caring for your linens

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How to Dry

Line drying linens is ideal, leaving linens nearly wrinkle-free and smelling fresh, but using your dryer with the proper settings will bring about satisfactory results, leaving linens relatively wrinkle-free and soft.

  • Do not over-dry your linens by using a dryer setting that’s too hot. Set your dryer on permanent press, which has a cool down cycle at the end that helps reduce wrinkles. Most dryers have an air cycle that simply air-tumbles its contents without any heat. This is also a good method for drying linens.
  • Remove your linens promptly to reduce wrinkling. Smooth them out, finger pressing details like flanges on pillow shams, borders on flat sheets, edges of tablecloths or napkins. Then fold carefully.

How to Iron

Washing and drying your linens properly will eliminate many wrinkles. But fine linens made of natural fibers do wrinkle, particularly when new. As they become older and softer, you will find that they wrinkle less.

For both bedding and table linens, using a good steam iron will make ironing easier. Avoid using spray starch, which has a tendency to adhere to the surface of the iron, and may also attract silverfish to the stored linens. If you wish to iron your linens, the following guidelines are recommended.

  • Bedding

    Iron your bed linens while they are still damp. If the piece is embroidered, ironing on the reverse side will prevent damage to the embroidery. Refer to the sewn-in label with the universal symbols for the appropriate setting for your iron. (The symbol chart is included at the end of this section.

  • Table Linens

    Table linens should be ironed while damp. Interestingly, ironing Jacquard-woven table linens will enhance the pattern by increasing the three-dimensional appearance inherent in the Jacquard-woven technique.

Storing Linens

  • If you plan on storing your linens, iron them before you store them.
  • Store linens flat. If the shelves are wooden, line them with tissue paper. Some woods, such as cedar, contain oils that can damage linens.
  • Make certain that linens are not exposed to direct sunlight or moonlight to avoid color fading.
  • Do not leave table linens on your table where they may be exposed to direct sunlight over an extended period of time.

Care of Down Products

  • Always use a duvet cover to protect your duvet and keep it clean. Use pillow protectors on down pillows, and wash the protectors regularly. A mattress protector over a featherbed is strongly recommended.
  • Duvets, pillows and featherbeds should be fluffed daily to maintain the loft and fullness of the down.
  • If soiled or stained, duvets and pillows can be spot cleaned with a damp cloth and mild soap.
  • If featherbeds or silk duvets become soiled, dry clean only.
  • For cleaning down duvets and pillows, we recommend laundering rather than dry cleaning. Laundering rejuvenates the lofting quality of down, making duvets and pillows full, fluffier, and fresh smelling.
  • You may wash down items in a front loading, extra capacity washer (the kind used by professional laundries) using a mild detergent in warm water. Do not use top loading washing machines or the agitation may damage the delicate cotton cover. Some modest shrinkage or wrinkling may result from washing, but will not be visible once the duvet is in a duvet cover.
  • Down duvets and pillow love drying in the sun. Spread them out on a sheet on the grass or deck, and shake them vigorously from time to time while drying. Or you may tumble dry in a dryer set on medium heat. Remove every hour and fluff. Placing a few tennis balls in the dryer will facilitate the drying. Be certain your down duvets and pillows are thoroughly dry before returning to the bed or storage. Always store in cotton bags, never in plastic.

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