My son’s Cub Scout troop spent the weekend camping inside Eagle Cave in Blue River, Wisconsin. We were warned not to let him wear anything that we cared about, because the cave clay is supposed to be difficult to get out of clothing. Well…
This photo doesn’t even include his sleeping bag, sneakers, or the rest of the clothes he wore over the past three days. I don’t think I’ve ever done loads of laundry this dirty before..! I’ll have to let you know how it turns out :) Our packmaster advised us to hit the Goodwill store before the trip and look for an inexpensive jacket so that the boys wouldn’t ruin their regular coats. We stopped in last week and picked this one up, and it was actually in quite good condition when we bought it. Upon returning home today though, my husband looked at the coat’s current state and said “That was the best $2.99 we ever spent.”
While you’re waiting for Deals of the Week (and while I’m doing laundry all day,) you might enjoy seeing how he got so dirty. He and the other scouts had a blast! (And yes, they did camp and sleep inside the cave too.)
hwendt12 says
A small price to pay-looks like some AMAZING memories to me!!! :)
Good luck with the stain removal!
Sewbiz13 says
Jill,
It is amazing what a bar of Ivory soap can do with stains. I have wet a bar and rubbed it good on a stain and let it sit and the stain was gone. Lots of elbow grease but it works wonders.
My son was in scouts and they took many great trips, especially the one he went on to Yellowstone. They learn a lot of things that help them in the future and make lots of good friends.
Barbara
leetleone says
Let us know how it works, my son will be going to the caves in March and I will stock up :) Great pictures it looks like they had fun!
juds2323 says
I tried the stain release when it first came out (the little tab ones you through in with your wash). It reacted with the deoderant I use and all my white t-shirt developed “pit stain” that I never had before. I wish you luck. Maybe you’ll have better luck than I did!
Judi
winehappy says
My son, who just became an Eagle Scout, is going to Eagle Cave next weekend : ) He’s been there several times over the years and I’ve never had trouble getting the clothes clean… I do use Tide regularly…and sometimes it take a couple of times through the cycle.
The shoes/boots are the harder part to clean!
ludwig says
Jill that is awesome that your son was there. Just brought back very good memories from my boy scout years. I spent many of nights in that cave almost 2 weeks over my years in scouts great times and good memories. Even spent a week out there in the summer but no cave sleeping at that time. Keep your son going many more exciting adventures to come. It’s hard to believe it was 26 years ago that my spent my first night in that cave. thanks for the memories a fellow eagle scout tom
redfrecklemom says
LOVE, love, love cave camping!! Our Cub Scouts go to either Marengo caves or Blue Springs caverns in so. Indiana….. and have come home just as dirty!
Good luck with getting all that out!
Check out Mike Rowe’s take on Scouts and Dirt:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9kyaC9q2WY
LOL!!
Coupon Maven says
Well, the laundry’s clean! I’m impressed. Not a stain in the bunch, and the coat cleaned up so well that it can go back in the closet for the next cave-camping expedition… perhaps in a couple of years when my youngest is old enough for Cub Scouts :)
Rainy Day Mom says
Have No FEAR! It will all actually wash out quite easily. My son and husband were there with the Scouts last December and I had No problems getting it clean. Since I too followed the advice of Goodwill shopping, We ended up with some new “old” clothes.
crazy4s651 says
I LOVE Eagle Cave….camped there as a Girl Scout 33 yrs ago!!! 600 boy/cub scouts and 14 girls!!! only 6 of the girls from our Troop actually slept in the cave, but we all went spelunking!!!! cannot wait til my kiddo has a chance to go there….