Linen Cleaning Can Be A Delicate Process

Linen cleaning is a delicate job, and no one really is an expert on how to handle it. Most people get their linen cleaned by professionals or just ruin them through misuse and neglect. Others don't even use it for fear of spoiling them. Therefore, it's a good idea to learn how to care for your linen.

The older linens, especially, can be damaged by many sources and once their fine materials are destroyed, they can be impossible to replace. It is important to learn to properly clean and care for your heirloom linens so that they are not destroyed by your neglect and others who inherit these from you can enjoy them too.

Old linens have an incomparable charm and beauty, and it would be a pity to keep them stored away. They lend a distinct character to the space. If you have inherited them, you would like to pass them on to your children in the same shape. So, it's necessary to make that extra effort to maintain and clean your old linens.

The first step in caring for quality linens is to keep a watchful eye out for dirt and the damage it can cause. If dirt is allowed to set in, it can literally dig into the fibers and cause irreversible damage. So, as soon as you spot some dirt, remove it by using a vacuum cleaner on the textile. You can consider placing a fiber glass screen over it to protect the fabric if it is exceptionally fragile.

Whatever you do, it is important that you never store away linen that you know has become soiled. You must clean the linen prior to storing it as this will keep insects from damaging it as they are prone to searching out food and grease and destroying fine linen in the process.

Cleaning itself can damage the linen by changing the strength, shape and color of the fabric. Cotton fabrics can be safely cleaned with water as it helps to keep down acid build-up and the fabric will ultimately become more flexible in the process. On the other hand, water can weaken fabrics made out of silk or wool thus these are more difficult to clean and keep dirt-free.

You want to use a mild soap when cleaning fine linen as harsh chemicals will almost certainly cause damage. Plus, in order to avoid learning that the colors bleed the hard way, try dabbing a few drops of water in some obscure place on the linen and allowing it to dry to see if fading occurs.

In all honesty, you probably want to avoid taking your fine linens to the dry cleaner. The high temperatures involved in the cleaning process can damage the fabric. Whatever you do, make sure to carefully clean and store your fine linens so that they can be enjoyed and treasured by future generations just as they have been enjoyed by you.