Stain Removal Tips & Tricks from Empress Jade Vintage

We are often asked for advice on how to care for and preserve vintage garments & textiles, but the most common questions are always about how to remove stains, so we have put together this guide.  Before you try anything please read the following disclaimer:

MOST items can be safely washed at home, but there are always exceptions.  Let your common sense prevail.  The cleaning of extremely rare, museum quality, couture, valuable, antique or fragile items should be left up to the experts. It is also not recommended that you attempt to wash ties because they lose their shape.  If an item has valuable vintage buttons or ornaments you should remove them prior to washing or dry cleaning because solvents and even plain old water can destroy them. Empress Jade Vintage and it's owners cannot be held liable for any damage you may cause to a garment.  These are guidelines only and is not an all inclusive list; there are many techniques and products not mentioned in this guide; this is simply a list of the most common stains found on vintage textiles and our experiences in dealing with them.  The decision of what method to use and whether to attempt to clean an item rests with you and is done at your own risk.  

These guidelines apply to almost all stains.  Fresh stains are usually easy to remove but once the stain has set it may be impossible to remove.

1.) Blotting technique ( for wet stains):  Put a clean dry white cotton towel under the stained area.  With a second clean dry cloth gently blot the other side to remove as much liquid as possible.  Do not rub at all or you may actually spread the stain. Do not use paper toweling because the paper fibres may rub into the fabric.
2.) Sponging technique: Put the stained area face down on a clean dry white cotton towel.  Use a second cloth dampened with water or solvent to gently blot the wrong side of the fabric.  Feather from the outside to the inside of the stain to prevent it's spreading outward.  The stain will transfer to the bottom cloth.  Repeat until the stain is gone.  If there is a ring left behind it is usually washed away when the item is washed.
3.) Dry Cleaning.  If it is not washable take it to the drycleaners as soon as possible.  The longer you wait the less chance they have of removing it.  It is very important that you tell the cleaner what kind of stain it is so they use the appropriate solvents or they may actually make the stain permanent.  Generally we have not had a lot of success with Dryel but the stain remover that comes in the kit works pretty good.
4.) In general, DO NOT USE HEAT!  Heat sets most stains, particularly protien stains.  Do not iron or use the dryer until the stain has been fully removed.
5.) Test first!  Test all products on an inconspicuous spot to determine if the item is colorfast.  This is especially important on dark or bright colored garments because the colors often run.  For example, put a tiny drop of stain remover on a Q-tip and apply it to an inside hem or inside seem.
6.) Be Gentle!  Hand wash in a sink or bathtub.  Avoid using the wash machine on vintage textiles unless the item is very robust.  Always use a blotting motion first.  Do not rub at all if it is not necessary to remove the stain.  Unless the fabric is very tough, excessive rubbing can damage fabric.  Over agitation of wool or cashmere will make it shrink or felt. Be very gentle when handling wet items because they tear easily when wet.  Do not ring out water.  What we do is gently squeeze out the excess water and then roll in a clean towel.  Hang to dry if the item is sturdy enough; if it is heavy or fragile let it dry flat on a clean dry towel.
7.) RINSE RINSE RINSE.  Soap residue can damage delicate fibers so rinse well and then rinse again.  A bit of vinegar in the rinse water can neutralize chemicals and help you remove soap residue.  Rinse again in clear water.
8.) Aggressive stain removal techniques can permanently weaken or change the color of a garment., so you need to consider carefully whether it is better to live with the stain rather than try to remove it.  Always start with the gentlest method first.  Long soaking times may also degrade the seams and weaken the fabric.  Never use liquid chorine bleach on silk, wool or cashmere.

How to remove specific stains often found in vintage clothing and textiles:

Protein Stains (blood, vomit, milk, etc...):   Protein stains are easy to remove when fresh.  Soak in COLD water and gently agitate, soak at least 30 minutes.  You may want to use a pre treatment such as SPRAY AND WASH, but only if the item is color fast.  We have also had success using a product called OPTIMA by Stainsafe and the stain remover in DRYEL kits.  Hand launder in a gentle detergent.  Protein stains may be near impossible to remove once they have been heat set, so aggressive or multiple techniques may be required to remove the stain.  These are some things we have tried with varying success:

- Sunlight Bar Soap. 

This is an old fashioned basic laundry bar soap.  Make a thick lather and let it sit on the stain for at least 30 minutes. If the fabric is sturdy rub on the stain.  Rinse well.

- Soak in OXY CLEAN or RESTORATION.  In some cases we have had to let an item soak a day or more to lessen severe set in blood stains. Most cotton and nylon garments hold up well to this treatment but it is not recommended for silk, rayon or wool or anything with elastic in it.  Very color saturated items may bleed.  NOTE: some vintage Sellers have reported problems using Oxygenated cleansers, but we've had a lot of success with these products; we have very soft water where we live, so that may be a factor.

