How To Wash Linen?

Linen is a premium fabric that carries the height of sophistication and essence in it. It is made with the fibres of flax plant which is grown without any use of pesticides and toxic chemicals. That being so, linen dresses are hypoallergenic as well as eco-friendly. In order to maintain the grace and chastity of this natural beauty, you need to take proper care of it. Contrary to popular opinion, linen is not a very tough task to maintain. If you wash, dry, iron, and store your linen clothing in the right way, it can last for a lifetime. 

When it comes to washing, linen bedsheets, curtains, clothes, and other products can go for both machine wash and hand wash. If you want to know the detailed and precise process of cleaning linens, read along. Featuring here are the things to keep in mind while washing linen shirts, pants, sheets, etc. Hope these suggestions not just help you wash linen in the best way possible but also in maintaining the excellence of its life. 

8 Things To Keep In Mind While Washing Linens

Keep It Cold

As a matter of fact, linen is known for keeping you cool and likes to be treated with cool only. Therefore, Linens are best to be washed with normal cold water at room temperature. Whether it is linen bedding or clothing, be careful with the temperature of the water. You can go with lukewarm water if required but at less than 40°C. A very high temperature can not just weaken the fibres of the cloth but also cause shrinkage of the fabric by up to 10%. 

Be Lenient With Linen

For cleaning natural fabrics like linen, it is important to stay quite lenient. Whether you are washing it by hand or in the washing machine, use a mild detergent or liquid wash. You should choose soaps or detergents that are formulated specifically for delicate fabrics like linen. Do not bleach linens. Furthermore, it is strictly advisable to avoid detergents that contain harmful chemicals such as Amylase, Protease, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Borate, etc.

Don’t Overload

While going with machine wash of linen, avoid filling up the washing tub or drum too tightly. Keep enough space in the machine to rotate clothes freely with the solution. Do not overload it with a high number of clothes. While washing big and heavy stuff like linen quilts, wash one at a time, if possible. Else, wash them manually using your hands.

Avoid Mixing Shades

During the washing process, keep white-coloured, light-coloured, and dark-coloured linens separate. Linens are mostly dyed in multiple colour shades and are likely to transfer their hues to other pieces of clothing when wet. Thus, you should not wash your light-coloured and white-coloured linen cloth with any dark-coloured fabric or you may end up ruining your favourite attires. In order to avoid running the colours of dresses and mixing them with others, it is recommended to wash them separately. 

Prefer Hand Wash

Since linen is a soft and natural fabric, it should preferably be washed gently by hand. Though most of the linen clothes can conveniently go for machine washing. However, some delicate clothes may come with specific instructions on the need for hand washing. If you are opting for washing linen curtains, sheets, or dresses in washing machines, it is suggested to keep the setting in gentle mode. 

Soak Them Up

In case your linen clothes or other products, such as linen tablecloths, are highly stained or dirty, you should soak them before proceeding with regular washing. Fill a bucket or sink container with regular or lukewarm water. Now add the required amount of mild detergent in it followed by submerging the linen garment in the solution for about half an hour. 

Do not wring, twist, or scrub the cloth too harshly as it can stretch the fabric. Simply swish the cloth around with gentle hands. Before you hang clothes to dry, don’t forget to rinse repeatedly the soapy water until all the detergent residue is drained out thoroughly. 

Let Them Dry

Natural air drying is considered to be the best option to dry linen bedsheets and garments. So let your linen clothes dry themselves. While you are in a hurry, you can choose to go with tumble dry at low or no heat setting. Tumble drying on high heat can over-dry and shrink the fabric, resulting in damage to the cloth. For best results, turn linens inside out and let them air dry under regular sunlight. This will help in preventing colour fading issues and ensure no damage to the fibres of the cloth. 

Do Not Skip Instructions

All clothes are different and require different washing treatments as per their fabric compositions and texture blends. The same rule goes for linen. Normally, the basic process of washing linen is the same, still, it is advisable to read the given instruction guide or label attached to your linen product. Most of the linen outfits and sheets come with washing instructions alongside. It will let you know if that particular piece of cloth requires any special treatment. Thus, it is extremely important not to skip considering them to avoid any negative effects.

Summarizing

Washing any fabric requires correct measures and the right process. They assist you not only wash your linen effectively but also efficiently without any trouble. In general, high-quality Oeko-Tex Certified linen fabric is sturdy and durable on its own. All you need to do is follow the aforementioned basic rules to make the most of it. If properly maintained, the beauty and elegance of linen can last for decades, enabling you to pass the love to upcoming generations. Till next time, apprécier!