STOP! Don't throw that fashion garment in the machine!

Here you will find suggestions from the experts on how to care for your silk, leather, suede and velvet garments.

Each fabric has its own set of rules regarding washing and maintenance. It is always best to test your garment in an inconspicuous place before treating with water or any chemicals, including detergent. Some garments are best taken to a professional if you are not sure how to clean it.

Silk is a practical luxury with a place in any wardrobe. With today’s ”peace silk,” made without harming silk worms, even those concerned about the environment can enjoy this fabric. Although relatively durable, silk is protein fiber similar to human hair and requires special care to stay looking good. By knowing the right way to clean, dry, press, and store silk, you can keep your silk garments looking new for years.

Dry cleaning Care instructions for most for silk items, especially for pure silk, recommend dry cleaning. For dupioni silk, lighter silks like chiffon, China silk, and crepe de Chine, and multi-color or hand-dyed prints, dry-cleaning usually is the best option. For other types of silk, though, while dry cleaning helps maintain the original texture of the fabric, it does carry some risks. Commonly used cleaning solutions aren’t suited to silk and silks can be damaged if placed in the same vat with rougher fabrics. To make sure your silk gets proper treatment, always make sure your dry cleaner knows how to clean silk.

Hand washing Silk fabric has been produced for over five thousand years, whereas the dry cleaning process has only been around since the 1840s. Clearly, dry cleaning isn’t a must. Even dupioni silk, which is almost always labeled as dry clean only, can be hand washed if the seams have been serged and you don’t mind the fabric losing some of its firmness or color. Although low-quality silk may become rough or dull after hand washing, better quality silk tends to looks better and last longer when hand washed. The natural coating on silk fibers reacts well to warm water, so hand washing also has the advantage of refreshing silk and giving it a better drape. Silk can be hand washed in cool or lukewarm water using a mild detergent such as Woolite, Ivory soap, or shampoo dissolved in the water. Because silk resists dirt and stains, only a small amount of soap should be used. Silk, like most natural fibers, doesn’t tolerate abrupt changes in temperature very well, so stay with one water temperature throughout the wash. Avoid soaking silk as this may fade the dye. To both revive faded or yellowed colors and protect the fabric from alkali damage, rinse the silk in water with a few tablespoons of white vinegar. While some people prefer a matte finish, this texture is usually a sign of alkali damage, which can eventually make the fabric brittle. The vinegar rinse will minimize this. After the wash and vinegar rinse, rinse the silk thoroughly in cool water.

Machine washing In general, machine washing is the worst way to clean silk as the agitator and other garments can damage the fabric. Garments made with a combination of fabrics or those that are highly detailed should not be machine washed at all. However, if the instructions for your wash machine state that the machine is safe for silk, there should be no serious problem washing most silks in it. Before washing, make sure there’s no soap or dirt on the inside of the machine that might stain the silk. Place the silk item in a mesh bag or a pillowcase loosely tied closed. Use a small amount of a very mild detergent and wash on a gentle cycle, such as a wool cycle, at a temperature of no more than 86°F (30°C). If you use a spin cycle, keep it as short as possible.

Treating stains A cap full of hydrogen peroxide and or a few drops of ammonia added to the wash will help keep white silk bright and rinsing silk in white vinegar diluted with water will help remove yellowing. While recent perspiration stains may be washed out or dabbed with a tablespoon of ammonia dissolved in half cup of water, older perspiration may be removed with a vinegar solution. Unfortunately, though, perspiration stains on silk, as on many garments, may not be completely removable as perspiration causes damage to the fibers. Remember, silk may be strong, but harsh chemicals can cause permanent damage, so avoid using bleach or any product that contains bleach, enzymes, or whiteners on silk.

Drying Even if you machine wash, never use a machine dryer to dry any silk as the friction and lack of humidity and can damage the fabric. Instead, roll the silk item up in a bath towel and gently press the water out. Never wring silk. When most of the water is out, finer silk should be hung up to dry, while coarser varieties, such as bourette, should be dried on a flat surface. Keep the garment away from heat sources or direct sunlight, both of which can turn silk yellow.

Pressing Silk should be pressed while still damp, never when completely dry. If the item has dried, dampen it with water from a spritzer bottle before ironing. To avoid damage, turn the item inside out and iron on the reverse side of the fabric on a cotton-covered ironing board. Use a low setting and don’t use steam, which can leave watermarks. Because many silk garments are hand sewn, take care not to apply pressure to the seams of the garment.

