Care Instructions
The owner of a restored bedspread asked me about cleaning and caring for her spread and since I get this question very frequently, I want to share the following information with you:
“Yes, I usually get questions about cleaning restored items, which I am happy to answer. I always make recommendations when I complete each piece and send it home.
No, I don't do any cleaning; it is a very personal decision for each customer. You have several options:
If you have a good dry cleaner you can trust to use clean fluid (because they do lots of bridal and lace cleaning), you can trust them to do a good job. Some of them can also launder your spread in a mild detergent. Dry cleaners have large trays that support the weight of your spread. If you wash it yourself, you need to find a way to totally support the weight of the spread while it is wet. That is when the fibers are most vulnerable to stretching and breaking. In many cases it applies to the delicate connectors of your design; some were crochet with the original thread, which is sturdy - but there are places that are thinning and need to be replaced as well. Often that difference is not visible.
Some of my customers that have new washing machines with a super gentle, no spin cycle use those (you could let it soak for a few minutes) and the gentle air setting to dry. If you hand-wash it in the tub, it should be air dried lying flat on towels in the grass or somewhere safe. It is just too big to be handled a lot while wet.
If you have a tablecloth or smaller item, you could put it into a zippered pillowcase for extra protection.
Now you can see why I deal with the restoration only and yes, your treasure is always checked over on my light table to be sure it is in perfect condition when it goes back to the customer.
By the way, the customer was thrilled with the restored piece and is using it on her bed as soon as it arrived back home! It feels, looks and smells like new! At this time there is no hurry to go through the cleaning process.