Caring for Your Fine Quilts and Linens

Whether it's your grandmother's antique tablecloth or mom's handmade quilt, or a brand new display wall hanging, you will want to keep it looking beautiful and fresh and minimize possible damage to the fibers.  Here are some things you can do to protect your fine quilts and linens.

Mildew and mold can cause great damage and unsightly staining to quilts and linens.  Keeping your fine linens and quilts at a steady temperature of 60 degrees to 70 degrees Fahrenheit, and a humidity of no more than 70% will help to prevent moisture damage.  Cloth items should never be placed in plastic bags where moisture can build up and cause staining or deterioration.  Instead, quilts may be wrapped in clean cotton sheets, pillow cases, or washed muslin, or in acid-free paper, and stored in a dry, dark closet, drawer, or chest.  Avoid storing textiles in attics or garages where rodents and pests could create nests or eat the material.  You should also avoid storing your linens or quilts in cedar chests that may have oils that will damage the material.  If possible, cover exposed wood with paint or a polyurethane finish.  If you are storing your linens in an untreated wood case, place a layer of cotton sheeting or acid-free tissue paper between your quilt or linen piece and the wood to prevent oils from entering the fabric.  Linens may be stored in acid-free boxes which are readily available in photography, preservation, and craft stores.

Folded quilts and linens may gain permanent creases and unsightly yellow lines, as well as deterioration along the creases.  Add bulk in the folds of quilts by placing knotted lengths of unbleached muslin or crumpled acid-free tissue paper into the folds of the quilt.  Rotate and refold your stored quilts and linens with different fold lines every few months.  Air your quilts out twice a year, out of direct sunlight.

You may wish to display your quilts or linens.  Rotate your display items every six months to avoid color fading from exposure to light.  To display a quilt on the wall, sew a cotton sleeve to the back, and then use a wooden dowel rod to hang without damaging the material.  A quilt which is framed should be covered with plexiglass, which will allow the material to breathe.  Avoid placing display quilts and linens in direct sunlight, which will cause colors to fade.  Also avoid smoking around display quilts and linens, as smoke will discolor the material and speed deterioration of fibers.  Gently vacuum or shake out your wall hangings several times a year.

If your quilt is in daily use, inspect regularly for tears or damage and repair immediately.  Clean up soils or spills quickly with cold water and a white cloth.  Table salt may be used to soak up fresh spills. 

Before washing your quilt, you should test each material for colorfastness by dripping cold water and blotting with a white washcloth.  Unless specifically noted as being machine washable, quilts should be hand-washed in cold water with a mild detergent.  The bathtub is an ideal place to wash your quilt.  Wash the quilt with a kneading action.  Rinse by draining and refilling the tub.  When the quilt is clean, press the water out with your hands.  Lay the quilt between two clean sheets on the grass out of the sun to dry.  Avoid overwashing your quilts and linens, which will lead to color fading.  Bed linens may be washed in warm water in the washing machine with a mild detergent and dried in the dryer at a moderate temperature.  Handwash your fine table linens in cold water with a mild detergent.  To have really crisp table linens, place in a plastic bag in the freezer while still damp from washing, then iron several hours later.  

Very old or damaged quilts and linens may require special cleaning and restoration procedures best performed by a restoration specialist.