Whilst both glorious natural fabrics, linen is often chosen over cotton to add an extra level of luxury and comfort to your bed or table dressings. However, despite its superior durability, you may be risking the longevity of that luxuriousness by making these common linen care mistakes.
1. Using plastic storage covers and containers
Linen is composed of natural fibres and using plastic storage containers suffocate the fabric and prevent it ‘breathing’. Trapping your linen in plastic means you risk light brown staining occurring and even mildew growth. Ideal storage would be a specialist linen storage bag made of flax, for example, or wrapped in acid free papers.
2. Allowing exposure to UV light
Linen is as delicate as a fine wine or English skin. Exposure to the sunlight can cause irreversible damage. And just like your skin and favourite glass of red it needs a cool dry place to thrive. Protect it from the sun to ensure long lasting softness and enjoyment.
3. Improper laundry techniques
Overloading your machine or adding fabrics that do not consist of linen risks the rougher fibres disturbing or damaging the finer fibres of your linens. Try to reserve all your linens for a separate wash.
4. Using fabric softeners
Linen naturally softens with each wash, so patience is rather the technique to employ, than synthetic softeners. Hot water, bleach and non-eco-friendly detergents are all best avoided too.
5. Not addressing stains immediately
This tip stands for all laundry. Never let a stain sit, or it will become harder to remove. Instant pre-wash treatments such as baking soda and vinegar should help lift it out during the cycle.
6. Storing linen whilst damp
Mould and mildew love a dark, damp environment. Even the cleanest of households contains these micro-spores, which will certainly find their way into the secret folds of your damp linens. For proper linen care ensure it is 100% dry before storing.
7. Choosing dry cleaning
Once again we wish to avoid all synthetic chemicals when it comes to linen care. A warm cycle with eco-friendly detergent is perfectly sufficient for laundering your linens.
8. Tumble drying on high temperatures
Whilst drying naturally might not always be an option, it is best. However, if you must employ the tumble dryer, use a low heat setting and don’t overload it. To prevent brittleness from over drying, remove your linen from the machine whilst it still contains around 10% moisture and allow to fully dry in the fresh air where possible.
9. Having only one set
Of course, we understand what a delight it is to settle into your favourite bed linen at the end of the day, or to dress your table for a special occasion with your best linen cloth, but the nature of the linen means it will wear unevenly with regular use. Rotate your linens with a second or third set to ensure longevity.
10. Irregular washing schedules
Recommendations for bed linen care are that you should launder your bed linens once a week to reduce the growth of bacteria and fungi. Let’s not dwell on that, but rather celebrate the glorious feeling a freshly made bed!
