Where do these stains on my pants come from?

Mundane Pointless Stuff I Must Share (MPSIMS)
#1

Every pair of khakis I have ever owned has these stains, and it is starting to really tick me off. They are almost always located on the outside of the pant, near the bottom of the pocket. They are a dark gray color, and have a very sporadic pattern to them. The pair I have on right now has about 12-15 mini-stains, each one less than an inch long.

Washing doesn’t get rid of these babies. When I buy a fresh pair of pants, I actually check to make sure they are clean in this area, but they inevitably end up with the same “khaki circles” as the others.

Where do these mysterious stains come from? I have asked other guys about them, and they have noticed the same problem. Is there something larger at work here? Please help me.

#2

Whoever can resist the temptation to say “duh, it’s Rancid Yak Butter” is a better person than me.

It sounds like grease of some sort. Is your car seat belt dirty? Bottom of the pockets seems too low to be from you leaning against a counter. Is it from something inside the pockets and seeping through the fabric?

You need to examine your day and figure out what habitual thing is causing this. I read elsewhere for a similar problem, that you should pin a safety pin at the site of the stains. Then whenever you are doing whatever it is you do, you will feel the pin clicking against whatever dirty surface is causing the stain.

#3

I used to have a very similar problem. The culprit (when it was finally identified) was the left-side armrest of the driver’s seat in my car. The leatherette covering was wearing away, and as my leg tended to make contact with the armrest on occasion, I ended up with a brown residue in strange striped patterns on my trouser leg.

#4

I can resist that, but telling him that he growing up, and changes are happening in his body that are normal…well, I’m just not going to go there.

#5

Do you carry loose coins in your pocket at all?

#6

No loose coins. The only thing in my pocket are my keys.

#7

Interesting, except that I normally get the marks on both sides of my pants.

#8

You know full well where they come from! And stop doing that, you’ll go blind!

#9

I thought a kitten would be killed…

#10

There’s no any grease on them, or in your keyhole, is there? Also, try examining the insides of the pockets themselves. Any stains there?

#11

Does your keyboard sit on a platform connected to your desk that might be hitting your pants at that area? Or are you sitting at a desk that has a drawer that might be hitting you there?

#12

This has potential. I am a teacher, and do sit at my desk on occasion. I just tested it out, and the height of the desk would perfectly match the stains in question. Now I simply need to test the theory with a new pair of khakis.

Thanks!

#13

*Pardon me, do you…

oh, never mind.*