Your treasured vintage dress has survived many years but what tips can help it last many more?
The first and most important question is can your item be washed? I had a traumatic experience with gelatine sequins a few years ago that taught me this the hard way. Note to anyone who comes across gelatine sequins DO NOT GET WET! If you item has embellishments, fur, strong colours etc always test an inconspicuous area before submerging in water.
BE GENTLE: Its important to remember when cleaning vintage items how they would have been originally cleaned and the products they would have used. Modern washing machines and detergents are much more harsh and can shorten the lifespan of clothing.
Soap Flakes and a gentle wash by hand in warm water (not hot as it can cause colours to run) was common. I find the liquid soap flakes better as it doesn't leave a residue as sometimes the grated soap flakes can. If you do want to use the delicates / hand wash cycle on your washing machine instead of washing by hand, I love to use delicates laundry bags like these to stop my items getting tangled or creased too much in the washing machine. Also my flavourite delicates liquid is by the British brand Talk of the Town Delicate White Orchid Fine Fabric Wash . Its gentle and smells amazing!
Before washing anything, you must test the colour fastness first and follow care labels if there are any!
DRY NATURALLY: I am not a big fan of tumble drying. It can shrink and damage fabric as well as causing colours to fade. The old fashioned air dry in the sunshine in a light breeze is the best everytime. UV rays can act as a disinfectant, the fresh air can help disperse that 'vintage smell', it helps some stains to fade and it helps keep whites bright white.
Of course take care how you hang your items outside when drying. The weight of the fabric when wet may put a strain on seams and straps if pegged on a washing line. Your garment may need to be laid flat on a clothes airer. Or often I hang my dresses on a wooden clothes hanger (check hangers for colour fastness when wet) then place it on the washing line so the breeze can fully circulate. If you do peg your clothing straight on the washing line my rule is 'armpits and waistband' for placing pegs. Peg marks are a pet hate of mine!
IRONING VS. STEAMING: Some fabric looks much better when ironed. I prefer to iron garments inside out to prevent those shiney iron marks that can happen, especially on black clothing. Start at a low temperature in a hidden area to test how the fabric responses to the heat.
My absolute favourite piece of kit is a hand held clothes steamer like these. There are many different models now avaliable and it well worth investing in one. It's great for travelling as well as refreshing clothing that has gotten a bit creased in storage. But what I love it for is 'cleaning' clothing I have worn. For example washing wool and cashmere jumpers each time you wear them is time consuming, they can get misshapen and it shortens the lifespan of the garement. So as long as there is no staining or sweat marks (wearing t-shirt underneath jumpers helps this) then a quick steam, let it dry and its ready to wear again!
DRY CLEANING: With some clothing dry cleaning is your only option. Do your research and ask around when choosing one. Look up what methods they use to clean. Some use more harsher chemical cleaning agents than others. I will talk more next time about storing items that have been dry cleaned.
FURS: Natural furs will need an expert furrier to clean them properly. But generally with an airing outside (I have already mentioned the benefits of sunshine) and a gentle baby wipe / damp cloth over any marks this should be enough to keep you fur in top condition. STAIN REMOVAL: Any staining needs to be dealt with before washing. My advice would be to be as gentle and patient as possible. Some stains will come out better than others. This too I will go into greater detail in a future post.
Lucy xxx
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