Want help getting rid of a gray stain on my sweater

Ive noticed this stain a while ago and throwing my sweater in the wash does nothing to get rid of it. I dont know if theres any way to clean it off and to be honest I dont know what it could be? I though maybe I got some pencil lead rubbed off on it or maybe even some soot from cooking with an old pot that had soot on the sides. I considered trying to bleach that spot but that thought only lasted about a minute before realizing that using bleach on acrylic yarn I got from Walmart probably wasnt a good idea. Is there any other way to get rid of it? Would baking soda help or would that do nothing/harm the piece? Could I maybe get rid of it by just handwashing it and rubbing it a lot with some soap? I just think its really distracting and not only do I really like this sweater but its the first sweater Ive ever made so I want to keep it in a good shape for as long as I can.

kamoopsipooh

Have you tried soaking in hot water and OxiClean?  If its acrylic, it should handle fine.  

Soak in OxiClean overnight or 24 hours, and put it in a wash cycle.  If its not gone, soak again.  Whatever you do, do NOT put it in the dryer.

stitchyman

Without knowing what the stain is, its hard to say what to do.  I would rub it with a bar of soap to start with and then rinse by hand, before resorting to the washing machine.  It could just be dust, if you have brushed against something that is out of sight for most of the time.  Just had another thought, you havent brushed against a dirty car have you?

pitussa

I am so sorry this happened to you, knits are so delicate! You cant use bleach!
Honestly this looks like color transfer in the wash cycle, this happens to me all the time in my white clothes (but I wash my knits separately).

Best of luck!

kamoopsipooh

                               
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kamoopsipooh

                               
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2024-1-25 10:24
Have you tried soaking in hot water and OxiClean?  If its acrylic, it should handle fine.  

Soak i ...

Let me know if it works or not.  It should come out, though.  Acrylic doesnt really keep stains like natural fibers.

quirkyquokkas

try hot water first and then vinegar and hot water after again.

tooty

I like OxyClean but I also have used dish soap! Like, Dawn blue dish soap. You squirt some on the stain and lightly rub with your finger and a bit of water to suds it up. Let it soak for at least a few minutes, or up to an hour or two. Its acrylic, so I dont think it will give up any dye. Then, turn the sweater over onto a paper towel and press it into the towel. Rinse, take a look, and repeat as many times as needed.

Although, if you ever want to do this on something thats NOT acrylic, dont let it sit as long because it can strip the dye from the fabric.

toomuchreading

Im curious if anything suggested, like the vinegar, dawn dish soap, or Oxyclean have worked.  Im thinking the Oxyclean will work, but Im worried since you have said that you have washed it several times already.  Usually that sets a stain and its almost impossible to get out after that, although Oxyclean has been known to sometime work miracles.  Since the item is acrylic, you could even try a spray on stain remover.  If after all this doesnt work I would suggest doing some duplicate stitch embroidery do disguise the spot.