what is pollen composed of?
 

Or ... my daughter asked how she can get lily pollen out of a white
towelling dressing gown (don't ask!), as washing doesn't seem to
work....
but it doesn't really fit any of the categories I ca think of, except
that it's a biological stain....

any ideas?

--
Klara, Gatwick basin

"Klara" wrote in message
...

Or ... my daughter asked how she can get lily pollen out of a white
towelling dressing gown (don't ask!), as washing doesn't seem to
work....
but it doesn't really fit any of the categories I ca think of, except
that it's a biological stain....

According to my book...
"Pollen: microspores are mainly two layer, the intine inside which is
mostly cellulose and the outer exine layer which is very resistant to
disintegration, extreme heat and strong acids or bases have little effect
on it."
Maybe dye the dressing gown the same shade?


--

Chris Thomas
West Cork
Ireland

In message , Cerumen
writes

"Klara" wrote in message
...

Or ... my daughter asked how she can get lily pollen out of a white
towelling dressing gown (don't ask!), as washing doesn't seem to
work....
but it doesn't really fit any of the categories I ca think of, except
that it's a biological stain....

According to my book...
"Pollen: microspores are mainly two layer, the intine inside which is
mostly cellulose and the outer exine layer which is very resistant to
disintegration, extreme heat and strong acids or bases have little effect
on it."
Maybe dye the dressing gown the same shade?


Oops! Thanks for this, it explains a lot - I guess they are engineered
for survival. So, a pollen-yellow dressing gown it is, then!


--
Klara, Gatwick basin

In article , Klara
writes
In message , Cerumen
writes

"Klara" wrote in message
...

Or ... my daughter asked how she can get lily pollen out of a white
towelling dressing gown (don't ask!), as washing doesn't seem to
work....
but it doesn't really fit any of the categories I ca think of, except
that it's a biological stain....

According to my book...
"Pollen: microspores are mainly two layer, the intine inside which is
mostly cellulose and the outer exine layer which is very resistant to
disintegration, extreme heat and strong acids or bases have little effect
on it."
Maybe dye the dressing gown the same shade?


Oops! Thanks for this, it explains a lot - I guess they are engineered
for survival. So, a pollen-yellow dressing gown it is, then!

It's not the pollen per se, it's the particular dye that lily pollen
has. Lilies are known for their ability to stain anything in sight.

That said, it's a *white* *towelling* dressing gown - so has she tried
a) a boil wash b) bleach?

Though stand by on both of these in case someone comes up with a wizard
solution.


--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"

"Klara" wrote in message
...

Or ... my daughter asked how she can get lily pollen out of a white
towelling dressing gown (don't ask!), as washing doesn't seem to
work....
but it doesn't really fit any of the categories I ca think of, except
that it's a biological stain....

any ideas?

--
Klara, Gatwick basin

If the dressing gown is white then bleach will soon shift the stain

I am surprised it has not come out in a biological wash though as i too have
had similar brushes with lily pollen and they have washed out

"Kay" wrote
Klara writes
Cerumen writes
"Klara" wrote
Or ... my daughter asked how she can get lily pollen out of a white
towelling dressing gown (don't ask!), as washing doesn't seem to
work....
but it doesn't really fit any of the categories I ca think of, except
that it's a biological stain....

According to my book...
"Pollen: microspores are mainly two layer, the intine inside which is
mostly cellulose and the outer exine layer which is very resistant to
disintegration, extreme heat and strong acids or bases have little effect
on it."
Maybe dye the dressing gown the same shade?

Oops! Thanks for this, it explains a lot - I guess they are engineered
for survival. So, a pollen-yellow dressing gown it is, then!

