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Advice on Stain Removal - Regular Cleaning - Storage & Preservation - Other Topics

Help with Stain Removal

Q: I have a 1950s suit jacket that is smelly from someone's use.  Should I use Febreze on it?  I have dry cleaned it, but the stain is still there.

A: You wrote that you have a 1950s suit jacket with body odor. Since you have already dry cleaned the jacket, it's important to know whether the cleaners steamed the jacket dry or heat-dried it in any way. If they did, the odor is probably set, even more so than by the amount of time the odor was left in the fabric. If there has not been any heat setting, and if the jacket is washable, try some long soaks with baking soda in water, or with a pre-packaged odor neutralizer (like Stain Devils) from the grocery. I haven't used Febreze myself, but you may have luck with it as well. Just remember that Febreze would likely leave residue on the sprayed surface, which itself could become a stain with time. I hope this helps!

Q: I washed a pair of jeans and I had a RED shirt in there, and it stained my jeans I've got these pink spots on my jeans ...is there anyway to get rid of it?

A: You wrote that you've washed a red shirt with a pair of jeans and transferred red dye onto the jeans. If you heat dried these jeans, they are most likely set and the dye won't be removed. Otherwise, rubbing alcohol may remove the dye, but you'll need to soak them probably repeatedly in straight rubbing alcohol. You could also try a commercial dye remover (from the grocery) but these could lighten the jeans themselves. I hope this helps!

Q: Recently I have been getting a lot of velvet clothes- new and vintage so made from silk and other materials. I have been getting spots mainly on the back. They look like water spots in size and shape and up close are the velvet looking smashed with the fibers pushed down in another direction. Will this come out with dry cleaning? Is there any other way to get them out. I don't believe these have gotten wet --I usually would wear a coat in the rare occasions it rains here. Is there any way to prevent these in the future? Thanks a lot.

A: You wrote us with a question about crushed spots on velvet. The standing fibers of velvet will flatten if any serious humidity or water gets into the velvet -and- if the velvet is pressed flat with your hand, your body, or anything else while wet.

Probably the droplet sized spots are from rain, a lawn sprinkler, the condensation of an iced drink cup, or even sweat drops (if you sweat in any 'healthy' amount). You really have to be standing guard when you wear velvet, if you want to avoid these mishap types of spots. If you think it might be sweat, you can try wearing a body stocking, a close-fitting camisole, anything that fits up under the arms to see if they stop appearing. A little detective work can go a long way to avoid these altogether.

To get them out, there are two options. Dry cleaning will help, since dry cleaning actually isn't "dry", and the liquid solvents they use will let the velvet stand up again where it's crushed. They should also steam the garment afterward, which is the easiest way to quickly remove these crushed marks. Some crushed velvet, if it's severe, will not stand up again if steamed. You can also steam at home, with a handheld or travel size steamer, they are the least expensive ($10-20 at a Walmart etc). But be careful... the steam from a steamer will saturate a garment quickly, so after you steam (from the underside of the fabric), be certain not to touch the outside of the velvet until it's completely dry once again. Let it hang in mid-air on a hanger, touching nothing. I hope this helps!

Q: I have a 1924 Vintage Girdle (stitched on tag) in a box and it is in good condition.  The ONLY problem is that some sort of green residue has built up around the metal fasteners and has spotted some of the fabric.

A: The green residue is a chemical reaction over time from the metal fasteners of the girdle. Because it's green, it makes me think there is some copper in the metal, but it could be some other metal's reaction. I don't have personal experience with this type of problem on fabric, but on the metal fasteners, just get a toothbrush dipped in water and begin scrubbing. Re-dip it in water to refresh the brush and keep taking away residue, bit by bit. For the fabric itself, I would look at rust removers or even a calcium-lime-rust type product. These may not be the right chemical "fighters" to work against the green build-up, but you'd have to know the metal's composition to determine what exactly would counter it. Whatever product you try, it would have to be diluted and applied sparingly, and rinsed well afterward. I hope this helps!

