Q&A

By Robert Doyle

I've collected many lovely antique clothing items at second-hand shops, vintage clothing sales and from family members. I'm nervous about washing them. Can you give me advice?
J. Killan,
MA

Washing vintage clothes isn't difficult if a little care is taken. First, inspect the garment. Mend any rips and tears, and then remove stains. Wash the fabric gently by hand; do not dry clean. Review Cleansers before you begin.

Linen

Linen is often silky to the touch after generations of washing. Old linen, especially handkerchief quality, can be mistaken for cotton. To differentiate linen from cotton, lay a piece of linen on the back of your hand–it should feel cool and damp to the touch. Cotton, placed in the same location, feels warm and dry.

Wash white linen in lukewarm water with cold-water soap and a few drops of household ammonia (see Cleansers). Follow this wash with a good soaking in hot water, liquid soap and a small amount of chlorine- or oxy-bleach to brighten whites.

Remove rust stains, which are the result of iron minerals in water, with lemon juice and salt. Sprinkle the salt and lemon juice over the dampened rust stain, suspend the garment stained area over a glass bowl, and then pour boiling water slowly through the stain from a height of 12". Repeat until the stain is removed. Or use a product, such as Oxyclean, to remove stains. Check the product label to determine if the product is color-safe or not. Test in an inconspicuous area before performing any stain-removal technique.

Soak colored linens and cottons in warm water and a cup of salt to fix the dye. Rinse out the salt solution, and then wash the garment in warm water and liquid laundry soap. Rinse the garment several times, and then soak it in a bath of white vinegar (see Cleansers). Wash heavily dyed garments separately in case the dye runs.

...Silk

From the February 2007 issue of Sew News magazine.