# "Ring around the collar!" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 12, 2008, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ring-around-the-collar/437275 "2008-02-12T13:27:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2008, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ring-around-the-collar/437275/1 "2008-02-12T13:27:43Z")
I get up in the morning. I take a shower. I wash my neck, among other things. I put on a white dress shirt with a tie. I get home at the end of the day and the collar is dirty, just like in the Wisk commercials. Where does that dirt come from? I started out with a clean neck. I work in an office, not a construction site. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2008, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ring-around-the-collar/437275/2 "2008-02-12T14:40:29Z")
It’s probably body oils. ---
**Author:** ![Flander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8c91f0/32.png) [@Flander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flander)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2008, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ring-around-the-collar/437275/3 "2008-02-12T14:56:09Z")
I hate that stuff too! Is there a good way to prevent that? ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2008, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ring-around-the-collar/437275/4 "2008-02-12T15:00:41Z")
[QUOTE=Flander] I hate that stuff too! Is there a good way to prevent that? [/QUOTE] [Absolutely.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guillotine) Sailboat ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2008, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ring-around-the-collar/437275/5 "2008-02-12T21:18:11Z")
[QUOTE=Sailboat] [Absolutely.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guillotine) Sailboat [/QUOTE] ROFL πŸ˜ƒ ---
**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2008, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ring-around-the-collar/437275/6 "2008-02-12T21:31:46Z")
And on that grisly note, the key to getting out blood stains is to use cold water; hot water will set the blood in permanently. πŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![Flander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8c91f0/32.png) [@Flander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flander)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2008, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ring-around-the-collar/437275/7 "2008-02-12T21:51:48Z")
[QUOTE=Sailboat] [Absolutely.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guillotine) Sailboat [/QUOTE] β€œ_Apply directly to the…_” The next time I have to wear a suit and tie, I’m placing the tie on the _inside_ of my collar! πŸ†’ ---
**Author:** ![JR\_Brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d6d6ee/32.png) [@JR\_Brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JR_Brown)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2008, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ring-around-the-collar/437275/8 "2008-02-12T22:07:00Z")
[QUOTE=Flander] The next time I have to wear a suit and tie, I’m placing the tie on the _inside_ of my collar! πŸ†’ [/QUOTE] Which is, incidentally, how they were [originally worn](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_155.html). JRB ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2008, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ring-around-the-collar/437275/9 "2008-02-12T23:22:01Z")
[QUOTE=JR Brown] Which is, incidentally, how they were [originally worn](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_155.html). JRB [/QUOTE] At some point in collar-and-tie history, collars were stiff, detachable things, and were easier to wash. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2008, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ring-around-the-collar/437275/10 "2008-02-13T03:10:46Z")
[QUOTE=CookingWithGas] I get up in the morning. I take a shower. I wash my neck, among other things. I put on a white dress shirt with a tie. I get home at the end of the day and the collar is dirty, just like in the Wisk commercials. Where does that dirt come from? I started out with a clean neck. I work in an office, not a construction site. [/QUOTE] But you work in a city or town, right? With cars and industry and all? Some of the grit in the air gets caught in the sweat and sebum on your neck, and gets picked up by the material of the collar as it rubs up and down the skin of your neck. Similarly for the ring around your cuffs.