Actually, textiles should be rolled, not folded...after being stored folded, a problem can develop in the folded area. A couple tips.... never wrap them in plastic...if you wish to keep them dustfree, put them in a cloth bag or pillowslip will do...they can't 'breath' in plastic. Don't store them anywhere there it gets very hot or very cold...no attics or basements. I believe I'd wash them, no starch, and roll them, covered to protect from dust/dirt...a cardboard box would be fine...none of those plastic airtight containers.

I agree with Sandra on almost everything. I have a friend that's a fabric conservator for a textile museum here in Wisconsin and it's recommended that linens be washed gently and the stored in an acid-free environment. Cotton bags (prewash them to remove any sizing) are great and then place them in an ACID-FREE box; not just any old cardboard box, because paper is highly acidic and cardboard is especially bad. You can often get acid-free boxes from a dry-cleaner; they get them for storing wedding dresses.

If you don't have room to store large rolled items like tablecloths. The next best thing is to gently crumple them and stuff them into cotton bags. This is also the recommended way to handle quilts if you don't have room to store them flat or on rolls.

Annie

Scrolling like mad to say don't store in just any cardboard box.!
And linen never needs to be starched. It becomes crisp whan you iron it while it's wet.
And remember to check carefully for stains, pins, rubber bands and the like before you store them....and no tissue paper unless it's special acid free tissue.
Linda C

Hi Daisy...
Mainly wanted to say hello....and I think you should store your linens in Waco :^)
Great to see you here!

Thanks everyone. I knew I could find the answer here. And now I have a use for all those spare pillowcases.

Goodness....I freaked people out with the term cardboard box! But, calm down, folks - take a nice deep breath and you'll be fine!!! ......I was actually just using it to differentiate from plastic boxes, and should definitely have been more clear ....mea culpa. What I use are acid free boxes and acid free tissue paper that I get from our local dry cleaner...it's what they use to store wedding gowns, etc.

I wanted to add that any textile benefits from a regular airing and refolding. My thing is specifically quilts and it's recommended that stored quilts be taken out once a year, examined for bugs or other damage, then laid flat for at least a day or two to air out and allow the creases to relax and then refolded in a different pattern to prevent permanent creasing. Many quilt collectors make it a habit to change the quilt on their guest bed once or twice a month to display each quilt in turn, killing two birds with one stone.

For new quilts we are seeing the "crumple" method of storing recommended. You gently stuff the unfolded quilt into a large cotton bag, willy-nilly. This method prevents permanent crease lines from forming over time.

If you want to try this on vintage or antique quilts, you must carefully assess the condition of the fabrics in the quilt as it will damage brittle fabrics--but such quilts should be stored flat anyway. Even rolling them on tubes will cause brittle fabrics to shatter.

Annie