Thread: Cleaning Very Stained Vintage Embroidery

(I hope this fits in this section....)

I recently purchased an adorable but rather stained embroidered table runner. I doubt the stains will come out but I thought I'd give it a good try before re-purposing the embroidery (which seems to be in pretty decent shape).

I don't know what the stains are; it is mainly browning. I have done nothing to clean it yet, and the person I bought it from had gotten it from an estate sale and had not done any cleaning either. So a relatively fresh slate here, in terms of recent attempts at cleaning.

Here are pictures:







(I'm sorry the pictures aren't better...the browning doesn't show a lot but look at the edges, that's where most of it is)

I'm trying to decide what to buy and try to clean this with. I've heard good things about RetroClean (and is the Retro Wash worth it? I have a lot of vintage fabrics I'd like to freshen up); I see there's also Orvus Quilt Soap; and Restoration Hypoallergenic Powder which looks promising too but is more expensive. And I know there are also a plethora of "homemade" methods.

The stains I have do look kind of like those shown in the Retro Clean examples so perhaps that would be my best bet for now?

I would try the RetroClean; I've seen some very good result from using it.

Yes, use the RetroClean, as suggested above. I used it on some quilts from my great grandmother. Worked terrifically well. Also, I had a hand embroidered linen cutwork tablecloth my granmother made in the late 60's. Someone spilled coffee on it and the stains didn't come out...washed, dried, put away until 2013. Followed the directions on RetroClean and it took every bit of the stain out. I have no interest in the company other than hoping it continues!

Where do you BUY Retro Clean?? I Google and is it just the manufacturer?? It is a bit on the heavy side for shipping.

Thanks for all the advice! I think I will give the retro clean a try and will proceed slowly. I will repurpose the embroidery squares into quilt blocks if the stains won't budge and/or the fabric will be too damaged.

@ManiacQuilter2: It's depends what country you're located in, but I'm looking on Amazon. It looked like I could also get it shipped to store at a Walmart but I haven't looked too closely at that option.

Originally Posted by Skylark53

@ManiacQuilter2: It's depends what country you're located in, but I'm looking on Amazon. It looked like I could also get it shipped to store at a Walmart but I haven't looked too closely at that option.

THANKS, I should have looked at Walmart but nothing was coming up on Google which it usually does if Walmart has it. I am in the US in Southern California where the Oscar awards were handed out last Sunday.