Cleaning doilies

[dizzyfish]

I remember that we had a couple of topics on cleaning different items and I thought you might be able to help with this problem. I have inherited a box of crocheted doilies that belonged to my grandmother, aunt and mom. Some of them are absolutely stunning! I could use some advise on cleaning them. I am using Oxyclean and Woolite which is taking care of a large part of the discoloration. (my parents were heavy smokers) Unfortunately some of the doilies have stains on them that aren't coming out. (looks like maybe coffee or tea for the most part)

Does anyone know of anything I can use to get out the stains??? I am afraid to use anything too harsh because of the age of some of these doilies. (guessing some may be over 50 years old)

BTW I have been handwashing them. Talk about dish pan hands! LOL

Thank you for any assitance you can provide.

[TreasureIslandFLGal]

I wish that I could help but, I think you're already doing the best things you can.

Good luck!

[alicia-w]

I have a tried and true way of getting stains out gently. I
even use it on needlework (embroidery). Take two parts Ivory Snow (not
flakes) and one part Snowy Bleach (only this brand) and mix them in water--
enough water so that that the solution is quite soapy--exact proportions
aren't necessary. Soak the stained item.

or you can soak them a bit in club soda and let dry in direct sunlight.....

[azsnowman]

I have a tried and true way of getting stains out gently. I
even use it on needlework (embroidery). Take two parts Ivory Snow (not
flakes) and one part Snowy Bleach (only this brand) and mix them in water--
enough water so that that the solution is quite soapy--exact proportions
aren't necessary. Soak the stained item.

or you can soak them a bit in club soda and let dry in direct sunlight.....

Great stuff you mentioned alicia! I've got some of my mothers knitted stuff to and that combo is what someone recommended for me to use...and did it EVER

[dizzyfish]

I wish that I could help but, I think you're already doing the best things you can.

Good luck!

I sure hope so! Thanks!


Alicia,
I will have to check for the Snowy Bleach. I haven't seen that in the stores here.
Being that it is bleach - won't that make the colors bleed? (I have a couple that have red edging)
Thanks for your help!

[Miss Mary]

My mom has lots of doilies - I'll have to ask her how she takes care of them. I do know she prefers Chorox 2 powder bleach over liquid.

You could also try Dreft Powder. It's very expensive now and doesn't seem to come in a smaller box. Yes this is the baby detergent but did you know that it was first formulated to get out most food stains? Besides being gentle, this is why it's recommended for baby clothing. My kids are 17 and 20 now and I haven't had a need for Dreft for....well you do the math. But over the years it has come in handy, for spaghetti sauce stains to very stubborn stains. Now I also keep it on hand b/c I work in a school cafeteria. For a less expensive option, you could buy the Dreft spray spot remover. It's around $3.00. You would just unscrew the spray part and pour about 1/4 cup in your washing machine. Use the hottest water possible and agitate a few minutes, add your doilies, agitate again and soak overnight. Agitate well before letting them go thru the rinse cycle.

[dizzyfish]

Hmmmm good old Dreft - didn't think of that! Thanks Miss Mary. I was hoping you would chime in on this topic!

Maybe I can "borrow" some from my little sister - she still has a couple of young un's running around.

[Miss Mary]

Good idea. Make her a treat and ask for a cup of Dreft in return! That would be all that you would need.

Also years ago I worked for a doctor's office and the bottoms of my white nursing type work pants would get so black, esp. during the winter from snow and salt. Someone then recommended Dreft too.

I used to keep it on hand all the time, long past the time my kids no longer needed it. Then of course I ran out and went to pick up another box - egads, it's expensive stuff! That's why I opt for the spray bottle if it's one stain on one piece of clothing. I had to use it this past year on my work clothes and aprons. I told my cafeteria coworkers my Dreft tip too. They said they had never heard of it and when I explained the article I had read about Dreft, years ago, they all said that makes total sense. But I doubt many ran out and bought it (b/c many of us just continue wearing my stained duds, b/c they'll get stained again, LOL).

