How To Care For Your ClothesHere are some cleaning recipes and methods I've used for cleaning everything from theatrical costumes to my own personal wardrobe. This is by no means a definitive list of cleaning methods or products, but these have worked for me in the past so I'd like to share them with you!
If you're worried about dye bleeding, SPOT TEST FIRST. Find a discreet place like a hem or under a fold to test. 
How To Hand Wash Your Clothing: |
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- Pretreat any soil, oil, or food stains using the stain treatment recipe at the bottom of the page!
- Fill a sink, wash basin, or bath tub with lukewarm water.
- Add a few drops of mild detergent or soap. There are many options, Woolite, Dawn Liquid soap, liquid Castile soap, or I like All Free&Clear. My dear friend Liza has used milder soaps like ORVUS Quilt Soap with OxiClean and Vintage Textile Soak to restore vintage gowns.
- Gently swirl or knead the clothing (like kneading bread) for a minute or two to get the water soapy. For lightly soiled clothing do this once and rinse. For heavily soiled clothes, let it set in the water for 15 minutes, rinse and repeat this step 2-3 times.
- Let the water out and rinse thoroughly until the soapiness is gone.
- Opt- For silks I've heard you can add a few drops of hair conditioner to the final rinse for added softness. Neat!
- If you're cleaning silk or something delicate, roll it up in thick towels and squeeze gently. Otherwise, gently squeeze or wring the water out. Take care not to distress the fabric by stretching it out!
- Lay flat to dry in a dry room. Sturdy clothes can be hung on a clothesline to dry.
- If odor lingers after washing, try the alcohol misting method below, then wash it one more time.
For Info on restoring Vintage clothing Read BDV's Articles: All Washed Up: Salvaging the Green Dress and Dirty Lowdown: Why (and How) I Clean Everything
Ok, what if you can't wash it?
Dry Clean Only garments:
An obvious answer here is to take the item to the cleaners. But, some cleaners won't accept period garments (especially if they have a lot of beading or crystals applied) and some find the costs too high.
Dryer Method: Dryel or Woolite dry cleaning kits. Place your clothing in a dryer bag with the provided little wet sheet and the dryer tumbles the dirt out of the garment while deodorizing it. Easy peasy!
Alcohol Misting Method: (Not for use with silk or antique fabrics) Spot treatment and deodorizing by hand.
1. Spot treat your garment using a Dryel Stain Pen or similar spot treatment. Make sure the treatment is bleach-free and doesn't require washing.
2. Fill a spray bottle with alcohol and mist the garment down, inside and out, probably concentrating on the underarm area. This kills odor-producing bacteria. You can use isopropyl alcohol, vodka, grain alcohol, or an alcohol-based herbal deodorant. There's a recipe at the bottom for my favorite blend!
3. Allow garment to dry completely before wearing or further treatment. Again, ALWAYS SPOT TEST FIRST.
If you can neither Dry Clean, nor Spot Clean:
Freezing: This cleaning method works best on furs, feathers, and antique garments that are too fragile to wash or dry clean. It's known as the Museum Method and will kill off any mites/eggs that will eat and destroy natural fibers. Place the item in the freezer for 24 hours, thaw for 24 hours, and back in the freezer at least 3 times. This creates ice crystals that puncture cells, killing existing mites and preventing eggs from hatching, while doing exactly zero damage to the garment. Super gentle!
Leather Care:
First and foremost, always check with the company from whom you purchased your leather goods to be sure they can be cleaned. Suede can not be cleaned further than being gently brushed with a Garment Brush.
I've had some success with removing odors from leather with the alcohol misting method. If you do this, concentrate the spray exclusively where the odor is. Alcohol dries out skin/leather, so it must be cleaned off. Let the alcohol sit for 2-5 minutes, then proceed with the cleaning steps above.
An obvious answer here is to take the item to the cleaners. But, some cleaners won't accept period garments (especially if they have a lot of beading or crystals applied) and some find the costs too high.
Dryer Method: Dryel or Woolite dry cleaning kits. Place your clothing in a dryer bag with the provided little wet sheet and the dryer tumbles the dirt out of the garment while deodorizing it. Easy peasy!
Alcohol Misting Method: (Not for use with silk or antique fabrics) Spot treatment and deodorizing by hand.
1. Spot treat your garment using a Dryel Stain Pen or similar spot treatment. Make sure the treatment is bleach-free and doesn't require washing.
