The following are tried and true, care and storage tips for your valuable vintage:
* Never store vintage items in a plastic dry cleaning bags. Fabrics need to be able to breathe. If you want to cover your garments use old cotton pillow cases or sheets.
* Never use wire hangers! They can ruin the fabric at the shoulders of garments. The force of gravity stretches the fabric and can lead to tears and rips over time. Many times the hangers will poke through shoulders and can completely rip and disintegrate the shoulders of clothing. NEVER store a beaded 20's dress on a hanger. The weight of the beads will stress shoulder fabric and lead to tears. Always use padded or wooden hangers and fold or roll your fragile silks, knits, rayon’s and beaded items carefully instead of hanging. Try not to stack heavy folded items as this will cause creasing and fold marks if items are stored long term.
* Never store clothing in heat, like an un-insulated attic or in a damp place like your basement. It is best to store vintage in a cool dark area (under a bed, in a drawer, in a closet in a spare bedroom).
* Fur coats or any items with fur trim should be stored in a cedar closet or cool dry place - not the attic or the basement!
* Keep clothes away from light. Light will cause fading and can deteriorate fabric over time. Store vintage clothing in darkness.
* Use lavender to keep away pests; keep it near by but not touching the fabrics.
* If possible, clean a vintage item immediately after wearing to avoid stains (especially perspiration) from setting. Most vintage garments older than mid 1960s were not intended to be washed in a machine and should be hand washed or dry-cleaned.
* If you are just trying to eliminate an odor try an at home dry cleaning kit. These kits work in your dryer by steaming and scenting the clothing. They work well for eliminating musty mildew smells and cigarette or cigar smells.
* Ensure that your vintage garment is washable before putting it in water. Use liquid detergent instead of powder; dry clean or use Dryel if in doubt about washing certain fabrics. Prior to washing check for weak seams, holes or frays. Use cool to warm water to avoid fade or running of garment dyes and spot clean first before washing. After washing lay out the garment on a drying rack, never in the dryer.
* Always dry clean rayon, silk, wool, velvet, and any garment with beading. Be sure that your dry cleaner is experienced in vintage fabrics! If you can't find a dry cleaner you trust, consult the owner of your local vintage clothing store, or contact a nearby museum with a textile collection and find out who they use. For antique wedding gowns, delicate vintage formal wear, couture garments, we recommend Imperial Gown Restoration Co. (www.gown.com) located in Merrifield, Virginia.
Feel free to add to this list. :)
* Never store vintage items in a plastic dry cleaning bags. Fabrics need to be able to breathe. If you want to cover your garments use old cotton pillow cases or sheets.
* Never use wire hangers! They can ruin the fabric at the shoulders of garments. The force of gravity stretches the fabric and can lead to tears and rips over time. Many times the hangers will poke through shoulders and can completely rip and disintegrate the shoulders of clothing. NEVER store a beaded 20's dress on a hanger. The weight of the beads will stress shoulder fabric and lead to tears. Always use padded or wooden hangers and fold or roll your fragile silks, knits, rayon’s and beaded items carefully instead of hanging. Try not to stack heavy folded items as this will cause creasing and fold marks if items are stored long term.
* Never store clothing in heat, like an un-insulated attic or in a damp place like your basement. It is best to store vintage in a cool dark area (under a bed, in a drawer, in a closet in a spare bedroom).
* Fur coats or any items with fur trim should be stored in a cedar closet or cool dry place - not the attic or the basement!
* Keep clothes away from light. Light will cause fading and can deteriorate fabric over time. Store vintage clothing in darkness.
* Use lavender to keep away pests; keep it near by but not touching the fabrics.
* If possible, clean a vintage item immediately after wearing to avoid stains (especially perspiration) from setting. Most vintage garments older than mid 1960s were not intended to be washed in a machine and should be hand washed or dry-cleaned.
* If you are just trying to eliminate an odor try an at home dry cleaning kit. These kits work in your dryer by steaming and scenting the clothing. They work well for eliminating musty mildew smells and cigarette or cigar smells.
* Ensure that your vintage garment is washable before putting it in water. Use liquid detergent instead of powder; dry clean or use Dryel if in doubt about washing certain fabrics. Prior to washing check for weak seams, holes or frays. Use cool to warm water to avoid fade or running of garment dyes and spot clean first before washing. After washing lay out the garment on a drying rack, never in the dryer.
* Always dry clean rayon, silk, wool, velvet, and any garment with beading. Be sure that your dry cleaner is experienced in vintage fabrics! If you can't find a dry cleaner you trust, consult the owner of your local vintage clothing store, or contact a nearby museum with a textile collection and find out who they use. For antique wedding gowns, delicate vintage formal wear, couture garments, we recommend Imperial Gown Restoration Co. (www.gown.com) located in Merrifield, Virginia.
Feel free to add to this list. :)
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Re: Caring for your vintage
Tue, May 27, 2008 - 12:25 PMIn theatre and belly dancing, "cleaning" vintage clothing and non-washable bras is often done with a mix 50/50 of vodka and water. Always test spot in a small area first for color fastness. It kills baterial smell, and some claim it helps bleach out underarm stains, but I have never seen evidence of such. Besides "bleaching" seems like a bad thing.
Also, NEVER use nail polish or nail polish remover around rayons!! They'll eat right through the fabric due to it's chemical makeup. I learned this the hard way from fixing a pair of running hoses with clear nail polish and accidently getting some on the hem of my 1940's dress. Make sure you let your tootsies and fingernails dry completely before sliding that purdy little thing over your head!
Never apply underarm deoderant/anti-persistant under your arms while in vintage, and always let it dry completely before slipping on vintage. The clinically strong ones can bleach out the underarms and your regular ones can cake and stain the area. Honestly with the clinical ones you wear at night, I might gently wash cloth the residue and refresh with another deoderant before wearing fragile fabrics.
Tide-to-Go Pen - my best friend ever for fresh stains. OMG, I love it so much! I would always test spot though, no matter what decade, fabric, texture. Always rub gently.
Thank you for talking about the wire hangers! It breaks my hair at estate sales and vintage clothing stores to see otherwise gorgeous vintage clothing ripping and straining at the shoulders from wire hangers. One of our local theatres had a fire a few years back, and the clothing was untouched except for burnt marks along the shoulders where the wire hangers had heated up and scorched the fabric. My sister and I actually rescued a few pieces and hand washed, boraxed, dry cleaned, vodka-ed, bleached and every trick in the book to rid them of the smoke smell and soot. The scorch marks we had to cover with corsages.
