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Coming clean about laundry
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Wash your fabric cares away with our handy tips
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By Nicola Marc, photos by Donna Griffith
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ABOVE: cotton quilt, satin
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Along with spring's invigorating breeze comes the desire for fresh-scented laundry right from the clothesline. But what to do with those delicate pieces you wouldn't trust even to your local dry cleaner? Whether just-bought, vintage or treasured antique, we've got the information you need to keep your fine washables looking like new.
1. Cotton Quilting
Wash quilts by hand in the bathtub. Test your fabric for colour fastness, then fill the tub with enough water to cover the quilt plus about six inches to spare. Mix in a mild detergent and a tiny bit of colour-safe bleach if necessary. Submerge the quilt and agitate with your hands for about 10 minutes. Drain the tub, squeezing the quilt gently to remove excess water. Rinse quilt with tepid water. Hang quilt to dry.
2. Satin
Extra care is required for laundering satin, which stains easily. Blot marks thoroughly with a clean towel, then sprinkle spot with flour or cornmeal and let sit for an hour. Gently brush flour or cornmeal off the fabric with a soft-bristled brush, and then handwash in warm water with a gentle product like Art Home Botanical Detergent for Delicate Fabrics from Fruits & Passion. Hang to dry in a not-too-sunny spot.
3. Lace
Lace should only be washed by hand using a gentle cleansing agent such as Ivory Snow liquid. Place the lace item on a clean towel and cover with warm water diluted with cleanser. Soak for about 15 minutes. Lift the towel up and down to agitate gently, being careful not to lift the lace item by itself, as the weight of the water can tear the fibres. Rinse lace while still on the towel, blot with more dry towels and lay item flat to dry completely.
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