Washing Garb

[Capt. Sterling]

Oh with M. Souris's approval, let's just run rampant with this one, after all, there are only so many ways to clean stays

[callenish gunner]

Dutch, I have seen your "finery" and I have a firm grasp on the fact that you have little to no knowledge of the concept of cleanliness. I have felt compelled to assist Grace in any attempts to remedy this condition by assembling a crate of supplies to correct your deficiencies in these matters. To date, I have assembled 10 pounds of strong lye soap and various stout brushes (ranging from wire to boar bristle), a large stone for pounding the filth out( as she will). So far the one thing I have had difficulty packing has been the cauldron large enough to place both you and your clothing into for a good long BOIL!!!

[theM.A.dDogge]

oi..a man thats too clean...caint be trusted....

their just tryin to hide sumpthin....

[Ransom]

I have nothing to add to this thread, just found this whole conversation pretty hilarious.

Thanks for the laugh.

[Dutchman]

oh a large pot to boil the crabs and fleas in. makes em more tender.

for the love of man. why on earth would anyone wish to expose any more of your skin to the sun than neccessary. why you will burn for certain, then the ladies will think you must spend your days working the fields or on the water as a commoner rather than lounging in a garden under a tree or having a trade. fresh air upon your skin shall certainly lead to a plague in the chest, especially in the colder or drafty months.

and for bathing, my goodness!! never!! why if the air upon your body will not cause a plague than the water will for certain. why just last february, cousin Silas fell overboard, adding insult landed where the Garland had been laid for some time and dumped their pots. Oh the smell!! We pulled him out and finished our days work unloading hogsheads. Well after the three mile walk home in the rains he set to a fever and chills that night. We called for the cyrgen who bled him, but to no good results. He was overcome by fits and fevers and coughs and died in pain three days later. No sir, you will not catch me bathing. We should have let poor Silas drown, would have been better than suffering like that.

As to the dirty clothes.. well i air them as i can and smoke them regularly to fumigate the bedbugs. unfortunately, only having two sets of clothes my options are limited. As well, the lyes and stone washings are harder on the cloth than holystoning the decks of the ship. How many of us can say they have actually worn a stone out on deck! Unfortunatley, this chesapeak humidity keeps all wet in the planting and growing months and our garments are prone to mold. so is best to simply try to keep them as dry as one can.

[callenish gunner]

Well then Dutch, I hope your clothes have the good sense to bring you home for a decent burial when you drown ...God only knows they are strong enough to walk there by themselves!

had hoped that was a dung cart passing when we anchored in Hampton

[Dutchman]

oh no worries of me drowning. there is so much pine tar and oil in those rags, i'm waterproof. Now open flames scare the begezus out of me.

Note* just for clarification, these wonderful garments are seasoned from actually working aboard ships and are treated as clothes of the period would have been. it's not like i rolled in a pig sty and voila dirty. My jacket is being seasoned this weekend by treating the longboat and parts of Luna to a dose of waterproofing.

[Kate Souris]

Oh Dutch....your garb is loveleh...

I told you in PM that I started calling it "Dutchifying" when we were on the SantaMaria and all those pirates we met were all pristine and clean...

They were too clean....

[Dutchman]

eh, i've never been accused of being too clean. even me mum says so. I went to a kids event last week (cute little buggers, willoughby had a project at a inner city head start program). anyhow, i decided to wear some finer clothes and i got a doubletake from me own grace. she was trying to figure out who the new guy was from a distance!!!!

[Kate Souris]

I bet you're handsome all gussied up like that...

But I would have no idea who you were!

[theM.A.dDogge]

ok...fine ....you talked me into it....

if'n yer hav'n such a hard time cleaning yer nasty smellin clothes....

and as i have absolutley no intention of ever washing mine....as i assume the Mr.Kate will have as well....

we'll just have to put ALL the clothes in the trailer to air out for the ride down(over) to Beufort.....

and ride there ......nekid

[Matty Bottles]

See, this is why I don't go to that many events. My eyes are stil recovering from the moonpie you showed everyone at RF4...

[michaelsbagley]

and ride there ......nekid

Toga! Toga! Toga! Toga!!!

[Kathyrn Ramsey]

I do not wash my stays. At most I will set them to air out when I am not wearing them as they do not get all that dirty. If you are wearing a proper shift beneath, you should not have an issue with them. Spot cleaning as has been mentioned is fine. I have one set of corset that I have had for 6 years that have never been washed and they have been through everything.

Kathryn

[LadyBarbossa]

Oh, what a laugh this thread is! Love it, gents.

Now.. Dogge... be sure that no Law Enforcement pulls ye over. I'm sure that'll create quite the stir. They'd find it stranger when pirates show up t' bail yo'r arses out of jail!

:::Clears throat:::

anyways... back to the cleaning...

I have washed my stays once. I removed the reed boning and washed them. Since then, (and that was years ago) I haven't washed them. I don't expect to keep my stays for long. Hoping to gain a new pair soon enough. Hopefully. Sorting through my assortment of fabric to see what I have and can use.

Other attire, I don't wash much. Mostly dry clean myself (never will take them to a dry cleaner again!).

~Lady B

[Black Dog]

Hey Gunner -

You know we has a pot big enough for the dutchman - we may have to mash hime up a bit as its only a 10 gallon. All this talk about the youngster being clean - before long he won't be able to show his face. A good thing at that mind ya.

Cookie

[Mary Diamond]

Ah, now, you see, Goode Ladies and Gents, you are missing the point (and opportunity) altogether.

Kate, you need merely attend Port Washington once a year (Monsoon Season in Wisconsin), and break down camp whilst in your stays. Guaranteed, you will be soaked to the boning ~

Alternatively, you may choose the PiP method M.A.d'Dogge has been keeping secret ~ the Walk the Plank competition, and rescuing shipwrecked crewemates ~ saltwater does a top notch job ~ just ask the Captain!