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safest way to whiten vintage cottons/linens

I want to whiten some old vintage handkerchiefs with the following challenges:

 

1.  Some yellow spots or over-all yellowing

2.  Pencil marks remaining from when originally embroidered I want to eliminiate or at least minimize.

3.  Concern that "Oxy" or peroxide containing products will ultimately damage the fibers.  I don't want to get something looking fabulously "white" when the process sets up for damaged fibers/fabrics down the road.

4.  Is buttermilk, lemon juice or sun my only options?

 

Thanks for any advice

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safest way to whiten vintage cottons/linens

Start by soaking overnight in cold water and rinsing thouroughly.  Some of the stains may simply be yellowed startch.  If there is color that you worry about bleeding with, put a color catcher in with that batch. Next is cold water with the smallest amount of mild detergent possible; I like a couple of drops of shampoo, the kind without conditioner.  Again, rinse thouroghly. Work your way hotter in water temperature, rinsing thouroghly each time and removing those which are now clean.  The safest whitening is crofting over grass in sunlight and between two pieces of fabric, such as old sheets.

Message 2 of 6
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safest way to whiten vintage cottons/linens

Thank you for your prompt reply.

It is appreciated!

 

M

Message 3 of 6
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safest way to whiten vintage cottons/linens

I neglected to clarify what a "color catcher" is when washing items that may bleed......

Is that a commercial product or a home product?

Thanks for clarifying.

 

M

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safest way to whiten vintage cottons/linens

It is a commercial product.  The other brand is dye magnet.  I get them in my grocery store, and use them in every laundry load, as the spousal unit's sweat stains thing yellow...

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safest way to whiten vintage cottons/linens

In 'THE BOOK OF FINE LINENS' by Francoise de Bonneville there is a reproduction of a painting by Breughel (not sure which one, the Younger or the Elder)  in the Prado Museum in Madrid showing fine linens being bleached on the grass.  I took Heloise to task, politely, when she wrote that bleaching on the grass does not work.  I referred her to this book & painting, as well as my own experience of over 25 years years in the antique linen field.  There was no correction, but it does work.  It may take several go-rounds, once I had to do antique 19th century sheets over  period of 3 days, but they came out beautifully.  I use baby shampoo to start with, & must admit to putting the pieces on the grass without sheets.  I also have a spray bottle of water for keeping the stained areas damp.  My biggest problem while doing this was a neighbor's dratted dogs who destroyed a Silk Society runner, as well as 1 of a set of 12 Silk Society napkins I had bought for a client.  Needless to say, we do not have a pleasant relationship.

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