Peachy Picks: Caring for your Products!

Welcome to Week 3 of Peachy Picks! This week we're bringing you info on how to wash and care for specialty fabrics so you don't turn that soft silk into a pile of sand paper.

When I moved out into the world and no longer could rely on mum and dad, most of my washing knowledge came from the usual myths you hear:

• Colours run. If you put a red tee in a load of whites, everything you pull out will be pink.
• Avoid the dryer, it will shrink everything you own. Use only for warm socks in winter.
• Warm water is suitable to clean everything. If I use warm water to clean everything else in my house, why not use it for all of my clothes?

Pretty quickly I had to learn that colours, for the most part, rarely run with modern washing powders. A stray sock will not ruin a full load of crisp whites.

The dryer will not shrink everything if it's washed properly and on the correct setting. Avoiding the dryer is only the case for some specialty fabrics (see below).

Water temperature is VERY important depending on fabrics. Your socks and undies may sit in the same drawer, but that does not mean they should share space in the washing machine.

Washing quickly becomes fairly simple for 90% of your wardrobe, bedwear and table linens. However, it's that final 10%, the specialty pieces that add a touch of class to your home that require the most care and are easiest to turn scratchy, faded and unusable.

Read below for how to not only care for these fabrics, but get the most out of them so they actually improve over time.

1. Silk

100% silk pieces are easy to identify, they're smooth, stay cool in warm temperatures and are great at repelling dust and germs. It's also easy to spot some silk that hasn't been cared for properly. It develops a scratchy feeling, clings onto dust easily and in some cases will shrink up to 15%.

Tips for day to day cleaning:

• Hand wash is preferable in cold to lukewarm water. Soak the silk in a mixture of water and a gentle detergent (Delicate Wash from Bondi Wash is a great option for silk pieces).
• Remove from the mixture and rinse under cold water, gently squeezing the fabric. DO NOT wring or twist, unfortunately I ruined my favourite silk pillow case this way.
• Hang to air dry out of direct sunlight. Avoid wooden hangers or rails as they can leach colour into the silk.

Expert tips to IMPROVE your item:

• Every few washes, soak your silk item in a bath of 1/4 cup white vinegar to 4L of water. This will help to remove any soap residue build up that's difficult to remove during handwashing and return your silk to it's original state.
• When drying your silk, place a thick towel down and lay the silk item on top. Roll the towel and squeeze gently along the way to release water into the towel before hanging to dry in a cool place out of direct sunlight.

Our Jane Silk Pillowcase can be cleaned using the information above, and is great for keeping your hair and skin clean and fresh.

 

2. Linen

Linen is one of the oldest fabrics in the world, widely used over 8000 years ago in Ancient Egypt. It's no wonder this fabric has stood the test of time. It's one of very few fabrics that, if cared for correctly, actually improves over time.

My wardrobe and kitchen is full of linen, it's lightweight, buttery and softens over time with each wash. Linen pieces are a summer staple everyone should own.

Tips for day to day cleaning:

• Cold wash in a dryer on a delicate cycle. Warm water WILL shrink linen more than cold water, leaving you with sleeves that don't reach your wrists or a table cloth that covers half of your table.
• Hang to air dry out of direct sunlight. Harsh sun can dry out linen quite fast and leave it rougher than expected.
• Lightly steam or press with an iron whilst still slightly damp.

Expert tips to IMPROVE your item:

• Linen will improve with every wash, getting lighter and softer. Keep washing regularly with a gentle detergent and there won't be a need for fabric softener.
• Similar to silk, soak your linen in a vinegar solution, however this time the ratio should be 1 cup of vinegar to 4 litres of water. Soak overnight and cold wash in a dryer to soften your linen even faster.
• Friction is key to softening linen. Add some dryer balls to a load of linen items or handwash and rub the linen together vigorously to soften it even faster.

Our Luna Linen Napkins are triple washed and treated in a softening solution, so we've already begun the journey to softer linen for you!

 

Hopefully this blog helps to preserve some of your items and get the best out of all the special items you own.

Keep posted for next week's Peachy Picks!