[lace] washing silk
Hi Arachnids A dear friend has asked me for help renovating her mother's hand-embroidered light-weight dressing gown that she has inherited. She can remember her mother washing it and we do not know how to treat the stains, probably food. Any suggestions will be appreciated. Happy lacemaking Alex - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lacemaker/sets/
Re: [lace] washing silk
Alex, A dear friend has asked me for help renovating her mother's hand-embroidered light-weight dressing gown that she has inherited. She can remember her mother washing it and we do not know how to treat the stains, probably food. Any suggestions will be appreciated. When I'm in doubt I always go for tepid water and pure soap first (Lux flakes or Velvet). Next step would be Soda Bicarb or salt on the stains. Another reliable old remedy which is usually safe is to make a paste with lemon juice and Silver Star starch (you know that old lumpy kind), rub it into the stain gently and then allow to dry in the sun. Lemon juice needs sunshine to activate it. Perhaps that's a bit much to ask of the UK at this time of year though. Let's know how you go. David in Ballarat, AUS - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lacemaker/sets/
Re: [lace] washing silk
I was wondering if one could get an enzyme based solution to remove the food stains. If there is a gentle one for fabrics. I use one on the carpets and furniture after the cat has brought up a fur ball. I have no knowledge of their long term safety for use on the fabrics, but they do remove the stains. IN England, I got them from the local vet Sue sueba...@comcast.net -Original Message- From: Alex Stillwell A dear friend has asked me for help renovating her mother's hand-embroidered light-weight dressing gown that she has inherited. She can remember her mother washing it and we do not know how to treat the stains, probably food. Any suggestions will be appreciated. Happy lacemaking Alex - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lacemaker/sets/
Re: [lace] washing silk
I wash silk regularly, all my nighties and slips are silk. I usually do what David has suggested on some occasions I have even used 'preen' ( a prewash spray on stain remover to remove bad stains. This is a method of last resort, and I leave it on for less than minute before washing the garment. Contrary to popular belief silk can be a very robust material and long wearing if washed in pure soap (even if you have to grate up a cake of soap), use tepid to warm water (if it is too hot for your hand it is too hot for silk), rinsed in tepid water, final rinse with vinegar (white)or lemon juice (about 1/2 cup to about 5 liters of water) hung up to dry in the shade (here in Australia that is inside). Anna from a sunnyish Sydney - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lacemaker/sets/
Re: [lace] washing silk
- Sue Babbs sueba...@comcast.net wrote: I was wondering if one could get an enzyme based solution to remove the food stains. NO! Sorry for shouting, but I've seen what enzyme soaks can do to bones and flesh, never mind delicate fabrics. First of all, an enzyme is a molecule that facilitates a chemical reaction in another molecule. After the reaction, the enzyme lets go and grabs another target molecule, facilitates that reaction, and so on--the enzyme never gets used up and can go on, and on, and on I saw photos of a fish-skeleton collection that had been cleaned of muscle and tendon with an enzyme soak. The clean bones were thoroughly washed/rinsed afterward, but it's impossible to get every single enzyme molecule out, so it keeps on chewing away. WHen it ran out of muscle tendon, it continued, breaking down minute bits of protein in the bones, destroying them. The skeletons were piles of bone-dust with a few sticks of bone still not digested. Second, most of the enzyme fabric cleaners target protein and break it down. Silk (and wool, for that matter) are protein! The cleaners usually say not to use them on wool or nylon (nylon is not protein, but it has the same linkages, which the enzyme breaks down into hydrochloric acid. Robin P. Los Angeles, California, USA robinl...@socal.rr.com - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lacemaker/sets/