Storage For long-term storage, keep silk in a cotton pillowcase or other material that can breathe. Avoid plastic, which traps moisture and can cause yellowing and mildew. Silk, like other natural fibers, is a favorite with moths, so store cedar chips or balls with your silk to keep the bugs away. Silk may be considered a luxury, but caring for it properly doesn’t cost much in terms of either money or time. Gentle washing, drying away from a heat source, and storage in material that provides air circulation is all silk really needs to stay looking good. Care for your silk garments well and they’ll keep their original softness and sheen for years.

How to Care for and Maintain Leather Garments

Leather garments can be a thrilling addition to anyone's wardrobe. Though jackets and shoes are the most common type of leather clothing, leather is also used for shirts, pants, skirts, and belts. If cared for properly, a leather item can remain a wearable part of your wardrobe for years to come.

Leather is a tanned and treated animal skin. The most common are buffalo, cow, pig, and lamb skins. As you care for your leather garments, keep in mind that they are made of these animal skins. Much like our skin, leather is porous and needs to be treated with care.

The first thing you should do after you purchase any leather garment is to treat it with a leather protector. You can almost always find this where you make your leather purchase. Ranging in price from around three to ten dollars, this solution usually comes in a spray can. When you get your garment home, spray a light layer over the entire garment, let dry and reapply. This will help extend the life of your item and will ease the process of cleaning. It also helps protect the leather from moisture and helps prevent it from drying out.

One important thing to remember when wearing your garment is to try to keep it dry. This isn't always practical, so drying the leather the correct way will lengthen the lifespan of the garment. Leather products should always be air dried in a cool area away from sunlight. Humidity and heat will cause excessive drying and result in the eventual cracking of the leather. In the case of leather shoes, stuff tissue in the shoes to help absorb the extra moisture. Then hang the shoes from a shoetree, if possible. Leather shoes also adsorb moisture from your feet. To extend the life of your leather shoes, do not wear them on a daily basis. This gives them a chance to dry out.

Cleaning leather can be tricky. Generally stains like ink, paint, and those created by harsh chemicals cannot be removed. Things such as dust, powder, soda, water, and juice can be treated, as long as you attend to the mess quickly. For liquids use a dry cloth and blot the stain; never wipe. For powders, dust, or mud, gently use a sponge with some warm water to wipe away the stain on harder leathers. For suede items, you can use a suede brush to gently brush away the dirt.

If you live in a cooler climate, winter is a fact of life. The salt used for clearing roads and sidewalks will adhere to leather shoes and the bottom of leather pants. Use a soft cloth and warm water to gently remove the salt and leave item to dry in a cool, dry place.

Generally soaps, solvents, silicone and harsh chemicals are not a good idea for your leather clothing, with the possible exception of shoes. Pay special attention to the care labels on your garments when caring for them. Avoid spraying hair care products and perfumes while wearing leather clothing. These things can stain and discolor the item beyond repair. For shoes, seek the recommendation of the manufacturer before applying any polishes or creams.

If you find you cannot clean the item yourself, you can get it done professionally. Look in your local Yellow Pages for a dry cleaner that specializes in leather items. Some dry cleaners are not familiar with the processes involved in the making of leather and the glues used in the making of the garments. It never hurts to make a few phone calls to find someone who is knowledgeable in cleaning leather and suede.

To lengthen the life of your garment, you need to keep a few things in mind. When hanging a garment, remember the cool and dry rule. Always use broad and padded hangers, as metal wire hangers tend to distort the shape of leather. Leave some space on each side of the garment while it is hanging. Remember never to store leather garments in plastic bags or containers because they need to breathe. Leather shoes benefit from the use of a shoehorn, as they help the shoe keep its original shape. Also remember that sunlight can easily cause leather to fade. Keep items out of direct sunlight when you store them to keep them looking good for years to come.

How to Clean Suede Clothing

Suede is a warm soft comfortable material, but a chore to clean. In general, have suede garments professionally cleaned. This can be costly but the most effective way to ensure the safety of your fabric. If you must clean your own suede, follow these guidelines.

