Washing a tablecloth in a washing machine

After purchasing a machine, life becomes easier - almost any item can be thrown into the drum, and after 30-40 minutes you will get a perfectly clean cloth. But the result is not always so predictable, because many materials do not tolerate aggressive spinning and high heat. Especially when it comes to tablecloths. We suggest you figure out whether it is possible to wash a tablecloth in a washing machine and how to do it correctly. We will be guided by the type and color of the fabric.

Linen

Linen tablecloths attract with their aesthetics, looking harmonious in Scandinavian and minimalist interiors. But beautiful fabric is very difficult to care for: it shrinks a lot, dries out, doesn’t smooth out well and requires a special approach. If the upcoming difficulties do not frighten you, then you can reduce the risks by following simple rules when washing linen products. There are several recommendations:

• stains from wines, fruits and berries ingrained into linen are removed using ammonia or soda solution (when 1 teaspoon of soda is placed in a glass of water);
• if red wine is spilled on a linen tablecloth, then you need to immediately cover everything with salt;
• Before washing in the machine, linen is soaked in a milk-water solution;
• tea and coffee stains are removed without a trace with glycerin-based soap;
• when the fabric has turned yellow, it should first be boiled in salt water, and after the main wash, dried in the sun;
• natural linen is washed with gel detergent - powder mixtures do not dissolve well and remain grains in the structure of the material;
• in the washing machine, select the “Delicate”, “Wool” or “Hand” program, but it is better to wash it by hand;
• the water cannot be heated above 40 degrees, otherwise the linen will shrink greatly and dry out;
• reduce spin to minimum;
• Linen is ironed only in the “Steam” mode.

Linen is washed at temperatures up to 40 degrees and minimal spin.

So, to wash a linen tablecloth in a machine, just follow the simple instructions. Place the fabric in the drum, adding other items of similar fabric type to it. Pour a suitable helium solution into the dispensary, select the “Delicate” or “Wool” program and set it to 30-40 degrees. Don't forget to lower the speed and turn on the double rinse function. That's it, we start the cycle and wait for it to complete.

Knitted item

A knitted tablecloth attracts with its openwork patterns, but quickly accumulates dirt. It is impossible to wash a tablecloth-napkin often and it is better to do without the help of a washing machine. Knitting loves hand washing, gentle and neat.

There are a few more rules that will allow the knitted fabric to maintain its original shape and color:

• wash knitting separately from other items;
• do not rub, but soak in a simple soap solution for about half an hour;
• do not heat water above 60 degrees;
• rinse thoroughly;
• do not iron - knitted items turn yellow from the iron, especially if the threads are white.

It is strongly not recommended to wash knitted napkins in a washing machine!

Knitted items do not like automatic machines: the product stretches disproportionately and becomes cloudy. It will have a bad effect on knitting and vertical hanging - it is better to dry the tablecloth directly on the table or other flat horizontal surface.

Synthetic and mixed tablecloths

Synthetic tablecloths have undeniable advantages: they are cheaper, easy to care for, and are not inferior in beauty to their natural counterparts. Mixed fabric is especially suitable for those who like to wash quickly, because there are no special requirements for washing such products. Everything is extremely simple:

• It is allowed to wash the linen both in the machine and by hand;
• the fabric does not require special products - any available cleaner will do;
• stains practically do not eat into the fibers, which allows you to quickly wash off complex stains;
• Synthetics dry quickly and do not require careful ironing.

If we take it step by step, then we act like this. We wash away difficult stains by rubbing with soap and throw the product into the drum. Pour any powder into the tray, select fast mode or “Synthetics”, set the spin to 800-1000 and set it to 30-40 degrees.

If the fabric is embroidered

When there is embroidery on light-colored fabric, cleaning it becomes much more difficult. The fact is that a colored ornament, especially contrasting bright colors, red, orange, purple, can stain nearby areas of the fabric and ruin the entire tablecloth. In order not to make a mistake, do not forget about the precautions:

• set the temperature to 40 degrees;
• do not put other things in the drum, otherwise there is a high risk of staining the canvas;
• choose a non-aggressive detergent;
• dry in one layer (do not put other fabrics on the embroidery, including the tablecloth itself).

Tablecloths are dried only horizontally - it is better to spread them on the table and not touch them until completely dry.

If the tablecloth is embroidered with Teflon impregnation, then we refuse ironing, dry it in the open air and turn off the automatic spin. We also don’t wring out silk; we make sure to use special gel compounds and don’t heat the iron above 120 degrees.

How hot should the water be?

The nuances of washing are completely determined by the type and color of the fabric from which the tablecloth is made.First of all, the material determines the permissible temperature limit. Most fabrics can be washed up to 40 degrees, but there are some exceptions. In more detail, the list is as follows:

• acrylic washes perfectly when heating water to 30-40 degrees;
• To avoid shedding and fading, colored fabrics are recommended to be washed within 40 degrees;
• for bleaching light-colored products, a temperature of 50-90 degrees is needed;
• cotton does not deteriorate when water is heated to 60 degrees;
• silk is one of the most sensitive materials, it can only be washed delicately and at a maximum of 30-40 degrees;
• For linen fabrics, 40 degrees is enough.

Teflon-impregnated tablecloths can only be cleaned by hand.

Almost all types of tablecloths can survive machine washing without loss. Vinyl, linen, cotton, acrylic and even silk fabrics can be cleaned without any problems in the machine. The only exceptions will be knitted items and Teflon-impregnated fabrics. It is better to refresh them manually and very carefully.

Powder selection

The detergent is also selected depending on the fabric. If you have a Teflon coating, you should choose laundry soap, baby powder or dish gel. Then the protective layer will not be damaged, and the stains will disappear without a trace.

Flax does not like aggressive substances such as chlorine, but welcomes conditioners and rinses. It is permissible to resort to folk recipes with cleaning the canvas with potassium permanganate, peroxide or ammonia. If there are persistent stains, then you can use oxygen bleaches on white, and available stain removers on colored ones.

Do not sprinkle powder onto knitted fabric, otherwise the granules will get stuck in the pattern and will not dissolve.It is also advisable to add something to soften the fibers: glycerin, conditioner or vinegar. Silk products, which require helium compounds and softness, have similar “requests”.

Cotton can be cleaned with any powder. If the stains are too old and heavy, then add peroxide or citric acid. Dish gel or salt slurry treatment is effective against grease. Leave the latter for a few minutes and wash it off the surface of the tablecloth.

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