Game Used Jersey Stinks! To wash or not

[danesei@yahoo.com]

For me personally, the BO goes along with a jersey being game used. I actually may go so far as I won't buy a jersey if it's washed. It adds to the authenticity. That's just me, I guess. I prefer unwashed jerseys

Given most older jerseys were washed by the team equipment manager, that might be a hard rule to adhere to.

Anyway, I'd use Febreze Heavy Duty, then store in a container with baking soda.

[ndevlin]

For me personally, the BO goes along with a jersey being game used. I actually may go so far as I won't buy a jersey if it's washed. It adds to the authenticity. That's just me, I guess. I prefer unwashed jerseys

You aren't married, are you?

[Phil316]

So here it is from the other end.

I purchased last week a unwashed football jersey. It arrived this morning and when i opened the package a strong smell of a masking agent (could be febreeze) filled the living room and my face. It was never mentioned in the auction that this jersey was hammered on with chemicals.

I will let it air out for a day or two. hopefully I can get some balance.

[danesei@yahoo.com]

So here it is from the other end.

I purchased last week a unwashed football jersey. It arrived this morning and when i opened the package a strong smell of a masking agent (could be febreeze) filled the living room and my face. It was never mentioned in the auction that this jersey was hammered on with chemicals.

I will let it air out for a day or two. hopefully I can get some balance.

Hey Phil, I doubt the smell was from Febreze. Although Febreze does have a smell initially, the perfuming agents tend to dissipate rather quickly. The way Febreze works is that the chemicals actually capture odor chemicals, so the perfume is really just there so people think something is happening. They could probably have a neutralizer without the floral scents, but my assumption is the actual smell of the base chemical probably didn't test well with market research groups. Perhaps the smell had no smell that people felt they were paying for nothing but air.

[Phil316]

I messaged the seller. He said he used Lysol.

[Jayworld]

For me personally, the BO goes along with a jersey being game used. I actually may go so far as I won't buy a jersey if it's washed. It adds to the authenticity. That's just me, I guess. I prefer unwashed jerseys

I know that several members feel the way you do and won't wash anything, as it "adds" to the authenticity of the item. I agree with the earlier post about older or vintage stuff not being washed; the same thought process (in my opinion) seems to permeate several iterations of the baseball hobby, including vintage cards, as to soak or not to soak (process of soaking pre-1960s cards that have heavy stains, dirt, etc. in warm water then pressing them out). Many, many tobacco era cards were glued into albums and then removed later and any album residue was removed through soaking, so who knows exactly if a card that is vintage has been soaked for sure or not? (to the purists that don't believe in soaking).

The same could be said for those that are against washing game-used jerseys. If you buy a GU jersey that is vintage and it is relatively clean, how do you know for sure if it has/has not been washed at anytime in the past?

Wash it if you want to, if not, don't. No right or wrong really; I've found that washing in cold on a gentle cycle helps tremendously, and using Dreft spray (used to remove stains in baby clothing) works tremendously.

Happy collecting!