Although we don't often talk about clothing around these parts, this quick tip could be an eye opener for those folks who seem to acquire small holes at the bottom hem of your shirts. What does do they have to do with the kitchen? You've probably assumed it was bugs or your washer that had been causing them. Think again, the culprit could really be your kitchen counter!
Over at Delicious Days there's been some serious discussion about small holes appearing in clothing. They always seem to appear at the bottom and would look as though a moth had made it's way into your dresser drawer, or even a snag from the washing machine.
Instead, they've discovered that the true culprit is a combination of your kitchen counter and the button from your pants. When you're not wearing an apron or your shirt isn't tucked in, this is an easy place for wear and tear to occur. Is this a problem you've had in the past? Share your thoughts below!
• Read More: Tiny holes in your favorite shirts? Kitchen mystery solved! at Delicious Days
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OMG!!! Mystery solved!
Need to buy an apron.
This happens to me! And I had no clue why. Wow, mystery solved.
Yes, this happened to me with 2 of my thinnest fabric t-shirts! I caught it as it happened on the 2nd one - I was leaning against my peninsula counter reaching while I worked. Learned my lesson, I'm more careful about that now.
now I just need to buy an apron :)
I always thought it was from my dog...lesson learned :)
Yeah. This happened to me a lot in my last biology lab (a slate lab bench has the same effect as a kitchen counter). I always got holes in the same place when I didn't wear a lab coat. It must be really specific to the placement of your button and the counter, though, because I never get holes in my shirts in my new lab.
I thought it was the cats! OMG! THANK YOU! I have been running through tee shirts like water over the last year - starting right around when I began cooking more frequently.
THAT'S WHERE THEY COME FROM!!! I believe a new apron and istallation of an apron hook is in order.
Oh my gosh, I have been wondering, too! Crazy!!!
Always! I always get holes in that area first and always in all my favorite shirts...clearly because I wear them the most. I'll be throwing the apron on or tucking my shirt in from now on. Thank you!!
I thought it was my cat too!
Oops.
I always thought it was from tiny splashes of bleach when I'm washing my whites.
i get these in all my shirts, but in my case i think it's more because i work in a lab and the lab bench is at exactly that height (and the chemicals and such that are on the bench probably speed up the process)
I JUST figured out that this was why I had holes towards the bottom of about 5 shirts!! I thought I had moths at first! Crazy. Apron time for me too.
I thought I was the only one!
aha! I thought I was catching my favorite shirt in my pants zipper! Glad to have that cleared up!
Add me to the "I thought it was my cat!" camp.
I literally think every shirt I currently own has a bunch of little holes in it! Very frustrating, I just threw 2 away yesterday! I thought it was from my seatbelt or carrying my son.
Ha! I thought it was some cleaning product?! Thanks!
Belt buckles on against the counter can also cause this. Took me about 2 years to finally figure it out.
Funny it has never been a problem for me. But then at 6' tall...I don't have shirts that reach the counters...or the truth? I wear the grubbiest of all clothes to cook in anyhow...so I can wipe my hands on them and not worry I'll mess up something good. So maybe no holes but they're made up for with fabulous butter stains and flour handprints!
OMG I've been wondering about that for the longest time!!! Thank you!
wow. thanks for solving the mystery. ALL of my shirts has a small hole and I just can't figure out what I do to make them. They have been driving CRAZY until at this moment. Oh I am so happy.
holy macaroni....mind, blown....brains, all over the floor...
i've been noticing these holes for YEARS and had no idea what it could be. kind of assumed it was the washer, but didn't know why it was only on the front of the shirts. thought i was a total freak for a long time, until a friend and i connected over it, learning we both had the same weird problem. i'll have to share this revelation with her!
Am I the only one with too much of a belly for this to happen? Lol... I get teeny holes in my shirts in weird places. Like the upper arm. Or the side. Or the back. Explain THAT, theKitchn! Lol...
Wow never thought of that! I always wondered why those tiny holes are always on the front and not the back of my shirts.
We call them "retail holes" around here. Every shirt I own has them at the waist. 10 years of working at a counter for 8 hours a day there's just no good way to avoid it!
I always figured it was the button on my pants. However, I'm too short for it to possibly be my kitchen counter.
Man! I've been wondering for years what that was from!! Totally makes sense now - I need to start wearing my apron more often!
I just love posts like this - a collective light bulb over our heads just switched on!
Hahaha! A triumph for my strategy of wearing comfy clothes (usually something like yoga pants and no bra and a tee). No holes in my shirts!
Aha!
Brilliant! I always wondered...
Oh wow! I had no idea and never would have guessed this was the culprit! It is hilarious reading these comments...we all thought we were alone in our holey shirt woes. Thanks for such a great tip!!
Also- was taking a blog break from making pizza when I read this....I looked down to find 2 of the holes in question in the shirt I'm wearing!!
This has been happening to me for years, so thanks for the answer! I need to get an apron, preferably waterproof.
Wow! I have been noticing this lately in all my new shirts and it has been driving me nuts. I was thinking it must be cheaper quality being used to make them. It recently dawned on me that it could be the button on my pants contributing--but I have been in the kitchen a lot more lately so that too makes sense.
HA! Thought it was the cheap washer in my apartment. I wondered why they were all in the same place. Thank goodness I know this now!
OMG!! This used to happen to me all of the time before I started wearing an apron to wash dishes. Thank you for showing me that I WASN'T crazy all these years! =)
I still think it's the zip of jeans or trousers, in the washing machine (and tumble dryer), to make that small holes...
This has been happening to me for years. I had guessed that it had to do with the button on my pants rubbing my shirt when I lean on things. It's nice to know I'm not alone!
Yes - this has happened on several "slub" cotton t-shirts and I finally figured it must be the button/counter combo.
I figured it out after I injured my back and my physical therapist instructed me to stop leaning on things. The holes stopped immediately. =)
Oh my gosh, you have no idea the perfection of this timing. I have been struggling with this FOR SO LONG!! EVERY SINGLE ONE of my shirts get small holes in them in the exact spot you're talking about! First I thought: "Stop buying cheap quality shirts". Then the more expensive shirts got holes too! I was convinced it was the washer but then shirts I hand washed got them too!
Definitely gonna pull out the apron more often now!
Hahah I always thought i was clumsily catching my tshirts in my jeans zippers or some other nonsense. It all makes sense now. Wear my apron ALL the time - noted.
I could be your belt, too. The "tine" pokes through thinner cloth pretty easily.
Yup, thought it was my dog this WHOLE TIME.
My holes are from my belt.
I work in retail and the counter there rubbing on my button or belts has done this for years. I always tuck in!
Mystery solved!! I thought it was just me! I told a salesgirl at Nordstrom's about it and she said to wear a tank top under your shirt. Now that I read this, I bet she's a cook too!
OMG, I threw away nearly half of my tops because of all those mystery holes!! My mom's friend mentioned the othe day that it could be from the kitchen counter and didn't take it seriously! I'm so not forgetting to put on my apron anymore!