Here are some tips and guidelines for the care of Antique and Vintage Linens.

Linen tips and guidelines

• Linens should be washed in warm water with a gentle detergent and a final cold rinse. Bleach may be used to brightens the linens but only on newer fabrics.
• Antique linens: use very sparingly & soak. Depending on the age say over 80 years wash by hand.  If threadbare I would let it air out and wash by hand in mild soap. Do not let it soak for too long.  Antique fabrics if over 100 years are deteriorating every day unless they are stored and cleaned properly.  I have several antique lace and filet lace pieces that would not be washed. I will leave that to the experts.
• Soaking whites an hour in detergent & a bit of bleach will help remove stains and then a gentle wash. Repeated washing sometimes helps lighten stubborn stains with gentle agitation. I have found BIZ and Oxyclean to be effective when the linens are soaked for a few hours.  Make sure the detergent is fully disolved for the best results.
• A 1/5 mix of Fibergard Javex with water and dab with a Qtip on tiny spots sometimes helps.
• Whink is a new find for me. It actually takes out most 'rust' spots. In the USA only.
• Careful! Stain removers and rubbing could destroy your vintage linens. Antique fabrics such as lace should Not be washed. It will speed up deterioration. Soak, no agitation.
• Embroidered Tablecloths and crocheted linens need extra gentle care. Launder on gentle cycle only or hand wash. Gentleness will maintain the delicate embroidery stitches. Iron by pressing or gently stretch the damp fabric for a smooth finish. Crocheted Lace Doilies; lay flat to dry. No softener.
• Fabric softeners are not recommended. They decrease absorbency and make the fabric limp.  I find the linens come out feeling almost as if it were starched by Not using a softener and ironing when damp.
• Linen fragrant sprays are available in some stores to add a delicate fresh scent.
• Remove linens promptly from the wash, and gently shake out to help minimize wrinkles before hanging or ironing. No time to iron? Fold them and put them in a plastic bag and store in the refrigerator until you have time. This prevents mold.  Don't forget them!
• Iron when damp to get a good crisp pressing. A dryer sets wrinkles and makes it more difficult to get them out. Gently press the damp fabric as you iron. Avoid pulling to stretch it.
• Do not starch if you intend to store your linens. Moths love the starch!
• When storing linens for a long period of time occasionally refold them different ways as not to break down the fibers on the folds or roll them around a hollow cardboard cylinder.
• Lay Acid free tissue between linens to keep them dry.  Also vibrant colored embroidery such as Hungarian embroidery should have tissue between the layers.  I have found that many times the colors are not colorfast and bleed into other fabrics. 
• Colorfast embroidery threads.  Antique and vintage embroidery is not always colorfast.  Unfortunately, I lost an old silk handkerchief embroidered "From Daddie" by giving it a quick wash only to ruin it when the colors ran.
• Don't disregard old fabrics just because they have holes or tears.  Some tapestries and fabrics are very collectible whether they have holes or not. So check eBay first!

I hope some of these tips will help you care for your vintage collectible linens. 

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