Remnants of the Past and Vintage Lace and Linens

I'm so busy creating and getting items ready to sell at Remnants of the Past show next month in Pleasanton, CA.

After going through my stash of vintage lace and linens (oh and of course shopping for more) I thought I would share my method of cleaning and freshening them.

Many times there are stains and/or musty odors and having an acute sense of smell I can't tolerate that.  Sometimes pieces are aged to a golden color that people want to have in their mixed media art.  I use mine for clothing so I want them clean and not smelly.

To get rid of odors I use Borax.  It's what is used to clean soiled cloth diapers so you know it gets the smell out!  For stains I use OxiClean or in particular this brand.

Follow directions on the product label.  After I soak, sometimes overnight, I check to see if the stains are gone.  If not I may add more of the cleaner and keep soaking.  Sometimes the stains will just not come out!  Also the cleaner can whiten some items, especially if the aged look was dirt, grime, or whatever it is.  So if you want that look then try tea staining.

After soaking, washing with shampoo, and rinsing well,  I hang the pieces outside to dry.  I leave them out for at least a day and sometimes more to further eliminate any odors.

Some people seem to think throwing a dryer sheet in a bag with them and/or using Fabreze solves the problems. But to me it doesn't really cover up the problem it just makes the musty, aged smell sickenly sweet ........... and musty.  Yuck!

Now I get to iron, package, and price the items I'll be selling.  I have a feeling the "keep" pile with be bigger than the "sell" pile.  Am I a hoarder?  Good question.