Keep Garments Clean ~ Never store soiled textiles. This may seem obvious, but it cannot be stressed enough. Dust, dirt, and stains can harm textile fibers. Have the garment cleaned as soon as it becomes soiled. Stains that are allowed to set-in can cause permanent discoloration. Dry cleaning should be done as little as possible since the process involves the use of chemicals. The location and source of all stains should be pointed out to your professional cleaner whenever possible; also, request that the item be put through fresh cleaning solution. If the garment is washable, it is safest to do it by hand (see following section). Use only a neutral detergent that does not contain brighteners, softeners, fragrance, or bleach. Orvus W A Paste is recommended.

Washing and Whitening Antique Textiles ~ The utmost care must be taken when washing old and delicate textiles. First, all trim that is not washable must be removed. Use basting stitches to identify original locations. All fastenings should be unhooked or unbuttoned. Replace any rusted hooks and eyes, and baste a strip of muslin over them to lessen the chance of their catching in the wash. Next, vacuum the textile to remove any dust. This should be done on a clean, flat surface. Place a piece of nylon or fiberglass screen with bound edges over the piece and gently vacuum using low suction. Very fragile pieces will need to be supported by screening when immersed in the water. A large basin, sink or bathtub made of glass, inert plastic or porcelain is fine for washing. Avoid washing too many pieces at once. One at a time is best because each textile should lie as flat as possible. Place the textile with or without a supporting screen into the basin, and add water (room temperature) until the textile is well submerged. Let the piece soak for one hour, changing the water if it becomes dirty. Prepare a solution of Orvus W A Paste, using ˝ ounce of Orvus to each gallon of warm water (about 85 degrees). Let the textile soak for one hour. Rinse several times with warm water until no suds appear in the rinse water. Repeat the washing if necessary. Plain white fabrics that have yellowed can be whitened with sodium perborate. Make a solution of 2 tablespoons completely dissolved in a gallon of lukewarm water. Change the water after 10 minutes and continue to change often as long as dark color comes from the fabric. If the fabric is not fragile, you can soak the piece overnight or even over several days. Rinse very thoroughly as any residue may scorch when the piece is ironed. If the fabric is very delicate, it may be lifted out of the water on the screen and allowed to drip dry while still flat on the screen. If the item is in good shape and not terribly fragile or damaged, gently squeeze the excess water from the textile; do not twist or wring the textile. The textile may then be loosely rolled in a clean white towel in order for more of the water to be absorbed. Work the textile into shape and lay flat to air dry. Once the item is completely dry, it may be prepared for storage; never store damp textiles. It is not necessary to iron textiles before storing, in fact, in some cases it is preferable not to iron. Ironing may create sharp creases, which will be more susceptible to weakening and damage.

Washing Lace ~ Lace should be carefully handled and washed by the same methods used for other textiles. While the lace is still damp, with the thumbs and first fingers of both hands, gently work the lace into shape. Do not iron damp lace before it is worked into shape because it will contract under the heat of the iron and lose its lacy quality.

Washing Embroidery ~ Embroidery contracts when it is wet; before washing, measure one piece of a set to know how to shape it before ironing. After you have rinsed and rolled in toweling, with both hands gently pull and shape the material as near to size as possible. Pinning the corners of a doily or napkin to the ironing board is helpful. To press the embroidery, pad the ironing board and cover tightly with sheeting. Place the embroidery face down on the padding, making sure all the corners are square. Place the iron on one area at a time and press firmly.

Storing Heirloom Textiles ~ Remove linens, quilts, and other valuable pieces from unsealed wood chests, such as cedar chests and cardboard boxes. These are acidic containers that can cause discoloration and fabric weakness. Instead, use acid-free boxes or inert plastic storage units that are not airtight. Use acid free white tissue to wrap, pad folds, and separate pieces that are stacked. Never use a colored tissue because it can leave a permanent stain if it becomes wet. Padding folds is very important because the folds are stress points along which fibers can break. Padding with acid free tissue helps to eliminate creases and enables the textile to maintain its shape. Hat textiles can also be rolled which eliminates the need for folds entirely. Interleave the rolled textile with acid free tissue. Buffered tissue is best for cotton and linen textiles because it helps protect against acid migration.

Storing Accessories ~ Since most accessories contact light sensitive dyes, they should be stored in dark areas whenever possible. Shoes should be padded with unbuffered acid free tissue to retain their original shape. Arrange shoes side by side, never stack them. Hats need full support. If you do not have a form, use crumpled, unbuffered acid free tissue so they maintain their shape. Most gloves can be placed flat on sheets of acid free tissue. If gloves are damaged, roll pieces of acid free tissue into thin tubes and insert them into the fingers for better support.

Article from Sew Beautiful magazine, Summer 1997 issue