2. Fill a spray bottle with alcohol and mist the garment down, inside and out, probably concentrating on the underarm area. This kills odor-producing bacteria. You can use isopropyl alcohol, vodka, grain alcohol, or an alcohol-based herbal deodorant. There's a recipe at the bottom for my favorite blend!
3. Allow garment to dry completely before wearing or further treatment. Again, ALWAYS SPOT TEST FIRST.
If you can neither Dry Clean, nor Spot Clean:
Freezing: This cleaning method works best on furs, feathers, and antique garments that are too fragile to wash or dry clean. It's known as the Museum Method and will kill off any mites/eggs that will eat and destroy natural fibers. Place the item in the freezer for 24 hours, thaw for 24 hours, and back in the freezer at least 3 times. This creates ice crystals that puncture cells, killing existing mites and preventing eggs from hatching, while doing exactly zero damage to the garment. Super gentle!
Leather Care:
First and foremost, always check with the company from whom you purchased your leather goods to be sure they can be cleaned. Suede can not be cleaned further than being gently brushed with a Garment Brush.
- Brush off clumps of dirt with a Garment Brush.
- Wet a cloth and rub Saddle Soap in a circular motion to get plenty on the cloth. Apply to leather in a similar circular pattern. You may want to use a small polish brush to get the soap into creases and corners, particularly if your leather pieces has a lot of stitching.
- Wipe the garment completely clean. Be sure the buff stitching and corners thoroughly to remove the soap.
- Condition and seal leather from moisture with Mink Oil. Using a new cloth (either a dedicated oil cloth or something disposable), apply the mink oil to the finished side of the garment. NEVER apply mink oil before you clean your leather! It seals dirt and bacteria in and speeds up the breakdown of the leather.
- Wipe off the excess. I usually hang the garment up and let it absorb the oil for 24 hrs before use.
I've had some success with removing odors from leather with the alcohol misting method. If you do this, concentrate the spray exclusively where the odor is. Alcohol dries out skin/leather, so it must be cleaned off. Let the alcohol sit for 2-5 minutes, then proceed with the cleaning steps above.
A Recipe For Stain Treatment
This stain removal recipe works pretty well on garments that can be washed either by hand or machine. Like all stain treatments, it must be applied before the garment is washed to be effective. So it might lighten old stains, but then again maybe not.
1 Tsp Dawn, I like the one without dye
1 Tbsp Peroxide
1-2 Tbsp baking soda
The consistency you're going for is a paste. Add more peroxide if it's clumpy, more baking soda if it's liquidy. Spread a generous amount of paste on the stain. Using a dedicated toothbrush, gently scrub the stain. Treat both sides if the stain has soaked through. Let it sit for an hour, then wash as usual. If the stain persists, repeat the stain treatment. Note: If you are treating a blood stain, hand wash the garment in COLD water.
Make sure the stain is completely gone before applying heat!
1 Tsp Dawn, I like the one without dye
1 Tbsp Peroxide
1-2 Tbsp baking soda
The consistency you're going for is a paste. Add more peroxide if it's clumpy, more baking soda if it's liquidy. Spread a generous amount of paste on the stain. Using a dedicated toothbrush, gently scrub the stain. Treat both sides if the stain has soaked through. Let it sit for an hour, then wash as usual. If the stain persists, repeat the stain treatment. Note: If you are treating a blood stain, hand wash the garment in COLD water.
Make sure the stain is completely gone before applying heat!
A Recipe For Herbal Deoderant
This recipe is for both clothing deoderizer and personal deoderant if you're averse to anti-perspirants. Perfumer's alcohol (aka ethyl alcohol) is preferred but it's kind of hard to get ahold of, so I typically use isopropyl instead.
2 oz Alcohol (ethyl, 180 proof grain alcohol, or 90% isopropyl)
2 oz filtered water
25 drops sage essential oil
35 drops lemon essential oil
45 drops lavender essential oil
Combine and pour into a tinted glass spray bottle. Spray odor spots generously and allow to fully dry before treating further, if needed.
2 oz Alcohol (ethyl, 180 proof grain alcohol, or 90% isopropyl)
2 oz filtered water
25 drops sage essential oil
35 drops lemon essential oil
45 drops lavender essential oil
Combine and pour into a tinted glass spray bottle. Spray odor spots generously and allow to fully dry before treating further, if needed.