Light and Bright
Vintage linens are so attractive to today’s collectors, bearing detailed needlework that is a testament to the patience and skill of the creator. But common household items, such as tablecloths and runners, are often victims of spills. Stains darken over decades of storage, and cloth simply becomes yellowed with age. Angela K. Nickerson of Mid Modern Mama researched expert sources and has found success in whitening her estate-sale finds using this threeday process:
Materials
• Woolite Delicates laundry detergent • Dawn Original dishwashing liquid • OxiClean stain remover powder • Distilled white vinegar
Instructions
Step 1: Pretreat with a hot water soak.
Soak linens in a clean bathtub filled with hot water for 1 hour. Tip: Test linens that feature brightly colored embroidery thread for colorfastness, or consider reserving this hot water treatment for white linens only. Drain the water once it has cooled to room temperature.
Step 2: Soak in Woolite.
Fill the tub with hot water. Add 1 cup of Woolite, stirring to distribute the detergent evenly. Soak linens for 6 hours. Drain and repeat, soaking overnight.
Step 3: Soak in Woolite and dab with Dawn soap.
After soaking linens twice in the Woolite-water mixture, drain and refill the tub for a third soak. This time, add Woolite as before and dab Dawn onto the heavily stained spots that are still visible, rubbing gently. Return the linens to the water and soak for 6 hours.
Step 4: Rinse thoroughly.
Drain and refill the tub with hot water. Swirl the linens to remove soap, pressing the cloth against the side of the tub to release soap from the fabric. Repeat until the water is clear.
Step 5: Treat with OxiClean.
To remove stubborn stains, refill the tub with hot water and add 3/4 cup OxiClean. Swish the linens around to distribute the cleaner. Soak for 6 hours.
Step 6: Rinse with white vinegar.
Drain and refill the tub with hot water. Pour in 6 cups of distilled white vinegar. Press the fabric against the side of the tub to release soap. Repeat this vinegar-water rinse two more times, until the water is clear.
Step 7: Line dry.
If your linens seem especially sturdy—like plain bedsheets without delicate trims—consider using the spin cycle on a front-loading washing machine without an agitator to remove much of the water and shorten line-drying time. To be on the safe side, gently roll the linens in a towel instead to remove excess water without wringing and hang to dry.