All textiles show wear over time. The good news is that with some care and precautions, your embroidered textiles will age gracefully and last for years to come! WASHING Hand-washing and air-drying are by far your gentlest options when cleaning your embroidered textiles. In order to avoid shrinkage (which causes the embroidery to "pucker") always wash the fabric as gently as possible in cool/cold water, then air-drying. Never use bleach on an embroidered textile, and be sure to follow the individual fabric's care instructions if provided. Be sure to wash using distilled water if you have hard water or iron in your water source, as the minerals sometimes found in water can stain your fabric.
To hand wash, fill a clean, deep sink/container with cold water. Use a gentle liquid detergent (free of dyes and perfumes), as a liquid detergent will disperse evenly in the water and leave minimal residue on the fabric. Place your piece in the water, ensuring the entire piece gets wet. Gently move the piece around in the water, for 5-10 minutes, depending on how soiled the textile is. Next, drain the soapy water and fill the sink/container again with fresh water. Repeat draining and refilling the sink/container until the water is clear and no suds are present. When machine-washing embroidered clothing, be sure to set the machine to its gentlest cycle. Don't forget to turn the garment inside out to protect the embroidery from abrasion, and always avoid washing embroidered items with other items that have metal hardware (such as zippers).
AIR-DRYING It is important to remove your embroidered textile from the wet environment immediately after washing. Do not wring the embroidery piece. Instead, roll the textile in a towel and gently squeeze to remove excess water. To air dry, place the embroidery flat on a dry towel until it is completely dry.
PRESSING If the textile needs pressing, place a thick white towel on the ironing board. Position the embroidery face down on the towel, then cover with a lightweight white cloth and press on the back with the iron. Never place a hot iron directly on the embroidery thread, and always use a dry iron (no steam). REMOVING STAINS In general, mild stain removal methods are best.
HANDKERCHIEFS
We recommend ONLY hand washing in a mild (no perfumes or dyes) liquid detergent, and air-drying for our heirloom handkerchiefs. (See hand washing, air-drying, and pressing tips listed above.)
FOUTAS
We recommend hand washing (or the most gentle cycle on your machine wash) for our foutas. (See hand washing, air-drying and pressing tips listed above). Follow garment instructions.
LINEN ITEMS
We recommend ONLY hand washing in a mild detergent, and air-drying for all of our linen items. (See hand washing, air-drying and pressing tips listed above.)
BABY ITEMS
We recommend hand washing (or the most gentle cycle on your machine wash) for our cotton baby items. (See hand washing, air-drying and pressing tips listed above). Follow garment instructions.