Yellowed lace doilies: make grandma's handiwork pristine again using just a few ingredients
Handmade doilies are precious objects that deserve to be treated properly. Displaying them on furniture, for example, is one a way to "show off" their beauty. But it is also true that, over time, they turn yellow and/or get dirty, marring their beauty. Restoring them to their original whiteness, however, is not impossible. Let's find out together how to do this:
Delicate cleaning of grandma's doilies
Whatever the yarn they were made with, doilies must be handled with care - even more so if they are old and/or have great sentimental meaning for you.
The first method to try should, therefore, be as gentle as possible - there will always be time to try more "aggressive" methods if this first method fails. Proceed as follows:
- Fill a basin with warm water
- Get a delicate detergent (Marseille soap is ideal)
Dissolve a spoonful of detergent in the warm water and then immerse the doily in this. Wait half an hour, then rub the doily very delicately, without twisting or pulling on it (which could misshapen it). Rinse out well and leave out to dry in the sunshine. You need to lay out the doily flat, and turn it over so that the sun gets on both sides: the sun's rays help to whiten the fibers naturally. This method should elimate most yellowing, stains and dirt.
What to do about tough stains
If the above method does not remove all the stains, yellowing or marks, you can try some alternative methods.
- A stain remover for fabrics in general - these usually work on doilies too. Before trying one with a bleach-based formula, try using an active oxygen stain remover first. Apply the stain remover only on stains, following the product's instructions regarding application and rinsing times. Always dry out in the sun (as recommended above).
- Hydrogen peroxide: fill a basin with one part hydrogen peroxide and three parts regular warm water. Leave the doily to soak in this, checking every 10 minutes to see if the stain has disappeared. Rinse out as as soon as you are happy. Dry in the sun.
- Bleach: this is the extreme method, only to be tried when the other methods don't work. You will only need to add a drop of regular bleach to the water and detergent mixture to do this. Keep an eye on the doily and rinse it out as soon as the stain fades away.
Ready to make your grandma's old doilies look like new again?
Two more hacks to know about
- Instead of a basin, you can save space by using a (very) large glass jar with a lid. Fill it with the mixture indicated above, insert the doily, close the lid and then shake the jar. It's a hack that saves you from having to scrubbing by hand.
- When drying the doilies, use a clean white towel. Place this on a flat surface and lay the doilies on top of it. Then, roll up the towel, squeezing gently. In this way, the towel will absorb most of the water and you can then leave the doily out in the sunshine where it will dry much more quickly.
These small hacks can make all the difference!