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Shoe Shining/cleaning Kits
Paper towels
Leather Cleaning Kits
Washcloths
Leather Protection Sprays
White Vinegar
Suede Brushes

Step 1

Rub suede gently with a bath towel to restore some of its nap.
Step 2

Remove dry stains and marks from suede by gently rubbing a pencil eraser on the affected area. For wet stains lay a papertowel on top of stain to absorb most of the liquid. Do not apply any kind of stain remover or other products, especially if you want to have it professionally cleaned. This can interfere with the cleaning process.
Step 3

Brush with a suede brush.
Step 4

Apply a small amount of white vinegar to a lightly dampened cloth as a last resort for cleaning suede shoes. Suede shoes cleaned with vinegar may have a mild odor after cleaning.
Step 5

Gently rub the surface of the shoe with the cloth, then allow it to air dry.
Step 6

Remember that stains on leather and suede should be professionally treated. This is always the best option. You never know how the leather was treated during the making of your fabric and what will happen if you try to clean it yourself.

How to Care for and Maintain Velvet Apparel

Velvet is usually made from rayon or acetate, which is a dry clean only fabric. If you need to have velvet pressed, you can do one of two things: 1) Take it to your local dry cleaner and have it professionally pressed, or 2) Press it yourself by using what is called a needle board.

You should be able to purchase a needle board at your local fabric store. It can be found in the notions area. This is a pressing tool specifically designed for pressing velvet fabrics. The top of the needle board has many needles protruding from the surface of a flat board. You place the needle board on your existing ironing board with the needles pointing upward, place your velvet fabric face down on the needles, and steam press with your conventional iron.

How to Care for Renaissance Garb

From your whalebone corset to your authentic reproduction breeches, is there retro clothing more fun than Ren Faire clothing? Even if you only wear your scullery maid or royal duchess outfit for eight weekends out of the year, you want to make sure your costume looks pristine every year for every event.

Start by knowing what your outfit is made of. Even though it is made to look like antique clothing, many Renaissance Faire outfits are made of cotton or a polyester/rayon and cotton blend. The high price of much medieval costuming is not because of the materials used but the craftsmanship and care that go into every piece. For that reason, you can't throw your outfit into the washer and dryer - special care needs to be taken to ensure your outfit will last for many seasons to come.

Consider hand washing your costume. It will last longer if you keep it away from the washing machine. Let your outfit air dry, and then use a hand-held professional quality steamer to get the wrinkles out and keep creases sharp. From the stable boy to the Queen of England, your costume depends on your careful care to remain beautiful. Also, steaming gets out odors and refreshes fabric, so you won't have to completely wash your costume between weekends - this can save a lot of wear and tear on your delicate fabrics and fine craftsmanship.

Vintage lace can be one of the most difficult fabrics to maintain and revitalize. Remember, even if you cannot save all the lace, even scraps can be used for everything from embellishments in your sewing to scrap booking projects. Lace is a versatile fabric, and if you find some you should always consider keeping it unless it's in truly despicable condition because you never know when a spot of lace might be the perfect finishing touch for whatever you're working on. If you find a bit of lace in need of some TLC, a little elbow grease and a steamer can have it looking good again.

All it takes to rejuvenate most lace is a few minutes with the steamer. Lace that's been crumpled or left too long in a closet or box will be relaxed and refreshed by the power of steam. The steamer will remove wrinkles and plump the fibers of the lace to restore its original look.

If your lace is badly stained, don't throw it away! Soaking will remove stains as well as odors from antique lace. Fill your bathtub, bathroom sink, kitchen sink, or laundry room sink (depending on how big your piece of lace is as well as how long you think you might need to soak it). Fill the sink with cold or lukewarm water and pour in about a quarter cup of baking soda. Dissolve the baking soda into the water using your hand. Very gently lay the piece of lace on top of the water and baking soda mixture. Make sure as the piece absorbs the water it sinks without being too crinkled or you may have uneven stain removal.

After a half hour, check the progress. Using either the running tap water or a sprayer attachment (if your sink has one) rinse the lace gently and see if your stain is gone. If not, soak for another half hour. Repeat until the stain is gone or you don't see any progress for a half hour period. If you still have stained lace, consider dyeing the whole piece for an overall "aged" look. Brew some regular black tea (nice and weak, it doesn't have to steep for more than thirty seconds) and dip the lace gently into the weak tea. Rinse after thirty seconds and see how close the match is to your stained portion of lace. Repeat until your lace is all one color. Even if you can't get the stain out, your lace will look like it was always that color and not just stained in one spot. And always remember to maintain your lace with the steamer so you don't have to go through that whole process again.

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Fabric Care

How to Care for Silk

How to Care for Leather

How to Care for Suede

How to Care for Velvet