Some of the linens my mother gave me were yellowed, and all of them made me sneeze, so I looked around the Internet for a gentle way to wash them. This technique didn't get the more stubborn stains out, but it freshened everything up and it certainly brightened the whites.
Step one: Pour 16 cups of cool filtered water into a bucket - or, failing that, your sister's mixing bowls (no, that bowl does not hold 16 cups—I ended up using three). I didn't want to buy special water and I don't know much about what comes out of the taps, so I just ran it through a Brita filter.
Step two: Mix in 1 cup of white vinegar.
Step three: Put your linens in the water. Make sure there is enough room for them to swish around a bit. Leave them there for several hours.
Step four: Rinse your linens and hand-wash them in a gentle detergent. Hang them to dry.
When I get the time I will pull out my back issues of MaryJanesFarm organic living magazine and refresh my memory on the natural stain-fighting powers of things like borax and cream of tartar and milk. In the meantime, I have plenty of clean hankies to work with. I can't wait!
Note: I did find that, even with this reportedly gentle method, a few tiny holes had grown a little bigger after soaking in the vinegar water. I'm not sure there is any way around that, though, with such old, delicate fabrics.
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Yeah I don't know what to tell you about the holes! I have an anti-fray liquid, but I find it doesn't always work and may damage such delicate fabric.
ReplyDeleteGood luck though!
- Helen