1928 ERA FASHIONS 1931
Carol Weckman
Model A Era Gloves:
HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR
VINTAGE CLOTHING
Many of you have purchased original Model A
clothing this year and probably have them hanging in your closet next to your
modern garments. Here are some
guidelines of how to care for these vintage items.
CLEANING - Be certain the garment is clean before storing it.
Sometimes shaking the garment can loosen some of the dust.
Sometimes one has to do surface cleaning on the garment.
Buy a piece of fiberglass screen at the hardware store and bind the edges
with twill tape. Lay the screen over
the textile and vacuum through it with a hand held car vacuum cleaner.
The screen keeps threads and lightweight fabrics from being drawn into
the nozzle. A soft artists brush can
be used to dislodge dust from crevices before vacuuming; use the brush very
gently so as not to harm the textile. Professional
dry clean is NOT recommended. If you
do want to use a dry cleaner, contact the local historical society and ask them
for a recommendation.
WASHING – white or colorfast cottons, linens, laces and soft silk or rayon
lingerie can be hand-washed. Be sure
to test dyes by pressing wet cotton to an inconspicuous corner.
The two most important considerations are handling garments gently and
making sure no harmful chemicals are deposited in the fabric.
Bleach and stain removers should not be used as they will weaken fibers.
The washing container should be large enough to
hold the textile flat. This is
usually the bathtub, which should be thoroughly scrubbed and rinsed.
A natural soap such as Orvvus WA Paste gives good results.
Distilled or deionized water is necessary for the final rinse.
A fiberglass screen like the used in vacuuming can be used to support the
garment in the bathtub.
Run a shallow amount of lukewarm water into the
bathtub and mix in a very small amount of soap.
Lay the garment on the screen and lower it in.
Press the suds through it with a new plastic sponge; don’t rub squeeze
or wring. Change the water whenever
it becomes dirty so the fabric will not reabsorb the dirt that has been
dislodged. Rise with lukewarm water
until it is clear and then rinse with distilled water.
Use the screen to lift the garment out of the water.
The drying process can be speeded up by first
rolling the textile in a clean white towel to blot up the excess water.
Dry the piece inside on a flat surface away from bright lights and heat.
PRESSING – Any pressing should be done on the lowest effective heat setting and
kept to a minimum. The bottom of the
iron and the ironing board should be clean.
Lay the garment down inside out and use a press cloth.
If you use a steam iron, use distilled water.
STORING – For lightweight sturdy articles, padded
hangers provide the best support. Do
up all the fasteners and pad sleeves with acid free tissue.
Cover the garments with a homemade garment bag made of tightly woven
unbleached cotton. Garments can also
be stored in drawers between layers of acid free paper.
Do not use plastic to store suede, leather or fur, these textiles all
need air to breathe. Wrap them in a
clean white sheet; if possible the fur should be stored flat and not folded.