You probably have discovered old clothes, beddings, curtains, and other linen-type covers during your spring cleaning. If you neglected them for the past year, yellow tinges might have already appeared in your once white and decorative linens. Seeing this, you must have contemplated whether you should still keep them, donate them, or simply throw them away. If you consider donating your clothes with any charity organisation, read more on how to prepare your clothes for donation. Among these, there is a decision that you missed that any responsible homeowner like you must take. It is to get the help of laundry service in Singapore to restore your beloved linens to its original and beautiful condition!
What Causes Yellow Stains?
Stains, in general, are either water-based or oil-based. For instance, coffee and red wine are the types of liquids that can leave a mark on your clothes until they are removed with proper washing and the use of specific stain removers. In short, they are easy to remove. Oil-based stains, however, cannot be completely removed by simply washing it with stain removers. When talking about oil-based stains, this relates to salad dressings, gravy, butter, and even the oil that your body produces. These stains do not completely dissolve out from your laundry wash alone since fats and oils are denser than water. As a result, when you store your linens with invisible stains of oil, it will definitely turn yellow over time.
What to Do to Restore Yellowed Linens?
Urgency is important when dealing with yellowing fabrics. Not only will it weaken your vintage fabrics, but it could also attract insects and damage other fabrics stored with it. Hence, if you are still considering searching for “laundry services near me,” maybe these steps of restoring linen would help you out in the meantime.
1. Attempt Oxygen Bleaching
If laundry and drycleaning services isn’t your first decision, this gentle method of mixing a solution of warm water and oxygen-based bleach is a method you can attempt to do. Just a heads up, this method may require plenty of patience. When doing this, follow the instructions of how much bleach must be poured over every gallon of water. In a tub, submerge your yellowed fabrics with the solution for eight hours or overnight. After this, wash them using the hottest water recommended by the fabric care instructions plus add a half cup of distilled vinegar to the water.
2. Sun Bleaching
Giving your yellowed linens the natural treatment of sun-drying can help bleach them and eventually whiten it. While it is not unusual for homeowners to choose sun drying, you should know how ultraviolet rays can help restore your beloved linens after a laundry session!
3. Consider Chlorine Bleaching
If the last two steps didn’t work, switch to another chemical treatment for your linens which is known as chlorine bleaching. Mix one cup of bleach into 4 cups of warm water before you add it into your laundry drum or washing pail. An indicator that shows this method is working is when the odour breaks down into organic matter which turns the water chalky. However, if the odour remains even after washing, this means your linens may still have traces of oil which can turn your linen yellow in the long run.
An indication that your chlorine bleach is doing its job and odour shall breakdown into organic matter. But, if the odour remains after washing, your linens are still not done with this whitening treatment.
4. Professional Dry Cleaners
As professional dry cleaners that have laundry pick-up services in Singapore, we want to advise you on the most effective cleaning method that would allow you to save your money and time. Professional cleaning requires in-depth knowledge of stains and we can assure you that we are able to identify the most suitable treatment for it. Hence, let us help to restore your yellow linens.
5. Dyeing Your Linens
If all attempts fail, you may consider dyeing your linen to a different colour. Fortunately, dyes are easily available at shops such as, Spotlight and are easy to use. While this may not restore the original looks of your linen, in this way, you’d still be able to enjoy using your linen fabrics for many years to come.
The Experts of Presto Drycleaners
As you let your vintage linens get older in storage, the weaker the threads get and you will lack options to restore them to their original beauty. With our specialised care here at Presto Drycleaners, you get to use and keep your beloved linens as an heirloom to the future generations of your family! Trust that we will take care of your precious heirlooms exactly how we would do with our own. Hence, save yourself the search for a “laundry near me” as we offer pick-up services for your family’s safety and convenience.
If you want to know how we will treat your special linens, you are free to ask us any questions about our washing methods on our website. Reach us through our contact page today!