Articles

Cleaning Your Holiday Linens - Time Is Of The Essence!
THE HOLIDAYS ARE OVER.

The leftovers have disappeared.
The fine china is put away. All the relatives have gone home.
It's time to assess the damage. No doubt your holiday gathering wreaked havoc on your table linens. Good cheer went overboard with spilled wine and cranberry sauce. There is also probably a drip of candle wax or two.

So, what to do?

Get your dry cleaner on speed dial!
When it comes to treating stains, saving and storing linens - leave it to the professionals. Their non-toxic chemicals are powerful enough to knockout almost any stain - yet, whites won't yellow, colors won't fade, and wools won't look washed out.
Of course, if your holiday tablecloths are really worse for wear, time is of the essence for you to take action.

Pre-treat Stains

If you can't get the linens to the dry cleaners immediately, take the time to pre-treat the stains. Experts say that any spot that is not washed out before drying can be very difficult to remove. Here are 4 common pre-treatment tips presented by the experts at the Drycleaning & Laundry Institute (DLI):

1. Wine and coffee

Light touch the stain with an absorbent towel to draw up liquid; blotting can spread the stain.
After dinner, rinse with cool water and treat with a mild detergent and white vinegar.

2. Cranberry sauce

Rinse with cool water and treat with a mild detergent and white vinegar before washing.

3. Salad oil

Cover a big spill at the table with absorbent powder and shake off after supper.
Apply a mild detergent mixed with household ammonia as soon as possible. Wait 5-10 minutes and wash in the hottest water safe for the fabric.

4. Candle wax

Gently lift off the larger pieces and treat with a solvent-based stain remover product.
Wash in the hottest water that is safe for the fabric.

Storage and Preservation

Your goal after the holidays should also be to save the life of your linens.
In addition to cleaning and stain removal, check with your dry cleaner about storage and preservation. Some cleaners provide storage for out-of-season items. The garments and linens are stored in an area that offers protection from insects, fire, burglary, flood, and mildew damage.
If you're storing your linens at home, make sure they are stored with as few creases as possible and with no weight on them. You may also want to consider hanging them in a closet on a trouser hanger.
The holidays don't have to mean the death of your table linens.
With a little forethought and quick action, tough stains can be removed and your holiday wear will be ready for another go-round next season.