Finally, Here's How to Take Care of Your Vintage Linens

Grandma didn't bestow her vintage linens upon y'all to accept them tucked in a drawer, so we'll teach you how to use, clean and store them.

embroidered tablecloths — Photo: Shutterstock / CoolR

Grandma'southward the best, isn't she? She knows how to whip up a hateful batch of chocolate fleck cookies and gives yous great things similar jewelry from the 1940s and vintage linens.

Oh, those linens. Then dainty and beautiful, you're terrified to actually apply them. But Grandma didn't bestow her heirloom table linens upon you merely to have them tucked in a drawer. So we'll break down how to utilise, clean and store them.

How to Use Them

Use your linens sparingly

Certain, your linens are meant to be used, but that doesn't mean you lot should use them every single solar day. We recommend using your linens just for small, light dinners. You might be able to clean a fresh smear of chocolate fudge cake out of your tablecloth–we'll become to cleaning linens in a moment–but wine, coffee and tomato sauce stains are more probable to prepare in and ruin your linens for good.

Hosting a party? Hither'due south how to set your tabular array.

Iron only earlier y'all apply your linens

Grandma's linens may be old, just if they've been well-preserved, you lot can still iron them. Simply lay your linens on an ironing board, spritz them with water, and smooth the iron over your tablecloth or napkin. When should you lot should iron your linens? The jury's divide. Some experts believe ironing your linens immediately after you wash them will continue them looking crisp, simply the starch you use during ironing breaks down and can turn your linens yellow. Um, no thank y'all. Not but will ironing them right before a big dinner party go on them stain-complimentary, you lot too won't have to worry about those unsightly folds.

Ironing embroidered linens? To make your embroidery pop, lay a terrycloth towel on the lath and iron the reverse side.

How to Clean Them

Soak embroidered linens

Cleaning vintage linens poses a problem. You lot want to keep them every bit white as possible, but using harsh bleach and soap tin can damage the fibers. For a gentle yet constructive cleaning, soak your tablecloths, napkins and runners in warm water for xv minutes. Next, add some mild, phosphate-gratis soap to your water and swish your linens around. Thoroughly rinse, lay them out to air dry, and Grandma'south table linens will look better than they have in years.

Bleach your linens naturally

Nobody wants to put splotchy, stained napkins on their dining room table, simply submerging Grandma's napkins in bleach will do more than harm than good. Believe it or not, your kitchen has everything y'all need to brighten them. Start by rubbing lemon juice and salt on your linens and hang them exterior to air dry. In one case dry out, rinse them with warm, clean water and air dry one more time. Your linens won't look new new, simply they'll be whiter than earlier.

If all else fails, effort something shop-bought

Grandma's tablecloths are no match for your washing machine's rinse bicycle. If lather, h2o and lemon juice don't do the fob, do not—we repeat, do not—throw your linens in the laundry. Instead, pick upwards Engleside'due south Restoration fabric cleaner, which is known to gently remove former and new stains. For best results, Engleside recommends mixing three scoops of Restoration per gallon of water and submerging your linens for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove, wring out any leftover water and identify it in a new mix of Restoration and water for vi to eight hours. After you rinse out the solution and air dry out, you'll be left with fresh linens. Information technology's that like shooting fish in a barrel.

Know when to enlist in the professionals

We hate spending an ungodly amount of coin on dry-cleaning, but when it comes to those precious heirlooms, it's better to be safe than sorry. Before you submerge Granny's table runner in warm, soapy water, bank check the quality of the cloth. Some pieces might be so frail that hand-washing will but harm them. If yous spot holes or super weak areas, nosotros recommend sending them to your dry cleaner or consulting a fabric specialist.

How to Shop Them

Wrap and shop your linens with care

Want to laissez passer down Grandma'due south linens to your kids? Your kids' kids? You need to know how to properly store them first. For best results, discover a absurd, dry, well-ventilated space. To keep them from getting sun-damaged, nosotros recommend you pick a dark identify. Your mud room closet is a great case. Identify heavier linen table cloths and curtains on the bottom and lighter cocktail napkins and handkerchiefs on meridian. It'due south all-time to keep your linens flat, merely if they accept to be folded, pad your box with acrid-free tissue paper or muslin. Areas with crisp corners are prone to clothing and tear, and then padding them will brand those edges less astringent.

Don't store your linens in wood…

Grandma's equally former wooden dresser seems similar an appropriate place to shop her old tabular array material, correct? Not so fast. The acid in the forest fibers can actually seep out and stain your precious linens. Polypropylene plastic is besides a no-become because it emits gas and makes your linens viscid over time. Your all-time bet? Store your linens in an acrid-free box or lining a cardboard box with muslin.

…But if you have no other pick

Wooden cabinets, drawers and shelves are by no means the best place to shop your linens, but if you have no other pick, you can brand your oak or walnut work. Every bit a last resort, lining your drawers with acid-free tissue paper will protect your linens from wood's staining acids. For extra measure, wrap your linens in muslin or cotton before storing.

You used, cleaned and stored your heirloom linens. Now what? Check in on them every few months. Refolding and airing out your linens every season volition assistance relieve stress on folded corners and go along them looking their best.

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Source: https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/how-to-take-care-of-your-vintage-linens/