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Many people prefer to launder linen, especially
table linens, handkerchiefs and bed linen, because the more linen
is washed, the softer and more luminous it becomes. Its luminous
quality is caused by nodes on the flax fibers, which reflect
light. These same people often choose to wash linen articles
because they know linen, as a natural fiber, launders beautifully.
Shirts and other garments worn close to the
body are easily washed. Freshly washed linen has a naturally
clean fragrance and gives one the sense of well-being. In the
case of hand or machine washing use a sufficient amount of water
since linen is very absorbent.
A variety of drying methods is recommended
for linen: line drying, machine drying or rolling in terry towels.
Whatever method you use, remember to remove the linen from the
line, the dryer or the towels while it is still damp. If linen
dries thoroughly, it becomes brittle and takes several hours
to recover its natural moisture and full flexibility. (The natural
moisture content of linen is between 6-8%. Linen dried beyond
this point will re-absorb moisture from the air.)
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LAUNDERY TIPS
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Use pure soap or gentle detergent when
laundering linens.
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Soap works best in soft water. (In hard
water it forms curds that makes fabrics dingy and stiff).
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Launder any stains when fresh. If allowed
to set, stains may be impossible to remove at a later date.
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Use oxygen-type bleaches for white linen,
instead of chlorine bleaches which can cause yellowing.
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Select a water temperature between warm
to hot, depending on the care instructions.
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Place delicate or fringed linens in a
pillowcase before putting them into a washing machine.
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Whether hand or machine washing, be sure
to rinse the linen item completely in lots of water to remove
all soap, detergent and residual soil. This will help to
avoid formation of "age spots" which are caused
by oxidation of cellulose (linen's primary component).
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Once rinsing and spinning cycles on a
washing machine are complete, either line dry the linen items,
lay them flat or hang garments -- all until slightly damp.
Avoid wringing out linen before drying.
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DRYING TIPS
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Never tumble-dry linen as this can over-dry
the fibres and makes ironing more difficult. Linen naturally
dries quickly anyway.
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To keep white linens white, try drying
them in the sun.
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