Caring for quality Linens

Not many of us can claim any degree of expertise when it comes to linen. Most of us just allow our fine linen to be destroyed by neglect and misuse while others go to the other extreme and have them professionally cleaned. Since linens are so expensive, most of us get paranoid about spoiling them and just allow them to lie in our cupboards. Instead, if we can learn to care for our linens, we can use and enjoy them for years.

The older linens are made from fine materials, and require more delicate handling because they can be damaged irreparably. If you do not learn the correct method of cleaning heirloom linens, you will destroy the linen so that no one else can ever enjoy it again.

And it is just a shame to store away old linens like museum pieces for fear of ruining them. The fact remains that using old linens is a great way to breathe some life and charm into your décor while adding a distinctive piece of character to the space. Although it can be time consuming and somewhat tedious, the extra effort put into maintaining and cleaning your old linens will more than be worth it when you can pass it down to your children in the same shape as you inherited it.

The first thing that you need to watch out for is dirt, which can cause much damage to quality linens. Once dirt is allowed to settle in, it literally burrows down into the fibers and causes irreversible damage. A vacuum cleaner can help you safely remove this dirt from the textile. A fiberglass screen placed over the fabric before you vacuum can help protect especially fragile linen.

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.

Always use a mild soap to clean fine linen and avoid harsh chemicals that will almost certainly cause damage. To wash colorful prints, you should try dabbing a few drops of water in some obscure place on the linen and allow it to dry to see if fading occurs. If the colors bleed, you will have to avoid using water.

Giving your fine linens for dry cleaning is the last resort. The high temperatures involved in the cleaning process can damage the fabric. However, if you cannot clean it at home, you have to get them dry cleaned. But, make sure the linen is clean before you store it so that you and your children can enjoy them for a long time.

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Elizabeth Voke is the owner of F linen, a fantastic resource for information about linen, For questions or comments about this article why not visit: www.flalinen.com/articles
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