Help with Other Topics

Q: Dear Vintage Vixen:

I have visited your site on numerous occasions and am a fan. I am writing to get advice from you regarding clothing. I lost all of my clothes (and belongings for that matter) in a water back-up/flood situation and am currently negotiating a settlement with my insurance company. They are claiming that the depreciation for apparel/footwear is in the neighborhood of 80 - 90%! My clothing is high quality, i dabble in clothes collecting as a hobby, and take good care of my clothes. As you are an expert in clothes preservation i was wondering if you would either review my list and circumstances (i am single and work as a marketing director for a top music magazine and don't have any kids) and give an estimate with regard to depreciation or if you could refer me to an article, guide or other source/expert on clothing deprecation.

A: You wrote that you're seeking info on estimates of your clothing that has been damaged in a flood situation. I've not had particular experience with depreciation, though I have debated the idea that with vintage clothing, the older it is, the more valuable it can be. This is totally backward to the average insurance company, who thinks that if a year-old garment is worth half price, a 50-year-old garment must be worth pennies. So I have sympathy with your dilemma, but I'm not certain how much help I may be.

If you got estimates of retail values on your vintage clothing, then the insurance company may be willing to look at your clothing's value as -collectables- instead of garments. There can be a great difference between clothing that is a purchased collectable, as art, not a worn (and presumably worn out) garment. I don't know whether the insurance co will see this, but I do. However, even if they do see it, they might then assume you would have gotten special insurance on the clothes alone if they're of that much value to you.

For other info on depreciation, there's not a lot I've seen. One book that does discuss it is pretty pessimistic. It's called "Taking Care of Clothes" by Mablen Jones, and it says that clothing even a year or two old is only worth a fraction of the original, discussed in the context of a dry cleaner losing or ruining a garment. You might try looking up similar books at the library for info in this area.

Q: You said on your site not to store clothes in bags.  What about Space Bags?

A: We do not recommend storing clothing in plastic bags for a few reasons.  First, if the clothing is made of natural fibers (cotton, linen, wool or silk), it must be able to "breathe" (expand and contract) as the room temperature changes, and an air-tight bag will not allow this.  However, even if you were storing clothing made from all-synthetic fibers, sealing a bag of clothes can hold in moisture which could mildew, and any odors will seem intensified when re-opened.  As I understand it, space bags require you to pump out air, which will also make you iron or steam everything once the bag is re-opened.  I hope this helps!

Q: I recently acquired my grandmothers wedding veil and head piece. It's in ok condition, there are a few holes through out but that is all. It is over 50 years old and made of silk. I was wondering if you had any suggestions as to how I can store it properly to keep it from being damaged any further.

A: You wrote us with interest in preserving your grandmother's silk wedding gown and veil. The first thing to do in preparation for long-term storage is to clean the gown. A dry cleaner who is experienced with antique and vintage clothing would be ideal; some who advertise "wedding gown preservation" may be good, but others may not be especially well-educated in the area. After it has been cleaned, handle the pieces with clean dry hands, or ideally, with plain white cotton gloves on. Buy a small amount of acid free tissue, enough to pack the gown inside to give it some amount of shape. Usually we pack the bodice and sleeves and roll the skirt and train gently up into a sleeping-bag type roll. The headpiece should be packed to maintain its shape and the veil rolled similarly. Get a large cardboard box and line its bottom and sides with acid free tissue, and place the gown in first with the veil above it. Make sure the box is large enough that it won't be crushed when closed. The box should not be air tight, because natural clothing fiber like silk has to "breathe" (i.e. expand and contract) with changes in temperature and humidity. Do check on the box after you've stowed it away, every 3 to 4 months. I hope this helps!

Q: I recently received a dress that belonged to my Great Great Great Grandmother. I would like to know the safest ways to display or store these items. I was thinking of having it put into a large frame. What do you think would be best?

A: To display the dress, you could have it framed with two caveats - first, make sure there's only indirect light (at most) if it's going to be displayed every day. Light destroys fabric over time, by weakening it as well as fading it. Second, make sure the frame is not airtight, and that you can get into fairly easily if need be. Natural fibers need to expand and contract with changing temps, so airtightness is bad. On the other hand, pests can travel into a frame that's not airtight, so it's helpful if you can "evacuate" the dress should it ever attract pests. If it's clean of body oils & other residues it should not be a particular attraction to pests; silk & wool are more predisposed to pest damage than cotton or linen, but with an occasional visual inspection you should be fine.  Additionally, you should affix the dress to an acid-free backing by hand-tacking it with unbleached cotton thread.  Distribute the weight of the dress by having a strategy for spacing the sewing before you begin.