Antique Textiles Cleaning and Care
General
Washing
Ironing
Storage
Stain removal
Most of the textiles for sale on this website date from the late Nineteenth into
the early Twentieth century. Some will have been lovingly stored and passed down
through the generations, others will have seen more regular use. Some are quite
delicate with intricate hand worked decoration others are much more robust.
Consequently the laundering will vary according to the piece you purchase. There
are numerous excellent sites on the internet with detailed information on how to
preserve antique textiles. This page is only intended to give some general hints
which I hope will help you to both use and enjoy your purchase for many years.
As a general rule it is always better to hand wash most vintage linens, more
robust items can be machine washed but this should be done with great care, on a
gentle cycle and at a low spin speed. For most items a pre-soak in a gentle
detergent followed by a hand wash will usually be sufficient to clean the item.
Always rinse very well. For best results the item should be drip-dried, or flat over an airer (on top of a clean towel) or
preferably dried on an outside washing line. (Small marks on whites will usually disappear if they are
hung out to dry on a sunny day.)
Ironing of vintage textiles can take a little time but the end result is
always very rewarding. Best results are achieved using a well padded ironing board, a spotlessly clean iron (a steam iron is fine)
and a little patience. For more intricate items place a clean cloth over the top
to prevent the iron snagging. Most textiles, especially linens, will benefit from being ironed while still
slightly damp. Embroidered pieces should be ironed on the wrong side over a soft cloth,
this will keep the embroidered design proud of the fabric. For more stubborn items a water spray such as those used to mist plants can be helpful.
The use of starch is a personal decision but a light misting during ironing can help remove more stubborn creases.
All textiles should be completely dry before storing - this will help prevent mildew and wrinkling!
If an item is to be stored for some time then wrap or preferably roll in acid free tissue paper. (Do not starch the item).
For items in more regular use try to fold differently each time you iron to minimise stress on specific areas.
It is advisable not to store in plastic bags for extended periods of time, textiles need to breathe
Stains should be removed when they are fresh.
However, with vintage textiles it is necessary to bear in mind that the removal of a stain particularly an old one may cause too much stress to the fibres and result in a small hole.
It is therefore sometimes better to live with a slight discolouration than a damaged textile.
If you do decide to tackle a stain using a commercial preparation then follow the instructions carefully.
As in washing several short gentle applications is the best way to proceed and the textile should be thoroughly rinsed between each application.
Avoid using chlorine based bleaches.
If you are unsure then I recommend contacting a professional conservator.
These hints will hopefully give some general guidelines.
Each textile is slightly different to the last one and therefore needs to be assessed and treated accordingly.
However, most pieces are quite robust and with thoughtful care will last for many more generations to come.
Listed below are some other items we currently have in stock.
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