This thread has taken an amazing turn...

But since we are here, a little hard-won advice (learned the hard way in my bachelor days)... Some of you guys may be a bit clueless on this (like I was)...

If you use the dishwasher for anything --- <u>anything</u> --- always .... <b><big><font color=red><u>ALWAYS use ONLY dishwasher detergent.</u></font></big></b>. Unless you want to spend the next several hours cleaning up the mess.

I use the dishwasher and, yes, dishwasher detergent. Another trick I have used that works great. I bought one of those clorox pens that dispenses bleach. I use this on the white letters and it brightens them up. I rinse, throw them in the dishwasher using a caddie and they are good to go.

Duke:

I thought about that too, but was afraid that the bleach would erode the letters some. Have you noticed no deterioration?

Have only tried it so far on a couple of older hats. Haven't put it to use yet on the field as the fields are still snow covered here in Maine and wind chills have been down to -40 degrees. Not the best softball weather. It is sad when the temps get up into the twenties and comments are how nice it is out...........

I find that fitted hats invariably shrink over the winter. The 7½ that fit fine the year before has become a 7¼ or even smaller.

<b>the fields are still snow covered here in Maine</b>

Where are you in Maine, Duke? Anywhere near Waterville? I'm class of 1970 at Colby. One May we were playing at Bowdoin, and a ball that was fouled off into the woods came back with snow on it.



[Edited by greymule on Feb 12th, 2004 at 02:45 PM]

I'm 45 minutes southwest of WVL. Up until last year the board I am on was a subboard of WVL. Last year we were moved to be part of the Lewiston area board. I have called alot of JO tourneys in WVL and Augusta.

My wife works 1 day a week at the Health Center at Colby as an RN....

Tom,

I've heard that if you wash your hats separately with an old all-cotton t-shirt, that the blue dye will be absorbed by the T-shirt and not color the letters. I have to admit that I have not tried it though. There is also supposed to be a commercial product that does the same thing.

SamC

If that all cotton shirt idea actually works, look around your home for some old cloth diapers. Those things are 100 percent cotton. That way you don't have to ruin any t-shirts, and have some rags on your hands. Plus, old diapers wipe up wet plates during those games where the light rain isn't enough to rain out the games, but get the plate so wet and dirty your brush can't clean it!