Clean Vintage Quilts and Linens

The active ingredient, sodium perborate, is the same in both cleaners. You’ll use about 3 tablespoons per gallon of HOT water. The water needs to be hot to activate the detergent. If you have colors like red that may bleed, you’ll need to watch the water for a few minutes to see if you have any color release. If so, stop the soak and rinse quickly. I would not continue cleaning a fabric that is bleading.

Good luck with your cleaning! Questions? Feel free to ask in the comments below.

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#cleanvintagefabric #cleanquilt #quiltcleaning #retroclean

[MH-pwvy]

My grandmother (1902-2007!) swore by the power of the sun for stain removal and for simply whitening her clothing and table linens. FYI, she lived in the city and set aside an area on a concrete patio for laying out the items--she also placed a small pane of glass over the more stubborn stains. I don't ever remember seeing stains on anything. Now, I will be using your and her techniques to maintain the linens I inherited from her. Thank you! PS: yes she lived to 105!

[cindyruss]

Thank you! I’ve not had the courage to wash my grandmother’s 95+ year old quilt. Now we will be able to enjoy it!

[roxywood]

Oh My Stars !! Thank I'm Blessed that a friend told me about you.... :)

[kimbeckner]

So you’re not worried the deer will come for dinner? 😂😂😂. Love you, Kelly! Thanks for sharing this. I needed a good reminder. I knew it was simple enough. And I also wondered at the active ingredient 🤔.

[MsBethharris]

Kelly, thank you❣️ I have some very old fabric items that have badly yellowed. Knowing the chemical involved will help me to find the Australian equivalent.

[AmyGammon-uw]

Thanks for sharing your expertise! I am about to clean a sampler that my mom made for me in 1959. I never would have considered using hot water, because I'm worried that the embroidery thread colors will run. How can I be sure? I'm hoping to give this piece to my granddaughter, once I clean it.

[wyominghome]

I had a recipe years ago that involved mixing dishwasher detergent with powdered bleach, pouring in boiling water, adding the linens, soaking for 1-4 hours, rinsing, then drying the linens in the sun. Worked like a charm. If anyone has that recipe I would love to have it again.

[jonnaosborne]

I would love to be able to do this, but I live in a very dusty, windy area, with lots of birds and several feral cats in the neighborhood. In my yard, there is more dust, dirt and desert weeds than grass. The pieces would likely end up in somebody else's yard, covered with dust and bird poo. So, it's likely going to be inside drying on a rack for me. Would it help at all to use a sun lamp?

[juliemoore]

I noticed you were cleaning a quilt top. Can I use it for finished quilts? Thanks for the great video!!!

[patg]

What about if the wind comes up? All the work laying those out and then whoosh!

[lindaroberts]

I’ve used retro lean on old linens. On embroidered items I’ve had a little trouble with bleeding of the floss. Do you do embroidered separately?

[krysteenehills]

Do you have any experience with cleaning crochet blankets?

[yenylevano]

Do u have any advise for suede handbag yellow by sun and dirt?

[kathy]

Thanks for sharing all this information Kelly!

[suzannecordova]

Does Retroclean bleach any of the embroidery?

[billiedickinson]

Kelly I have several quilt tops that have mold spots. I had a flood, and the contents people left my goods wet in plastic bags for weeks. Hence, they all have been washed, but I still have stain spots from the mold. I'm wondering will restoration product work on this or vingear? Thanks for your help.

[tlarson]

Thank you for this information! I've been saving 3 drawers of vintage linens, and now i have an easy process to clean them!!
Question about rinsing...what water temperature to use? Cold water? Thanks again!

[RachaelMontgomery-im]

Thanks so much Kelly! When you rinse and then reseal do you make up a new solution with the Retro Clean or rinse and re rinse in hot water? Thank you!!!

[suzannecordova]

Do you neighbors think it is an S.O.S. signal? 😁

[sherri]

This is wonderful! I too live in a windy area. I wonder if I could put a sheet on the lawn and then the quilt top and place some river rocks in the corners to keep from blowing away? Also, do you spot treat? I have a few tops that have a dark stain (looks like chocolate syrup) and i wondered if I should gently "scrub" it with a toothbrush or something before washing. Thank you for passing along your wisdom!!