| How to Care for Vintage Fabric - 36 Tips | | | | on a line. We don't have all of the same cleaners as |
| Vintage fabric care is important. As fabric collectors | | | | Grandma; use proper substitutes.o Make sure your |
| know, the better the condition, the more valuable a | | | | chosen professional cleaner or dry cleaner is |
| vintage fabric. How fabric is stored, cared for, cleaned, | | | | experienced with old textiles. Ask a textile conservator, |
| and ironed will determine the value and usability over | | | | quilt shop, or art museum to recommend professional |
| time. | | | | cleaners.o Test a small piece for color-fastness |
| Yet many collectors end up sad and disappointed | | | | before cleaning the whole fabric.o Wear rubber gloves |
| after lovingly unfolding a cherished vintage quilting | | | | while handling fabric and chemicals.o Do not wash |
| cotton to discover irreversible mold spots, expensive | | | | vintage Fiberglass fabrics in the washing machine. Fine |
| silk that shatters with merely the touch of the hand, | | | | pieces of glass will be in your next load. Wear gloves |
| and feel emotionally crushed like the permanently | | | | when handling wet Fiberglass, hand wash, and lay flat |
| flattened nap of ironed wool. | | | | to dry.o Rust stains may come out with a paste of salt |
| Properly stored and cared for, the value of vintage | | | | and white vinegar.o Avoid the use of fabric softener |
| fabrics will go up over time and can be used for | | | | and fabric softener sheets. Both can leave residue |
| garments and quilting years from now. | | | | behind.o Don't use hairspray as a stain remover. |
| Store Vintage Fabrics Correctly to Protect Your | | | | Hairspray may stain, especially silk fabric.o Gently |
| Investment | | | | squeeze, not wring, water out. Blot dry with a towel |
| When vintage fabrics are stored correctly, it's similar to | | | | and lay flat to dry on a clean surface.o It's good |
| investing in a prime piece of real estate. It's all | | | | practice to professionally clean silk, rayon, and home |
| about...location, location, location. Pick a poor location | | | | decorating weight fabrics.o Handle wet vintage rayon |
| and money is lost in the long run. Vintage fabric stored | | | | fabric with care. Professional cleaning is advised.o |
| in a suitable location and in the correct ways protects | | | | Vintage and antique chintz fabrics may lose original |
| your investment.o Make sure fabrics are dust-free and | | | | glaze if washed. Professional cleaning is |
| clean before storing. Place nylons over a vacuum | | | | recommended. |
| nozzle and gently vacuum dust from fabric.o Store | | | | Iron In Haste And Your Vintage Fabrics Will Go To |
| fabrics at room temperature in a dark area such as a | | | | Waste |
| closet.o Do not store vintage fabrics in damp | | | | Iron incorrectly and a pristine vintage fabric may well |
| basements or hot attics.o 65 - 70 degrees is an ideal | | | | turn into your next limp and useless rag. Often times, |
| room temperature. Humidity should be about 82 | | | | ironing mistakes cause damage to fabric that is |
| percent.o Roll fabric instead of folding, to prevent | | | | irreversible. |
| stressed fibers at creases.o If fabrics are stored | | | | Carefully ironed, Retro polyester won't turn into a |
| folded, periodically refold to prevent dust settling in | | | | crunchy melted mess and unsightly shine marks won't |
| creases.o Drape unbleached 100% cotton over fabric | | | | mar valuable vintage rayon fabric. To maintain the |
| and hang on a padded hanger.o Do not store fabrics | | | | valuable original condition of all vintage fabrics, take the |
| against wood. Place unbleached muslin or acid tissue | | | | correct precautions when ironing.o Set iron to the |
| as a barrier between the fabric and wood to prevent | | | | correct temperature.o Clean your hands before |
| spots from oil in the wood.o Don't store fabric in tightly | | | | handling fabric.o Do not iron dirty or stained vintage |
| enclosed plastic boxes and bags. Fabric needs air | | | | fabrics. Stains may set permanently.o To avoid clogs, |
| circulation to prevent condensation and mold growth.o | | | | use distilled water in your iron.o To prevent iron scorch |
| Store vintage fabrics in acid-free boxes with acid-free | | | | marks use a well-padded ironing board.o Dry iron silk to |
| tissue placed between fabrics.o Use dried lavender | | | | prevent watermarks.o Iron linen slightly damp. Wrinkles |
| instead of mothballs to repel insects naturally, without | | | | smooth out easily.o Use caution when ironing with |
| chemicals. | | | | starch. Hot, scorched starch may transfer on to the |
| Clean Vintage Fabrics Like Grandma | | | | fabric.o Iron the backside of fabrics. Vintage fabrics |
| It's best to buy vintage fabrics in mint, unused condition. | | | | with dark backgrounds are prone to show iron marks.o |
| You'll avoid the hassle of washing, and the fabric is | | | | To restore chintz and polished cotton glaze, place wax |
| more valuable. However, sometimes a vintage fabric | | | | paper face down on the fabric and iron the non-wax |
| found with only a minor spot can be salvaged with | | | | side of the wax paper.o If vintage flannel fabric has |
| proper cleaning. | | | | pils, pick the largest pils off by hand, and iron nap flat.o |
| Take great care when cleaning vintage fabric. | | | | Steam wool. Do not iron.o Steam, do not iron velvet. |
| Chemicals in the cleaners on the grocery shelves | | | | Hang velvet fabric near a hot shower to steam out |
| today may not be compatible with the dyes that were | | | | wrinkles. Or, use the steam setting of an iron, steam |
| used to print vintage fabrics. Use the wrong cleaner | | | | the backside, and brush the velvet nap. At an even |
| and the dye may run in some vintage fabrics. | | | | pace, run steam up and down. Don't let the steam rest |
| To avoid faded and fabrics stripped of their color, | | | | in one spot for long.o Don't directly iron Retro fabrics |
| clean fabrics from Grandma's time as Grandma did. | | | | such as polyester. Place a pillowcase on the fabric, |
| She washed garments and fabrics by hand, and didn't | | | | and then iron. |
| use a dryer but instead laid textiles flat to dry or hung | | | | |