[angelwing]

Dreft is awesome! Unfortunately I am alleric to a lot of laundry stuff and Dreft is the only thing I can use, even Ivory snow bothers me. Dreft is great for stains like that too, it worked on a few doilies that I made that got nicotined and when the hubby came hope from the hospital I had to de-nicotine everything, it worked great!

[DaylilyDawn]

A product called Zout may get the stains out. If it can get blood out of garments and red clay out of white double knit baseball pants, I think it can get out the stains you are talking about. It is available at Publix in the laundry aisle.

[dizzyfish]

My brain must not have been working when I started cleaning the doilies. I have Zout in my laundry room. It works wonders. Even took out the purple baby medicine my nephew threw up on my beige shirt!

Thanks for reminding me of that!

duh - I feel so stupid!

[DaylilyDawn]

Dizzyfish,
I have used Zout for over 20 years. My youngest son played Little League Baseball for 4 years and wore white double knit pants with every uniform shirt for each team.Keeping them white was a challenge for me. One night his team had practice and when it started to rain, they practiced sliding into the bases.. When I picked him up from practice, his pants were red from the clay around the bases. It took me three washing rounds with Zout in each one but I finally got the clay out and the pants were white again.

[TreasureIslandFLGal]

I know that this is gonna' sound strange and a bit unconventional but, I remembered that there used to be an old Efferdent commercial where they soaked a string of pearls overnight in a blueberry compote and then let them dry so that the stain would set in. They then put them in a glass with Efferdent and the stains came out of not only the pearls but, also the string that attatched them. It may be odd but, it may be an inexpensive thing to try!

GOOD LUCK!! I know how important it is to refurbish family heirlooms!

[dizzyfish]

lol I remember that Efferdent commercial! Something to think about. I'll have to remember that the next time hubby spills sangria on one of the doilies.

So far I am having pretty good luck with the stuff I have used so far.
Oxyclean
Woolite
Dreft
Zout

Thanks for all your help. I really appreciate it - you are all so wonderful.

BTW DaylilyDawn - I went to Publix this morning and they didn't have a place on the shelf for Zout! I almost fell over. I was going to get some to restock what I am using. Now I have to go searching for it.

[DaylilyDawn]

My Publix puts it on the top shelf down with the other pretreaters Like Shout and Biz

[MomH]

Once you have tried everything else if you still need help--soak things in pure lemon juice and set in the sun for awhile.

[MSRobi911]

I don't know more than what others have offered on getting the stains out, but I do remember that my Grandmother would starch the living he!! out of hers, they felt like wax when she got finished....this kept the stains and nicotine out of them, just had to dust them off and they made wonderful little patterns when you bent/rolled them.

Mary

Man that makes me old!

[Miss Mary]

Mary - LOL!!

Your story reminds me of the plastic doilies I bought, circa 1975. I guess I had images of my mother whitening and starving the living hell out of hers too! LOL So when I saw plastic ones, I bought one or two. We used my old hope chest for our stereo stand, and I bought a nice avacado green plastic one for underneath the components and the lovely, huge speakers - remember those? he he Anyway, the components heated up over time and stuck to the top of my lovely solid maple hope chest. I had to peel them off - they were on so good. Yes, there was always a permanent mark on top of the hope chest. Sigh.....I pitched all of my plastic doilies after that experiment!

Back to cloth ones.......now I tend to use place mats or table runners. The ones I love are the ones you find in Americana Folk Art furniture and gift shops - they come in dark green checks, burgundy, tans, etc. Woven with fringe too. I think I gave up my white doilie (or is that "doily"?) phase years ago!

[angelwing]

I'm in the process of crocheting a few doilies (haven't worked with thread for ages)and was wondering what kind of starch would be good to use then? No one smokes in the house anymore, but to prevent future spills/dirt (hubby is great with iced tea stains)

[Persepone]

I second MomH--lemon juice is the SAFE way to bleach out the stains, yellowing, etc. on antique fabrics...

Where do you buy Dreft? Ivory Snow? Can't find it in stores in Northeast.

By the way--does anyone know where to get powdered Spic & Span? The liquid stuff is totally different stuff.....