Best way to wash a vintage wool afghan?
linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago)
6 years ago
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Best Way to Just KEEP a Clean home?
Comments (21)Every day, take a look around and ask yourself the question, What ONE THING would make the biggest difference? Then do it (or have kiddos do it). Then, go on to the next biggest thing. For me, it's always 1) declutter/put things away (everyone in the family should do this, except the 8 month old); 2) clean the floor; 3) clean any shiny reflective surfaces that are dirty. In the kitchen, I think the FlyLady is right on with the clean sink. I have a rule that dirty dishes should NEVER be left in the sink, and clean dishes should NEVER be left in the dishwasher. Everything in the kitchen should be cleaned right after it is dirtied, otherwise it takes 10X as long, plus I hate to think about the proliferating bacteria in the place where we prep and eat our food. Invest in tools and cleaning products that save time and/or make cleaning easier. My favorites: microfiber cloths (should almost always replace rags, sponges, etc) -- lots of them. I have about 60, just keep pulling them out till I have a decent size load to wash. Mr Clean Magic Eraser - for tough jobs microfiber mop with LOTS of replacement heads Swiffer Vac to do the kitchen and entryway every day. Much faster and more effective than broom, much faster than getting out the canister vac, so it's worth it even though the battery only lasts a year or two. Might even upgrade to Dyson, Hoover Linx, or Roomba for frequent floor cleaning. Swiffer dusters. They really are the fastest, easiest tool for grabbing dust, and get into really tight small places so nicely. I always try to find washable/reusable rather than disposable cleaning products, but this is a disposable that is just faster AND locks up the dust better than any of my other dusting tools (I have feather, wool, and various microfiber). I'm allergic to dust, and children develop allergy more easily in a dusty environment, so it is worth it to me to buy these dusters and throw the dust away. I can whip around a room and lock up most of the dust far faster than with other dusting tools. Look for "sticking points" or annoyances in your cleaning routine and look for products or tools to make those things faster and easier....See MoreWashing vintage linens
Comments (21)Update! I washed two sets twice on wrinkle free/hot/extended/sensitive and they came out really well. Washed with Persil Universal. These sets weren't the worst of the bunch re: yellowing. But they look good. Here's a pic. I normally don't fold the bottom sheet over the coverlet but they look so pretty! I have another set in the wash now. They are on their third wash. They are pretty yellowed but I'll still use them. Thanks all!...See MoreNeed wool/wool blend carpet at a discount!
Comments (11)bigadventuregirl - If you do find a wool at a "discounted" price make sure you do your homework on the product and the manufacturer. Discounted prices on wool are red flags to me. Your next best fiber will be nylon. Nylon has memory and will handle high traffic very well. Have you looked at any brands of carpet? One I will highly recommend is Dreamweaver. They are a newer company but they were created by Mr Shaw who created Shaw Floors (Shaw Industries). He's a very smart man and he knows carpet. Dreamweaver, my opinion, has the best stain protection on the market for carpet. You can use hot water to clean your carpet and remove stains...no need to buy carpet stain cleaner. All carpet companies manufacture their carpet, roll them out and add a spray foam stain protector which dissolves into the carpet. Dreamweaver adds a stain protection during the manufacturing of their fibers prior to the carpet being manufactured. Once they have manufactured the carpet, they too add an additional spray foam stain protection that dissolves into the carpet. It's basically 2x the protection and the stain protection in the fibers are superior to all others on the market. Red wine spill? No problem with Dreamweaver carpets, hot water will remove it....See MoreMusty Smell in Afghan Blanket
Comments (39)Before I did any more washing, I would just place the afghan over a wood drying rack outside on a sunny day. It can be cold, you just don't want cloudy or any rain. You will have to fold in half lengthwise and place over the top and out to both sides. Bring in when the sun goes down and leave on rack to keep airing in the house. Sunlight kills mold spoors, if that is what it is. You may have an old mothball smell. Mothballs smell musty to me and the sun and fresh air will also remove that. I wouldn't add any more chemicals to the mix. I think it just needs to air out a time or two. If that doesn't work, you can always go further. I have the acrylic afghans just like yours from the same time period....See Morelindac92
6 years agoElizabeth
6 years ago
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