How To Prevent Fabrics From Shrinkage

We have received a good question from MARILYN HAYWARD today, which, we believe, is worth of posting here together with our answer:

Question:

I am considering buying a super-king duvet cover and pillowcases from
you as a gift for my daughter. She does not line dry her washing. Would the
linen shrink back too much if completely tumble dried?

Answer:

I personally tumble dry my pure linen bedding sheets until they are 100% dry. I have not noticed any significant shrinkage. Some years ago I went to
the dry cleaners’ seminar which was held by the producer of fabric dyes. All attendants had the same question – how to dye fabrics without any shrinkage? The manufacturer
taught us then, that any fabric shrinks when, after being washed in hot water, it gets
rinsed with the cold water – by changing temperatures so dramatically the fabric gets a temperature shock and shrinks. Therefore, the trick for keeping your linens in their original size is not to wash them in the temperature higher than 30-40C. If, for some reasons, you have to wash them in a hot water (i.e. to get rid of some stains), then let
them cool down before rinsing (or rinse with the use of hot water). The same applies to wools as well.

How to Remove Stains From Linen

Pure linen is a luxury product, therefore stain removal sometimes should be arrainged in a slightly different to normal way.

BALLPOINT INK

Hold stain against towel, spray closely from behind with aerosol hair spray. Ink should transfer to towel.

BEVERAGES

Soak in cool water. Re-wash with stain remover. Launder using oxygen bleach.

BLOOD

Immediately rinse with cool water using oxygen bleach. For dried stains, soak in warm water with a product containing enzymes. Launder.

CANDLE WAX

Scrape off as much as possible with dull side of knife, then iron between absorbent paper, changing paper until wax is absorbed. Then treat the left stain as grease.

CHOCOLATE

Pre-wash with product containing enzymes in warm water or treat with pre-wash stain remover. Launder.

COSMETICS

Pre-wash with stain remover, liquid laundry detergent or paste of granular detergent and water or rub with bar of soap. Launder.

DAIRY PRODUCTS

Soak in a product containing enzymes for at least 30 minutes (hours for aged stains). Launder.

DEODORANTS, ANTI-PERSPIRANTS

Pre-treat with liquid laundry detergent. Launder. For heavy stains pre-treat with pre-wash stain remover. Allow to stand 5 to 10 minutes. Launder using an oxygen bleach.

EGG

Soak in product containing enzymes. Launder.

FRUIT JUICE

Rinse with cool water.

GRASS

Soak in product containing enzymes. If stains persist, launder using an oxygen bleach.

GREASE SPOTS, OIL

Pre-treat with Fairy washing liquid or liquid laundry detergent. For heavy stains, place stain face down on clean paper towels. Apply cleaning agent to back of stain. Replace paper towels under stain frequently. Let dry, rinse and launder.

INK

Use ink eradicator on undyed, untreated linen.

LEMON, LIME JUICE, VINEGAR

Rinse immediately with cool water.

LIPSTICK

On pure linen, rub with a little salad oil to dissolve lipstick, then launder to remove oil.

MEAT JUICE

Rinse with cool, never hot, water.

PERSPIRATION

Use pre-wash stain remover or rub with bar of soap. If color of fabric has changed, apply ammonia to fresh stains, white vinegar to old stains and rinse. Launder using hottest water safe for fabric.

RED WINE

Cover with salt if stain is fresh, then rinse through the fabric with boiling water.

TOMATO

Rinse with cool water.

WHITE WINE

Use club soda.

CHEWING GUM

Clean with purified petrol, then treat petrol stain as grease.