How to Wash White Baseball Pants
Dear Laundry Fairies:
I do not claim to be magical, and I'm still improving this craft. But here's what I know: white baseball pants are here to stay in my household for a few more years.
Therefore, I need to get better at accepting my fate and perfecting the art of washing them - even if that means in a hotel sink!
- My daughter's softball jersey has white on it
- My husband has a white cage jacket and white game day hat (after a 90deg summer ball game)
- white t-shirt, white t-shirt, white t-shirt
If you are a travel sports parent and have experienced the joys of a sporting event aftermath, you know that stains are frequent and unavoidable.
ESPECIALLY during tournament weekends hundreds of miles from home
Some people do not mind the dirt, but those who search high and low for ways to remove them without simply ordering replacement uniforms - or buying 10 pants at the beginning of the season because your kid is not satisfied until their uniform is beyond repair.
Please know - I’m not the first person to wash white baseball pants or to mentor someone else on how to wash them. But I’m MORE than happy to arm you with this knowledge so we can all sleep at night knowing we’ll have clean ball players at the next game. This method has been tested every season by many of our team parents, if there are any suggestions to better this method or anything we missed PLEASE let me know.
Bonus: they’ll smell better, too.
What you’ll need:
The pants
Preferred soap (I use Zote, I know others who like Fels Naphtha)
A cheese grater
A bucket (big enough to hold water and the pants)
A cheap brush (I use this one)
Optional: Sanitizer
Fill the bucket with lukewarm water, and let the pants start to soak
Grate some soap, about 1T, and sprinkle into the bucket; place some pieces directly onto the dirtiest parts of the pants
Let sit for AT LEAST 2 hours, maybe even overnight
Check on the pants a few times; swirl water
After several hours, find some of the pieces of soap in the water and place them on the stains, if still visible; take the brush and massage into stain for a minute or two
Drain and run through wash cycle; repeat as needed (check preferred washing cycle from pants manufacturer first)
Dry on low or hang dry (check preferred drying cycle from pants manufacturer first)
>> The longer you soak, the less scrubbing you do with the brush!
Good Luck and have Fun!!!!
Sara Freire