It's not the pollen per se, it's the particular dye that lily pollen
has. Lilies are known for their ability to stain anything in sight.
a *white* *towelling* dressing gown - so has she tried
a) a boil wash b) bleach?
Though stand by on both of these in case someone comes up with a wizard
solution.
Kay

Good Old Google threw up the following:

I searched online and found some advice, which I followed, and it worked :
First I used sellotape to lift off all the pollen. It took quite a while to
really get off all the loose pollen, leaving just a yellow stain. On the web,
the advice I saw was to then hang the item in the sun to bleach the stain away.
However, this is England, so I decided not to wait for the sun!
Instead, I used a bar of stain removing soap (here in the UK, it's called
Vanish), lathering it up and rubbing on the stain, leaving for a while, then
rinsing and repeating. I did this three or four times until the stain had
noticeably faded quite a bit, then washed the coat in the washing machine as per
the label. The stain has completely gone
------------------------------------------------
Pollen stains can often be removed from washable fabrics by pretreating them
with an enzymatic detergent such as Era.
------------------------------------------------
If noticed too late, use a washday pre-treatment before laundering, and hang the
freshly washed clothing in bright sun for several hours, which usually bleaches
any remaining color.
------------------------------------------------
If you do happen to get the stuff brushed in or wet and the stain won't just
brush off, I've had good luck with Fantastik.
------------------------------------------------

Hope one of these solutions works !!
I had to repaint a piece of (white) wall once 'cos scrubbing would not remove
the stains !!
Jenny

In article ,
Klara wrote:

Or ... my daughter asked how she can get lily pollen out of a white
towelling dressing gown (don't ask!), as washing doesn't seem to
work....
but it doesn't really fit any of the categories I ca think of, except
that it's a biological stain....

any ideas?

As other people say, 'taint the pollen that taints. Pollen is largely
protein, so blood and similar stain removers might help (though it is
a VERY different class of proteins). But the colour is likely to be
similar to similar vegetable colours from the same family. Which is
not a huge help ....

As someone else has said, white towelling can usually take some pretty
rough treatment, so there is the option of using bleaches. In addition
to the common hypochlorite bleach, there are others, and there is also
ultraviolet light - but you will have to wait until summer for some of
that.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

In message , Nick Maclaren
writes
In article ,
Klara wrote:

Or ... my daughter asked how she can get lily pollen out of a white
towelling dressing gown (don't ask!), as washing doesn't seem to
work....
but it doesn't really fit any of the categories I ca think of, except
that it's a biological stain....

any ideas?

As other people say, 'taint the pollen that taints. Pollen is largely
protein, so blood and similar stain removers might help (though it is
a VERY different class of proteins). But the colour is likely to be
similar to similar vegetable colours from the same family. Which is
not a huge help ....

As someone else has said, white towelling can usually take some pretty
rough treatment, so there is the option of using bleaches. In addition
to the common hypochlorite bleach, there are others, and there is also
ultraviolet light - but you will have to wait until summer for some of
that.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.


Thank you, everyone!

I suppose I should have guessed that lily pollen would stain pretty
badly: after all, the colour in saffron goes a very long way.

It seems the disaster also involves a cream bedspread ... so we'll have
lots of chances to try all permutations of cures!

Maybe I should offer to fly with the washing to, say, Arizona, and
spread it on some large cacti! For a slight fee, of course?

--
Klara, Gatwick basin

On 26/12/04 16:34, in article ,
"Klara" wrote:
snip

I suppose I should have guessed that lily pollen would stain pretty
badly: after all, the colour in saffron goes a very long way.

It seems the disaster also involves a cream bedspread ... so we'll have
lots of chances to try all permutations of cures!

Maybe I should offer to fly with the washing to, say, Arizona, and
spread it on some large cacti! For a slight fee, of course?

If it's not already too late for the bedspread, blowing as much pololen away
as possible and then applying strips of sellotape to the stains helps a lot
to lift the pollen. I'm afraid that brushing makes it worse. ;-(
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

Kay wrote:

That said, it's a *white* *towelling* dressing gown - so has she tried
a) a boil wash b) bleach?

Though stand by on both of these in case someone comes up with a
wizard solution.

not a lot of help at this stage but..... heat is more likely to set the
proteins/bond them to the fibres of the cotton. I'd have suggested a COLD
soak and wash as the first atempt

but then again a quick google gave me:

Pollen Stains. If lily pollen (the golden or reddish “dust” on the anthers
of each bloom) gets on your clothing, let it “dry,” then carefully brush it
away with a dry, soft brush or facial tissue. Or gently dab pieces of
adhesive tape on the fabric until the pollen is gone. Do not brush the
pollen away with your hands (oils from your skin will set the stain), and do
not use water or a wet cloth (this will spread and set the stain). If some
pollen still remains, place the item in direct sunlight for a couple of
hours; the stain should disappear. Pollen stains can often be removed from
washable fabrics with an enzymatic detergent such as Era.

