Special Treatments for All Types of Linens

Linen Types

Special Treatments For All Types Of Linens… Set aside time each week to deal with delicate and unusual items that cannot be washed in the machine. Treat household linen with care to prolong the life of individual items. Air bedding regularly to keep it in good condition.

Special Treatments Based On The Types of Linens

Types of Linens: Hand Washing

Hand wash wool, delicate fabrics, and colors that continue to run. Use warm water for handwashing, and if you use soap flakes, make sure that they are thoroughly dissolved. Do not skimp on rinsing washing machines. Rinse several times.

Colorfast Test

Using a steam iron: If you suspect that an item is not colorfast, steam iron an area between two layers of white fabric. If dye transfers onto the white, the item is not colorfast.

Delicate Fabrics

Lace make; A paper template of delicate lace items before you hand wash them. If they lose their shape, you can use the template to reshape the items correctly as they dry.

Silk: Add two lumps of sugar to the rinse water to give silk body add a little lanolin to protect and restore silk.

Rinsing Tricks: Removing soap Add 1 tbsp (15 ml) of white vinegar to the final rinse to remove soap. Preventing freezing Acid a handful of salt to the final rinse to prevent clothes from freezing on the line in winter.

Time Saving Tip

Getting rid of suds If you have too many suds after hand washing, sprinkle them with talcum powder to make them disperse. This saves having to let water out and add more freshwater.

Types of Linens: Dry Cleaning

This is essential for fabrics that cannot take water. Use a professional dry cleaner for expensive items cheaper garments can be cleaned in a coin-operated machine. The following tips will help minimize dry cleaning.

Outdoor clothes

: Clean dirt from outdoor clothes as soon as you get home. Use an aerosol dry cleaner on coat and jacket collars and cuffs, which tend to get dirty faster than the main fabric.

Airing out clothes

: Air non-washable items before putting away. Never wear items two days in a row.

Woolen Clothes

Woolens can be distorted by machine spinning. After hand washing, roll them gently in a clean towel to remove excess water, then dry flat, shaping by hand on a dry towel.

Reshaping stretched cuffs

Dip sweater cuffs in hot water, then dry them with a hairdryer on a hot setting. For a more permanent solution, stitch two or three rows of knitted elastic loosely around the cuffs.

Bedding and Linen

Towels and bed linen get dirty quickly and require frequent laundering. Wash pillows and comforters only when it is necessary.

When making beds, reverse pillows often to reduce wear on one side, and turn sheets from top to bottom – they will last twice as long.

Washing Pillows: Hand washing, Wash pillows in the tub, using a soap flake solution. Knead vigorously, and rinse several times.

Drying pillows: Wet pillows are very heavy and may damage domestic machines. Remove all excess water before tumble drying, and add a clean tennis shoe to balance the load.

Caring for Bathroom: General care Wash towels frequently, using hot water, to get rid of the skin debris that collects in the pile.

Soapy washcloths: Soak tired face cloths in 1 tbsp (15 ml) vinegar or lemon juice and 2 cups (500 ml) water before machine washing. This will remove all traces of soap.

Kitchen Towels

Removing the “bloom”

Use a water-softening powder to remove any soap buildup and restore fading colors.

Eliminating germs: Wash and iron dish towels at the highest possible temperature to eliminate as many bacteria or germs as possible.

Drying outside: If you dry washed towels on a line in the open air, use fabric softener to prevent the pile from becoming roughened by wind.

Avoiding fading: Do not dry dark towels in bright sunlight since this will cause fading.

Lessening wear: Use towels in rotation to limit the wear that will occur if they are washed and re-used promptly.

Washing Comforters

• Dry cleaning: Comforters are too heavy to wash in-home machines and too large to be hand washed easily. Take them to a launderette or to a professional cleaner.

• Remove marks from clothes before washing, since laundering may cause stains to set. Use prewash sprays or sticks, soak items in enzymatic detergent if the fabric is suitable.

Collars and cuffs:

Follow the method shown right to remove dirt from around collars and cuffs; alternatively, apply shampoo to these areas before washing. Using liquid or spray starch will keep collars and cuffs clean between washes.

Stocking and Caring for Laundering

Wash sheets according to the care labels. Mixed-fiber sheets do not need ironing – simply fold them when dry. Natural-fiber sheets look better if ironed.

Sheets

Storing after laundering, place white linen or cotton sheets at the bottom of the pile in the linen closet. Regular rotation and use will prevent sheets from yellowing.

Removing Dirty Marks

1. Rub a piece of damp soap or a prewash slick along the mark or stain. Make sure that the mark is well covered.
2. Use a wet toothbrush to work the soap into a lather. Rinse the area in warm water, then launder the item.

Tip: For more information on All Types of Linens, which we have discussed in general terms in this article, click on the “tags” below.