Machine Washing Vintage Clothing

[happyfilmluvguy]

It gives me an eery feeling when thinking of putting a piece of clothing into the washer when it's 70 or 80 years old. Socks, underwear, dresses, shirts and such. I just bought a 1930s dress shirt. Pretty basic white one.

It has a little smell, but nothing too serious, but the texture of the cloth is rough at the moment. It needs to be softened a bit, plus it just arrived the day before. I'm pretty sure it's made out of cotton. So for those who have had their vintage accouterments washed, which do you reccomend? Machine wash or dry cleaners?

I think it would also be nice to hear what you do with other types of vintage clothing that is supposedly machine washable.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

The shirt will hold up fine to a machine wash. It will hold up better than the majority of your modern shirts. It will especially hold up better than any kind of very expensive "sea island cotton" or cottons of that type. Garbage, i say!

Since you're in the US and probably use of those damnable washing machines with the agitator in the middle of the drum, i'd put the shirt in a lingerie bag and then wash as normal. The bag will prevent the damage to the cloth from the agitator. If you don't have a lingerie bag, get one. They are incredibly useful for washing woolens, too.

bk

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

I will do just that. Thank you sir.

 

[Mike in Seattle]

Anytime I wash anything I'm a little concerned about, I put it in, let the water run in, add the soap and let it agitate a short time - a minute or two instead of the cycle's normal - and then stop the washer and let everything soak. Later, I'll let it agitate another minute or so, then into the spin and rinse cycle with the same idea - let it fill, agitate a little while, then let it soak. On the rinse, I let it agitate a little more to get the residual soap out.

 

[PA Dancer]

I've had some very delicate things I needed to wash. The best thing I have used are these net bags. (you can find them in any "mart" store in all sizes)

They are a nylon fit net looking bag with a zipper. Anything that I have that has lace, straps, or un-removable scarfs, I throw right in the bag and put it right into the wash.

Going a step further is putting the machine on a delicate cycle.
Then I air dry everything, and fluff it up for a minute in the dryer.

edit...almost forget...you always have hand washing. I've done that too.

 

[gluegungeisha]

PA_dancer said it all...lingerie/mesh/net bags for less delicate items, but if you have the tiniest doubt in your mind about machine-washing, go with your instincts and hand wash.

For hand washing, lots of people like Woolite; I don't. I'll use maybe a teaspoon of all-natural laundry detergent (Seventh Generation is my favorite, but Trader Joe's and Method are cheaper options) for one kitchen sinkful. For very delicate items (lace/chiffon, silk, lingerie, stockings, etc.) I recommend peachnut oil. Try C.O. Bigelow's 8-in-1 soap. The little bottles are amazing for travel, and you can use it to wash just about anything -- your hair, your stockings, your surfboard...I took a little bottle of it to India and it was a lifesaver.