you'll get to wear a dobak that's easier to maintain.


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## Gerry Seymour (Apr 28, 2018)

Tez3 said:


> I have 'handwash' on my washing machine which along with a washing liquid designed for wool does the trick without shrinking. use it for my Guiding uniform tops which are horrendous for shrinking width ways and stretching in length so they end up looking weird.


Similar setting on mine - it doesn't let the temp get even to "warm", I think.




> I could train after donating blood because I am not a 'bleeder', takes hours to get blood out of me so they usually take some and let me go off to my cuppa and biscuit.


I don't usually bleed easily (actually fairly low blood pressure), but when stuck in a big vein, it comes out fast. It usually takes me only about 10 minutes (maybe less, but it seems about that), then I have to sit there and have a snack and fluids before I stand, or I'll fall down. And apparently I don't coagulate well enough to seal the needle wound firmly in the few hours I gave it. I changed the color of almost the entire inside of my uniform sleeve by the time someone noticed.


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## Gerry Seymour (Apr 28, 2018)

DrewTheTKDStudent1992 said:


> Other brands like Oxi-Clean?


yes.


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## Gerry Seymour (Apr 28, 2018)

Dirty Dog said:


> Wash your dobak with a good detergent after every class. Not a few days after. Right after.
> And hang it up. A dobak that's all wrinkled from being in your bag looks nasty. There is a traditional method of folding the dobak that works well.
> Depending on the material, bleach may cause yellowing.
> Hydrogen peroxide is the best way to remove blood. Trust me on this. I'm willing to bet money I've got more experience getting blood out of clothes than anyone here.
> ...


If anyone else here has more experience getting blood out than you do, I don't want to know.


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## Gerry Seymour (Apr 28, 2018)

mrt2 said:


> I realized quickly when I came back to MA that I needed more than one uniform.  Honestly, I don't know how I did it back in the day.  Pretty sure I only washed my uniform once a week, but I trained 2 to 4 times/week, so I must have just stunk the place up.
> 
> Once the weather gets above 50 degrees, I like to hang dry my uniforms out in the sun.  I do the same with my cycling gear, and I swear clothing that is hung dry outside seems to smell better.


It probably does smell better. A couple of actions going on (TrueJim probably understands some of this way better than I do). One is UV from the sun, which I understand has some sanitizing and/or deodorizing effect. The other is that, instead of partly perfumed air inside a stuffy dryer with stale lint in the nooks and crannies, you're drying it with what is probably much better-smelling air outside.


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## frank raud (Apr 29, 2018)

drop bear said:


> Tie dye it so so no one can tell.


Only works in BJJ.


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## Gerry Seymour (Apr 29, 2018)

frank raud said:


> Only works in BJJ.


I could see me sporting a greyscale tie-dye gi. Or black and red. I'm conservative like that.


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## skribs (Apr 30, 2018)

You guys are all treating the symptoms, not the root cause of the problem.   The problem shouldn't be how to keep the uniform clean, but how to keep it from getting dirty in the first place.  If you're worried about sweat stains, then just don't train hard enough to sweat in your uniform.  Then you don't have to worry about it!


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## JR 137 (Apr 30, 2018)

Dirty Dog said:


> Wash your dobak with a good detergent after every class. Not a few days after. Right after.
> And hang it up. A dobak that's all wrinkled from being in your bag looks nasty. There is a traditional method of folding the dobak that works well.
> Depending on the material, bleach may cause yellowing.
> Hydrogen peroxide is the best way to remove blood. Trust me on this. I'm willing to bet money I've got more experience getting blood out of clothes than anyone here.
> ...


Peroxide works very well.  While I most likely don’t have as much experience with getting blood out as you do, I have a ton of experience with it from working as an athletic trainer.

The best stuff I’ve come across is called Blood Buster.  It’s an enzymatic cleaner.  I had a soccer player who’s white home jersey was saturated in blood (he needed 38 stitches along his eyebrow for reference).   I put it in a plastic bag immediately and forgot about it, until 2 weeks later when the coach asked if I had the jersey for the next day’s game.  I soaked it overnight in a 5 gallon bucket with blood buster and detergent.  Threw it in the washing machine, and it was like it never happened.

I’ve sprayed just about every uniform with blood on it in my 15 or so years, and it’s worked every single time.  I doubt there’s a single athletic training room that doesn’t have a bottle of it somewhere.

Edit - it’s almost as good on cotton, but every now and then there’s a feint hint of a blood stain.  Treat and wash it again without throwing it in the dryer in between, and it’s all good.  Peroxide hasn’t worked as well in my experience.  I’ve used it every time I didn’t have Blood Buster immediately handy.


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## paitingman (Apr 30, 2018)

Dirty Dog said:


> Wash your dobak with a good detergent after every class. Not a few days after. Right after.
> And hang it up. A dobak that's all wrinkled from being in your bag looks nasty. There is a traditional method of folding the dobak that works well.
> Depending on the material, bleach may cause yellowing.
> Hydrogen peroxide is the best way to remove blood. Trust me on this. I'm willing to bet money I've got more experience getting blood out of clothes than anyone here.
> ...


what to heck is a dobak?


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## paitingman (Apr 30, 2018)

As far as being clean, just wash it when you should!
For stains, there are great detergents everywhere.

I have always let my uniforms hang outside to dry on a really sunny day. Stains fade really nicely that way as well.


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## mrt2 (Apr 30, 2018)

skribs said:


> You guys are all treating the symptoms, not the root cause of the problem.   The problem shouldn't be how to keep the uniform clean, but how to keep it from getting dirty in the first place.  If you're worried about sweat stains, then just don't train hard enough to sweat in your uniform.  Then you don't have to worry about it!


