Oh those lovely linens. I can’t ever seem to resist a beautiful vintage tablecloth, mismatched napkins or a chunky blanket for the foot of the bed. Among many other pieces- Ralph Lauren sheets, old quilts (remember these that I shared recently?) and of course, even just yards of fabric. If I love it- it is coming home with me. But with anything upholstered in old fabric or old linens- there are always things to consider. Today I am sharing 3 of my go-to tips when thrifting vintage linens.
Thrifting Vintage Linens
I fall in love easily and will grab something right away that catches my eye. Vintage floral prints, chintz, barkcloth, lovely old cotton ditsy prints- you name it. This pair of vintage floral comforters went into my cart in about 1 second and I took a closer look while drooling – and they were in great shape to bring home and you can bet I was doing a happy dance the whole rest of the time I was shopping. But there are a couple tried and true tips I stick to when it comes to linens- and they definitely do help decide whether they are coming home or just a passing fancy at the thrifts- these 3 simple things are key.
Rips & Tears or other Damage
Ahhh those pesky tears. They happen but you know- this one is not a no go for me. I once found a gorgeous king sized vintage Ralph Lauren ruffled sheet in a hard to find pattern and instantly snapped it up. The tag said ‘as is’ so I knew it had some staining or damage but didn’t realize the extent until it was un-bagged and unfolded at home. A big tear about 6″ long to one side and then another coming off of that one- right in the near center of the sheet. Well, I was bummed. But between you and me- I would have bought it even if I had seen the damage at the thrift store.
Tears can be repaired and if they can’t- you can use the pieces as is often times or use them to create other things- like napkins or pillows. So, I don’t generally shy away from linens I love that have tears, rips, fraying edges or anything like that. If I love the fabric, I will find a way to use it even so. Just look at how beautiful that rose floral fabric is!
Stains
The first thing I look closely for with vintage linens is staining. Stains can be stubborn and sometimes no amount of soaking or spot treating will do the trick. Sometimes they are not too dark and look like water stains. And they might be- or they might be bodily fluid like urine and dark spotty stains could be old blood. (Just something to keep in mind). To be honest, I generally shy away from anything that looks like it has blood stains-even very old ones- it is just my own personal comfort level with that.
But even things like old coffee stains, food and drink stains, molds and mildew stains or just general overall yellowing or dingy staining from over the years can be stubborn. Either way, I will give a piece with a lot of staining a second thought and ask myself if I want to tackle trying to clean it up or if I will be happy with it even if it won’t clean up.
And if it is yes- I will use a gentle cleaner to soak the fabric several times. Spot clean any stains directly and also wash the pieces several times before using for anything. You might be surprised at how many stains have come out after soaking and treating them- and I have been pleasantly surprised at just how beautiful the fabric looks afterwards.
Smells
The second ‘S’ to consider- Smells. You know that one right away – just walking past a stack of linens, or unfolding a linen and those smells can hit you right away. They can be old smoke, perfume, mildew or just generally have a dingy kind of smell. Either way, getting smells out of fabric can be difficult- especially a mildew or mold smell (which also usually brings staining along with them) I won’t pass up something talking to me if it has mild smells but I have had to air some things outside for quite a bit before being able to bring them in to wash them before so if it is too strong- it is a no- no matter what the smell is.
Two smells that I always quickly avoid- molds and mildews and musty smells. I am highly allergic to mildews and molds- so those are pretty much a no go right away. And cigarette smoke smell really bothers my sinuses also so I will usually keep on shopping if it is a strong residual smell.
Favorites For Cleaning Vintage Linens
I have used a couple of these for cleaning vintage linens-and some of the others have been recommended. I generally soak linens several times and then wash them several times before putting them on the clothesline to dry.
Keep in mind that you should always spot test your linens before washing or stain treating to make sure the cleaner will not damage them. I have heard from industry pros that these are some of the safest and mildest on vintage. But even so- always make sure to test an inconspicuous area before you treat or wash the whole thing.
Would love any of your other tips for cleaning vintage fabrics too- please share if you have a favorite cleaner or something that has worked for you!
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thank you so much for the suggestions for cleaning vintage linens. I have vintage Linens from family and from thrifting.
Hear you…got a RL on ebsy…still pricey…it was very suspect sudes had been re-hemmed…poorly…tag “may have been re-sewen… None of which “shows” on the bed… I ❤️ the paisley… franki
ps. TY for recommendations!!!
My tried and true go to is powdered tide, borax and washi soda in the hottest tap water the item xan take. Soak for several hours and repeat if necessary; it us called stripping And works brilliantly!
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