How to Clean Vintage Linens w a High Efficiency Washer

I bought a huge lot of really nice vintage tablecloths recently. They were advertised as still in the original dry cleaner bags. Which they are, but not as nice as I had hoped. Many of them need to be washed and freshened (most are all cotton).

My High Efficiency Washer does a great cleaning job, but at the end of the spin cycle, all the contents are twisted up beyond belief. For regular clothing, that's OK. I don't like the idea much for vintage TCs. Should I use the Gentle Cycle? Soak Cycle? Right now, I'm out of OxiClean so I need to get some. Which brings up another issue, in a HE washer it's hard to get really hot water.

What do you all do? I can manage the all cotton damask cloths, it's the lacey open work ones I'm concerned with. Thanks for your advice.

 

Ok this is what I used to do when I sold vintage tablecloths. And I still have many in my closet because I haven't gotten to them as yet.

I did not wash them. I pointed out any stains, discolorations and holes in my listings. I never felt confident enough to wash linens so I took the easy way out and mentioned that I left any cleaning ironing, patching up to the buyer who knew the best way.

Much good luck. Hope someone else can help you.

 

Thanks, Pearls! That thought crossed my mind but some of them have mold spots and I wanted to see if that comes out. I think I will do it your way with the damask.

 

Have you ever tried putting them in a pillow case before you put them in the washer? That way they are more compact, and fringes don't get caught up in between folds etc.

 

Does your washer have a Handwash cycle?

 

I love linens, and my go-to cleaner is borax. Amazing stuff! Just soak them and then wash them.

 

I would do what AJ suggested, ESPECIALLY if more than one!!! Mine didn’t have any stains, but that tub of Restoration I bought from Amazon sure removed any old yellowing!!!! BUT I did it by hand as well…..

 

Funny you mentioned this ..my 86 year old dad and I were talking about how the wash was done at the Airforce base in Texas: everything they had was put in a cotton mesh bag and a laundry number tag put on it , so all of it was washed and dried as is . Dress uniforms were dry cleaned. The pillowcase should work , the borax @lovewrens suggested is what the "Oxiclean" miracle stuff has as an active ingredient ..... so much for miracle products ....good old borax, nothing new there ! I need to find one of those old borax powder hand soap dispensers and a box of pink hand soap , like the old days !!!!!

 

That's a great idea. I'll try to find a large mesh bag, since I've wanted one for awhile (ever since I bought this washer).

I wish, but No, it doesn't. Gentle cycle is the only choice, but it could work. So far I've only used the gentle for small things, like unmentionables, but not a huge TC.

I hav a large laundry tub so "by hand" could work, but only on the TCs that warrant that kind of labor intensive work since I plan to resell most of them.

One of the things I really was drawn to on these TCs was how the dry cleaner/laundry company handled them. The lacy ones are folded with craft paper behind them and the really large ones are draped over two of those large rolly type hangers. You don't get that service cheap any more, if at all. I'm anxious to get started on them but can't really until the "all time consuming holidays" are over. My family is mostly men so it's a harrowing day to accomplish all of the cooking solo. My sister (the lil stinker) lives in Michigan and stays there for Thanksgiving.

I'm told that the tendency to twist up laundry is a standard feature of HE machines.

 

I'm sure that works perfectly too. I use a small mesh bag for washing delicate fabrics.

 

I do not think I'd put any handmade lace ones in the washer to agitate them. I'd do a tub soak on them... drain water, rinse, drain water, rinse... and roll them in a towel to lift them out. Press out water in the rolled up towel... repeat if necessary. Lay flat to dry.

If it is machine made - like Quaker lace... I'd use gentle cycle and spin. I'd NOT put them in the dryer... I'd reuse those nice rolled hangers (cover with tissue if necessary) and fold so they fit nicely on the hanger ... and finger press/stretch them to be as square as possible on the hanger. Ironing while damp is great - but they are usually too gangly to deal with at that point. IF the Quaker lace ones have any breaks... they will be make worse by the washer. ... even on gentle. You might consider reinforcing them somehow before washing... even if it is a temporary fix with fabric and basting thread.

Good luck!
Leslie

 

Thank you, Leslie! I will head that advice closely. Everyone's else's advice too. I've been so busy with everything else around here that I haven't even started on them. But the winter looms boring as always so I'll do it then. There are some dead bugs inside the dry cleaners plastic so every time I open the closet where I stashed them, I'm hoping that nothing wakes up in there and infects my closet (guest room). But I doubt it.

 

@ola402 - Glad to help! You didn't say how many you had... but, I did forget to add; yes, @Firemandk 's suggestion to put in pillowcases is a good idea if you are going to launder a number of them together...I wouldn't overfill the washer. Borax or Oxy is probably fine for anything that isn't real fine thread... rinse well! Oxy may be fine for the handmade stuff... again, rinse real well. Bleach is not recommended. Jan and Feb are always good times for me to deal with linens also! Sounds like fun - and work!
Cheerio, Leslie