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Old 06-25-2009, 06:07 PM
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earthwalker
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Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Perth, Western Australia
Posts: 10,357
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What a lovely legacy....you don't say what you are going to do with them and without knowing what the fabric is it is hard to give advice.

You may try contacting a museum or finding a site on the internet for advice with cleaning the fabric. It would help to have an idea of what the stains are....spills...rust...mildew...etc. as each will need different treatment. I have cleaned a lot of vintage fabrics, lace and embroidery with a good success rate. Firstly decide what you will be doing with them, secondly identify the stains and thirdly be really really gentle....no washing machine or dryer...and no rubbing or wringing, gentle swishing and roll up in a towel to remove excess moisture. I always dry old linens and pieces flat on a white/cream towel in sunlight but not on really scorching days. Old stain removal methods are excellent...I have used soured milk, lemon juice and various other old fashioned potions along with pure gentle soap. Old fabric requires old fashioned care.

Let us know what you decide....and good luck. Oh and if you are framing them, endeavour to have them cleaned first (I wouldn't dryclean...too harsh and make sure the framers use acid free products....and don't hang in direct light it contributes to rot and fading. Sorry for going on a bit....I tend to ramble...
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