- Dampen and sprinkle stain with meat tenderizer.  This will loosen some protein stains allowing you to wash them out.

- Hydrogen peroxide is a bleaching agent  but is somewhat gentler than chorine bleach.  Works best on white cotton and linen.  Apply full strength to stain, wait 1 minute and rinse well.

- Rubbing alcohol - flammable, be careful!

- Bleach - We only recommend chorine bleach if you have tried everything else and the item will otherwise be thrown out.  Very harsh to fabric.  Use a dilute mixture of liquid chorine bleach in water and soak item no more than 15 minutes (CHECK OFTEN!!!) and rinse well.  Using straight bleach is not recommended as a spot treatment but the new bleach pens sometimes work.
 
- BIZ - Some vintage sellers swear by BIZ to soak out touch stains but we cannot readily get this product in our area and have never tried it.  Note: that BIZ now contains an Oxygenated cleanser, so you may not want to use this on all fabrics.

Perspiration, deodorant stains and ring around the collar:

This particularly applies to mens shirts.  Use SUNLIGHT BAR SOAP.  Create a thick lather and rub on the stained area and let sit at least 30 minutes.  If the garment is sturdy and can take some scrubbing use a toothbrush or laundry scrub brush.  Rinse and launder as usual. We have found that good old fashioned basic laundry soap works when nothing else will, but you may have to apply some elbow grease, so this may not be appropriate for delicate fabrics.  

Mildew: 

Mildew is a living organism that causes permanent damage to fabric, so it is important to kill it as soon as it is discovered.  Take the item outside and brush off any loose flakes of mildew - do not do this indoors because you could spread the mildew to other items!  The best way to kill mildew is with heat and bleach, but a lot of fabrics cannot handle either treatment. Pre-treat with heavy duty liquid detergent and launder in HOT WATER if the item can handle heat, if not use cold water.  Dry item in the sun.  Bleach as a last resort.  

Mothballs and Other Nasty Odors:

Mothballs can leave a persistent odor that remains even after repeated washings.  The best way to remove this smell is to hang the item out on a clothesline for a day (or several days) if necessary.  In fact fresh air is the best remedy for any nasty odour.  We have also used Fabreeze, but be careful as this product will sometimes stain fabrics and some people just plain old hate the smell!  We recommend you do a test on the inside of the garment on an inconspicuous area before you spray the whole thing.  Another trick is to use a vingear rinse.   If an item cannot be submerged or airing it out is just not working, try puytting the item in a closed container with clean kitty litter for several days.

Grey or yellowed whites:  White cotton and linen can become discolored due to improper washing, hard water, over bleaching, poor storage or age.  Often a good wash is all it needs to brighten them up.  USE VERY HOT WATER if the garment can take it. 
- Soak in OXYCLEAN or RESTORATION - it may take only an hour or up to several days but the yellowing and stains will usually come out.
- Try WHINK for rust removal.  We have also used diluted toilet bowl cleaner to remove stubborn rust from white cotton but only try this if you are desperate and the item would otherwise go in the garbage.  Be careful as this works fast and can eat a hole right through the fabric.
- Dry items in the hot sun - sun will bleach whites.  Prolonged or repeated exposure to sun bleaching is not recommended as it will also degrade the fabric.
- Use a bluing agent - the bluing make whites look whiter but will not remove stains.

General tips for preserving vintage textiles

- Avoid using starch altogether  ( it attracts bugs).  If you must use starch, wash away all starch before putting your item away for long term storage.
- Use distilled water when you iron.  In fact we prefer using a steamer and avoid ironing alltogether.
- Use acid free paper or a clean cotton sheet to wrap items for long term storage.  Do not let them touch any exposed wood as it will stain.
- Avoid folding items when possible, i.e roll them in tissue. 
- If you are hanging a garment do not use metal hangers (fabric padded hangers are preferred).
- Do not store in plastic garment bags for long term storage because moisture can accumulate inside the bag causing mildew.  You can create inexpensive dust covers for items from old white cotton sheets or muslin.
- Moth balls do work but the odour can be very difficult to remove.   The best prevention of moth damage is plain old good housekeeping; never store dirty items, vaccum regularly and make sure your storage area is clean.  Cedar does help prevent moths but is not failsafe.
- Store in a dark dry space (not a basement).

Storage for antique, extremely fragile, valuable or vintage couture clothing and furs:  These items often require specialty packaging and handling to preserve them for future generations and you may want to get professional assistance.  You can purchase archival garment boxes and tissue from many high end dry cleaners, some wedding dress stores and there are lots of sources on the net. Furs should be put in cold storage when not in use.

We hope this guide proves useful and helps in the preservation of more vintage lovelies. 

Empress Jade Vintage