Can you wash tablecloths

How to wash a tablecloth?

A tablecloth is an attribute that is necessary for every home. We use it when laying a festive or dinner table. The tablecloth copes with several functions at once: it decorates the table and protects it from damage, in particular from hard-to-remove stains on the surface.

It is enough just to remove the tablecloth and stretch it, while the table will remain clean and there will be no traces of greasy food on it. In this article, we will look at how to properly wash a tablecloth, depending on the material.

Washing tablecloths in the washing machine

A washing machine is a way out of any situation. You can’t wash everything; the main thing is to know which washing mode is suitable for the product and what water temperature is acceptable. Speaking of tablecloths, it’s the same story here. You must understand that white linen is washed up to 90 degrees, and acrylic – no more than 40 degrees. Thanks to minimal knowledge, you will not only clean the product without any difficulty but also extend its life.

General recommendations for washing tablecloths in an automatic machine:

A tablecloth with pre-treated spots is sent to the drum of the machine;
Pour or pour detergent into the powder compartment;
For the tablecloth, the mode is set depending on the material;
Some products are washed without spinning or with minimal speed.

After finishing washing, it is better to immediately pull the tablecloth out of the drum and dry it naturally, away from UV rays and heaters. It is important to remember that before washing, it is better to study the information on the tag, which will indicate the required temperature.

Len

Linen is a beautiful fabric, but the material is very whimsical to care for. It shrinks a lot, dries out, and is poorly smoothed out. If you want to buy yourself a beautiful linen tablecloth, get ready for the fact that caring for it will be difficult. A few tips for caring for flax:

Old stains from wine and fruit are removed with a mixture of ammonia or soda solution;

Red wine, which has just been spilled on the tablecloth, is sprinkled with salt;

Before washing in a typewriter, the linen product is soaked in a milk-water solution;

Coffee stains can be removed with a glycerine-based soap.

When washing linen tablecloths in an automatic machine, follow these rules:

Use only helium detergents, powder mixtures do not dissolve well, leaving grains in the structure of the material;
Set the program “Delicate wash,” “Wool” or “Hand wash.” Many recommend hand washing;
You should not heat the water more than 40 degrees so that the canvas does not shrink and dry out;
Spin-off or reduce it to a minimum.
Linen is ironed only in the “Steam” mode.

knitted item

A beautiful and openwork knitted tablecloth attracts with its patterns. Of course, washing such a product often is prohibited. Knitting loves hand, gentle washing. Rules for washing knitted tablecloths:

Wash separately from other things;
Don’t rub. It is better to soak in soapy water for half an hour;
Temperature regime of water – no more than 60 degrees;
Rinse thoroughly;
Knitted tablecloths do not iron.

Remember, knitted things do not like automatic machines. If after the first wash, nothing happens. The next ones will spoil it. The tablecloth will begin to become cloudy and stretch. What is disproportionate? By the way, hanging vertically will also negatively affect the tablecloth. It is better to dry on a straight table or any other flat horizontal surface.

Synthetic and blended tablecloths

Artificial materials have their advantages: they are inexpensive, unpretentious in care, and are not inferior in quality to natural counterparts. Mixed tablecloths are suitable for those who like to wash quickly since there are no special requirements for cleaning such products.

Recommendations:

Can be machine-washed and hand washed;
You can use any tool;
Stains do not eat into the fibers, and this allows you to quickly remove complex dirt;
Dries quickly;
Ironing is not required.

The washing process of such a product looks like this: wash the stain (if any), throw it into the drum of the machine; pour the powder into the tray and select the “Synthetics” mode; set the spin cycle to 800-1000 rpm at 30-40 degrees.

If the fabric is embroidered

Of course, the embroidered tablecloths are exquisite. But the process of washing such a product is complicated. This is since a colored ornament (especially in contrasting bright colors) can dye adjacent sections of the fabric, thereby ruining the entire tablecloth.

Recommendations for washing tablecloths with embroidery:

The maximum water temperature is 40 degrees;
Wash separately from other things;
Dry in one layer on a horizontal surface.

In the case of a tablecloth with Teflon impregnation, it is better to refuse ironing. Silk doesn’t shrink either. Do not heat the iron above 120 degrees.

How hot should the water be?

We wrote above that each fabric has its washing nuances. It is the material that determines the permissible temperature limit. Most of the fabrics can be washed in water up to 40 degrees. But there are exceptions:

Acrylic fabric is washable up to 30-40 degrees;
Colored fabrics are recommended to be washed up to 40 degrees to avoid shedding;
To bleach a light product, set the temperature to 50-90 degrees;
Cotton can be washed in water up to 60 degrees;
Silk, a delicate material that is suitable for washing in water of 30-40 degrees;
Flax is washed at a temperature not exceeding 40 degrees.

Powder selection

The choice of detergent directly depends on what material the tablecloth is sewn from. If we are talking about Teflon coating, then it is better to use more gentle means: baby powder, laundry soap, etc. This will help preserve the protective layer, while the stains will disappear without a trace.

Speaking of flax, it does not like aggressive substances such as chlorine, but you can use conditioner and rinse aid. You can also clean flax with folk recipes: peroxide, and ammonia. If you still need to remove the stain, you can use oxygen bleach.

Knitted fabric does not like loose powders, as the granules do not dissolve and remain in patterns. It is advisable to add something to soften the fibers. For example, glycerin, vinegar, or conditioner. The same requirements for detergents are for silk, which needs only helium formulations.

Cotton tablecloths can be cleaned with any powder. And if the stains are very old, then use citric acid or peroxide and salt gruel against fat.

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Handwash

Hand washing may not give as good a result as cleaning in a washing machine. But this is an old, proven method for years. There is nothing complicated in it: draw water into the washing container (necessarily only the right temperature), dilute the right amount of detergent, and soak the tablecloth in it. Enough 30 minutes.

Then we start washing. If there are stains that have not gone away after soaking, we wash them with laundry soap. We twist and send for rinsing. It must be carried out in several waters, the latter must be completely transparent.

It is necessary to dry the product on a horizontal surface, not under direct sunlight.

General recommendations

From the above, you can summarize and write out general recommendations for washing tablecloths :

The washing process can be carried out manually or in a washing machine;
The temperature regime of the water must be found on the product tag, specify the washing mode there;
Choose liquid or gel detergents, as they dissolve better in water;
When washing tablecloths in the machine, do not fill the drum more than 70%;
Fatty, dirty stains are first removed, only then the product is sent for washing.

On what mode to wash a fabric tablecloth?

How to wash a tablecloth with impregnation?

A tablecloth with a water-repellent effect has an additional fabric treatment that prevents the penetration of liquid into the fibers of the fabric. These tablecloths can be washed at temperatures up to 30 degrees.

How to care for a tablecloth?

But most often, just wipe the soft tablecloth with a damp cloth. The temperature range for wet cleaning should be from 30 to 400C, which accelerates the action of the detergent. At the end of cleaning, be sure to remove the remnants of soap or gel, to avoid muddy stains and stains.