Looking at clothes under a black light?

Question

When I go out, sometimes I am in a place where there are black lights (i.e. a bar or a nightclub). I look at some of my clothes under the black light, and I see some spots and blotch marks. Is there any way to get these marks out during a wash cycle so the clothes don't appear blotchy under a light? Or is it caused by something in the water like mineral buildup or something?

Answer 1

The usual cause for this are bacteria...also body fluids, so that stain by your fly will look seriously dodgy!

Answer 2

There are a lot of things that will glow under a black light and may be on your clothes, including residue from your detergent! Check the list below. You might try a different detergent or use the extra rinse cycle on your machine to see if that helps. Good luck!

Laundry Detergents
Some of the whiteners in detergent work by making your clothing a bit fluorescent. Even though clothing is rinsed after washing, residues on white clothing cause it to glow bluish-white under a black light. Blueing agents and softening agents often contain fluorescent dyes, too. The presence of these molecules sometimes causes white clothing to appear blue in photographs.

Club Soda or Tonic Water
The bitter flavoring of tonic water is due to the presence of quinine, which glows blue-white when placed under a black light.

Body Fluids
Many body fluids contain fluorescent molecules. Forensic scientists use ultraviolet lights at crime scenes to find blood, urine, or semen (all fluorescent).

Chlorophyll
Chlorophyll makes plants green, but it fluoresces a blood red color. Grind some spinach or swiss chard in a small amount of alcohol (e.g., vodka or everclear) and pour it through a coffee filter to get chlorophyll extract (you keep the part that stays on the filter, not the liquid). You can see the red glow using a black light or even a strong fluorescent bulb, such as an overhead projector lamp, which (you guessed it) gives off ultraviolet light.

Tooth Whiteners
Whiteners and some enamels contain compounds that glow blue to keep teeth from appearing yellow.

Answer 3

Blacklight Clothing

Answer 4

It can be mineral deposits, or more likely just lint from the washing cycle.

You can use tape to make sure that anything is picked off your clothes.

Answer 5

It could be lint. Try getting a lint brush and give your clothes a quick brush and see if that does the trick.

Answer 6

Pre-treat your item whre the spots are.

Answer 7

Semen glows under black light...














.