True, and a well worn sweat stained uniform is something that shows commitment, or maybe your individual body chemistry.  That said, nobody wants to see a blood stain on your uniform.


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## JR 137 (Apr 30, 2018)

paitingman said:


> what to heck is a dobak?


Korean for gi or dogi.  The uniform worn in TKD.


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## paitingman (Apr 30, 2018)

JR 137 said:


> Korean for gi or dogi.  The uniform worn in TKD.


I know I was just poking fun. Americans tend to say "dobak" instead of dobok


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## Dirty Dog (May 1, 2018)

JR 137 said:


> Peroxide works very well.  While I most likely don’t have as much experience with getting blood out as you do, I have a ton of experience with it from working as an athletic trainer.
> 
> The best stuff I’ve come across is called Blood Buster.  It’s an enzymatic cleaner.  I had a soccer player who’s white home jersey was saturated in blood (he needed 38 stitches along his eyebrow for reference).   I put it in a plastic bag immediately and forgot about it, until 2 weeks later when the coach asked if I had the jersey for the next day’s game.  I soaked it overnight in a 5 gallon bucket with blood buster and detergent.  Threw it in the washing machine, and it was like it never happened.



I've never tried that product. However, I can't (with an admittedly cursory search) find an ingredients list. Which doesn't excite me.
And given that 4oz of the stuff sells for $10.58 on Amazon, and I can buy 16oz of Peroxide at Walmart for $4.50, it would take a lot to convince me to try it.



paitingman said:


> what to heck is a dobak?





paitingman said:


> I know I was just poking fun. Americans tend to say "dobak" instead of dobok



Do you really want to argue about the "correct" Romanization of Hangeul?


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## JR 137 (May 1, 2018)

Dirty Dog said:


> I've never tried that product. However, I can't (with an admittedly cursory search) find an ingredients list. Which doesn't excite me.
> And given that 4oz of the stuff sells for $10.58 on Amazon, and I can buy 16oz of Peroxide at Walmart for $4.50, it would take a lot to convince me to try it.
> 
> 
> ...


It’s expensive, but we usually bought it at wholesale in training rooms.  I’ve never paid for it personally.

Honestly, if I needed some I’d pay the price.  A little bit goes a long way and it’s less expensive than buying new clothes.  But if peroxide is doing for you consistently, no need to switch.

And blood buster smells pretty bad.  It goes away in the wash, but spraying the stuff and giving it a gentle scrub isn’t the most pleasant experience.


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## paitingman (May 1, 2018)

Dirty Dog said:


> Do you really want to argue about the "correct" Romanization of Hangeul?



Yeah. It's totally dobok, bro. (spell it how you want to  )


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## Dirty Dog (May 1, 2018)

paitingman said:


> Yeah. It's totally dobok, bro. (spell it how you want to  )



How about if, just for you, I try to remember to write it as dob[a|o|ah]k from now on?


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## pdg (May 1, 2018)

Dirty Dog said:


> How about if, just for you, I try to remember to write it as dob[a|o|ah]k from now on?



Isn't dob[a/ah]k more aptly translated as "gambling"?


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## paitingman (May 1, 2018)

Dirty Dog said:


> How about if, just for you, I try to remember to write it as dob[a|o|ah]k from now on?


I'm not sure how to -a- or -ah- would work. I blame good old Chuck Norris for bringing the doBACK pronunciation into popularity lol


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## pdg (May 1, 2018)

Maybe we should go back to basics...

도복 = dobok = suit

도박 = dobak = gambling

(Replace the Ks with Gs if your romanisation system prefers )


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## skribs (May 1, 2018)

mrt2 said:


> True, and a well worn sweat stained uniform is something that shows commitment, or maybe your individual body chemistry.  That said, nobody wants to see a blood stain on your uniform.



Right before a belt test, this kid at my dojang got a bloody nose.  He wasn't punched or anything, it was just one of those random bloody noses that people sometimes get.  As he's holding a tissue up to his face to stem the flow, I tell him "no, sir, the goal of martial arts is to give the OTHER PERSON a bloody nose."



paitingman said:


> I know I was just poking fun. Americans tend to say "dobak" instead of dobok



It's my accent.


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## Balrog (May 1, 2018)

OxyClean works great.  Plus, I'll use Shout or something similar to pre-soak the neck and cuffs for 10 minutes before washing.


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## DrewTheTKDStudent1992 (May 5, 2018)

Also, when washing the TKD uniform, should I wash the top and bottom separately or at the same time?


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## pdg (May 5, 2018)

DrewTheTKDStudent1992 said:


> Also, when washing the TKD uniform, should I wash the top and bottom separately or at the same time?



Are they different colours?


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## DrewTheTKDStudent1992 (May 5, 2018)

pdg said:


> Are they different colours?



The top has a black trim on the neckline (typical TKD black belt uniform top).


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## pdg (May 5, 2018)

DrewTheTKDStudent1992 said:


> The top has a black trim on the neckline (typical TKD black belt uniform top).



I'd probably wash it separately the first time, just because. But there's as much chance of the trim bleeding into the jacket as the trousers.

But mine, being standard, has black embroidery on the legs (ITF on each), the ITF logo on the breast and the large TKD on the rear. None of that has ever bled.


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## Gerry Seymour (May 6, 2018)

DrewTheTKDStudent1992 said:


> Also, when washing the TKD uniform, should I wash the top and bottom separately or at the same time?


If you are concerned about the black bleeding, toss in one of those sheets that captures bled color. Probably only needed the first time you wash it, if at all (they probably thought that through when they chose the fabric and dye for the trim). Since you won't be using chlorine bleach on the pants, I don't think there's any reason to separate them. If the black were to tint the jacket very slightly (and I doubt it could do more than that), you'll want the pants to continue to match.


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