Keeping Chef's Jacket White?

[NotYetChef]

I'm going to start using my own chef's jackets, since the ones provided by the restaurant are XL, XXL, XXXL or "holy god, why does Hulk Hogan have his own personal chef's jacket here".

The problem I have is that my house uses a septic tank, so I can't use traditional bleach to get the ungodly food stains out, and I really don't want to pay to have my jacket profesionally cleaned.

Any advice on specific detergents that are good for this kind of broad-spectrum food stain removal?

[Gourmet_Mom]

If I may....There have been two threads on this topic that I think you may find helpful.

Jackets and Whites

Whites

[ChefJen]

something i used thats always good.. and it may be at the restaurant or a local supply shop carries it..

Restore.... or DIP IT.. it maybe called something else

its what they use to put in with tea cups to remove tea and coffee stains. We soak our jackets with it and leave it for about a night or two comes out PERFECT!

and deosnt ruin the jacket

[Saltydog]

Your linen company should clean them for you at the same price as the others.

Just make sure your name is on them.

[CookingWGasoline]

depending on what your jacket is made from and by who...

I get my jackets from Chefs hat. I NEVER NEVER NEVER use bleach, because that basically cooks most stains onto the jacket. It also ruins any piping or embroidery on the jacket. I use oxy clean, and the WARM wash, not hot, because again, you're cooking the stain onto the jacket.

My jackets are white and pristine, even the day after I've spent half an hour cleaning out the double deck convection ovens at work

[cookmikey]

Buy 2 or 3 CHEAP jackets, It is a kitchen for god sakes. If you have to mingle with the gueat have a nice jacket for presentation.

Look at it this way, you drop a burger (5 second rule) would you pick up the burger and throw it back on the grill, I think not! You would find another use I hope!

Do you cut your fingure nails? Respect your jacket, but they will get dirty! Back in the day wearing a cook shirt was cool, dirty sweaty, but uncool!

We cook for a living or try to, but (here is the but) we would not be doing our job if we worry how to clean our jackets.

summary

keep a nice jacket in the back of the house ( for presention) If you can wear a chef shirt, wear it in the back of the house.If you have to cook and prep in your jacket wear an apron (body condum style), wash it with what ever products that are out there. It is your jacket. Look at it this way, do you take care of your knife? You know how to use it, right?

PRESENTATION

[jayvader]

i wear black jackets

[courten]

Great until you start baking

[Jim]

for my nickel, Mike hit it on the head

I always have a clean jacket to put on for "show"

[mocean]

see i agree with both of you who employee the jacket switch, wish i could do the same, but i work for a hotel that requires neat and clean jackets and aprons. so i have to wash my jackets and do my best to keep them white. the oxyclean dual action works pretty good for removing the stains in the short term, and you can't go wrong with shout if you have to leave it for a few days. i've been told vinegar works in place of bleach, but have never tried it. one thing i like about this policy we have, is i do like being in a nice clean uni, can't explain it, but i do. the chef keeps brand new ones in his office for when we have to work an action station, or be out in the front for extended periods of time. we're expected to take pride in our uni's, our kitchen, and our work, i am a clean freak when it comes to the kitchen.

[cookmikey]

Policies?

Presentaon is the key. There is no perfect jacket, unless it is air conditioned with out it costing something.

I have one question, does your chef feal the same way about there shoes as they do about the jacket, since it represent cleanese( yes spelling)

Bleach is cheaper then vin! Use the vin and make a good dressing, dont use it to dress your self

[mocean]

actually, yes we have to have presentable shoes. the vin suggestion was a response to notyetchef, having a septic tank which prevents the use of bleach. i bleach the hell out of my jackets. an yes policies, i work at a courtyard by marriott, and anyone on here, who has ever worked for a marriott hotel, knows what i mean. QA, anybody? for those who know what that means we scored a 94 on our last QA.

[BunnysinaPot]

Ive found that Cascade dishwashing detergent with bleach (powder not pillows) and oxy mixed works well on the warm cycle works wonders on the whites they issued us here at school. I also soak mine over a night or two in oxy cascade regualar detergent and vinegar. I also carry a bleach pen around in my pocket to treat stains when they happen to avoid setting in. Hope any of this helps.
All the best.

[ChezLeRecherche]

I doubt that any of you has enough bleach at home to do serious damage to the microbes in your septic system. The populations are too high.

[Cora]

Ive found that Cascade dishwashing detergent with bleach (powder not pillows) and oxy mixed works well on the warm cycle works wonders on the whites they issued us here at school. I also soak mine over a night or two in oxy cascade regualar detergent and vinegar. I also carry a bleach pen around in my pocket to treat stains when they happen to avoid setting in. Hope any of this helps.
All the best.

really does that do the trick?? my son, cocoabnboi will be starting his school this july the 9th and I was wondering what to send with him to keep his whites, white.

did you use borax at all....did it not work or did you just stick to the cascade and oxy mix over night???

the chef that will be working with him really was strong about keeping those coats perfect...he said that if the coats do not look their best at any time, you will be dismissed and kicked out of the school. this has me worried after all we did to get him there.

now we have a lot of military in our family and I am used to this but still worried.