and

My daughter and I were arranging flowers when the pollen from a Stargazer
lily dropped onto her new cotton dress. How can I get the stain out?
--Emma Eschricht, Greenwich, CT

When something like this happens, gently shake the garment ASAP to remove
as much of the pollen as you can. Then use a piece of tape or a small hand
vacuum to lift off any remaining particles. (Do not try to brush or rub the
pollen off; you may push it into the fibers.) Many plant stains also come
out with washing. First, spray on a powder spot-remover, then wash with
bleach or oxygen bleach, depending on the fabric. If you are planning to
decorate your holiday table with a floral centerpiece, you can protect your
tablecloth by shaking flowers over the sink or trash can before arranging.



pk

In message , Sacha
writes
On 26/12/04 16:34, in article ,
"Klara" wrote:
snip

I suppose I should have guessed that lily pollen would stain pretty
badly: after all, the colour in saffron goes a very long way.

It seems the disaster also involves a cream bedspread ... so we'll have
lots of chances to try all permutations of cures!

Maybe I should offer to fly with the washing to, say, Arizona, and
spread it on some large cacti! For a slight fee, of course?

If it's not already too late for the bedspread, blowing as much pololen away
as possible and then applying strips of sellotape to the stains helps a lot
to lift the pollen. I'm afraid that brushing makes it worse. ;-(

Thanks, but - if only.... Unfortunately, my daughter only consulted me
when she had already washed everything and discovered that it wasn't
going to be as simple as that :-(

So it has to be plan B and, putting everything together, biological
wash, followed by washing with bleach, followed by boiling, followed, if
everything else fails, by dyeing everything yellow....


--
Klara, Gatwick basin

In article , Klara
writes

Thanks, but - if only.... Unfortunately, my daughter only consulted me
when she had already washed everything and discovered that it wasn't
going to be as simple as that :-(

So it has to be plan B and, putting everything together, biological
wash, followed by washing with bleach, followed by boiling, followed, if
everything else fails, by dyeing everything yellow....

You have passed this stage now, but Joan says pollen stains can be
either removed or reduced by soaking the material in plain cold water
for 12-24 hours, then thoroughly rinsing and repeating if necessary.
This should be done before carrying out any other washing process,
which she says will 'cook' the colour in. She does the same with
bloodstains, grass and other plant stains etc.
--
Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs.

"Klara" wrote in message
...
In message , Sacha
writes
On 26/12/04 16:34, in article
,
"Klara" wrote:
snip

I suppose I should have guessed that lily pollen would stain
pretty
badly: after all, the colour in saffron goes a very long way.

It seems the disaster also involves a cream bedspread ... so
we'll have
lots of chances to try all permutations of cures!

Maybe I should offer to fly with the washing to, say, Arizona,
and
spread it on some large cacti! For a slight fee, of course?

If it's not already too late for the bedspread, blowing as much
pololen away
as possible and then applying strips of sellotape to the stains
helps a lot
to lift the pollen. I'm afraid that brushing makes it worse. ;-(

Thanks, but - if only.... Unfortunately, my daughter only consulted
me
when she had already washed everything and discovered that it wasn't
going to be as simple as that :-(

So it has to be plan B and, putting everything together, biological
wash, followed by washing with bleach, followed by boiling,
followed, if
everything else fails, by dyeing everything yellow....

Let us know if plan B works.

Franz

In message , Franz Heymann
writes
Thanks, but - if only.... Unfortunately, my daughter only consulted
me
when she had already washed everything and discovered that it wasn't
going to be as simple as that :-(

So it has to be plan B and, putting everything together, biological
wash, followed by washing with bleach, followed by boiling,
followed, if
everything else fails, by dyeing everything yellow....

Let us know if plan B works.

Franz

I certainly will.

I did malign her though - it has so far only been rinsed cold, so no
baking in. We progress to step 2: soak...

Klara
--
Klara, Gatwick basin

The message
from Kay contains these words:

It's not the pollen per se, it's the particular dye that lily pollen
has. Lilies are known for their ability to stain anything in sight.

The best way I've found to deal with lily pollen on clothes is not to touch
it before lifting it off with Sellotape. Sellotape can lift most if not all
of it out but if you try to brush it off, it sticks.

Sally H