In a summer hot city, it happens to see a successful man in a simple-looking linen shirt from Loro Piano or Brioni (which can cost like a good TV or a mountain bike). It is as if he does not notice the heat. And in a nearby park, young mothers probably had a picnic dressed in light, spacious linen clothes in the style of Boho. Yes, linen is back in fashion! This is one of the oldest materials for the manufacture of fabrics; linen clothes were made 9,000 years ago in India.
No wonder it remains popular to this day, because it has a number of remarkable qualities:
- Flax fibers contain silicon dioxide, which has a bactericidal and antifungal effect.
- Unlike other materials, not a single case of an allergic reaction was recorded on linen.
- Linen fabric is 50% better than cotton and absorbs moisture.
- Flax is not electrified.
“Super clothes” or the biggest problem in the wardrobe?
Despite such amazing properties, many prefer more “simple” materials in choosing clothes. Depending on whether several rules are followed in washing, drying and ironing, two options are possible:
- If you know how to wash linen and follow some simple rules in caring for a thing, then you get “super clothes”, which:
- With each wash, the fabric becomes softer, but does not lose in strength.
- After a few years, the socks look like just bought.
- Even a strict suit will dilute, giving the image a little emancipation.
- You don’t know how to wash linen correctly and get the biggest problem of your wardrobe:
- Flaxen clothes behave unpredictably: it either sits after washing so that it can be given to the youngest daughter, or it stretches after several days of wear to indecent sizes.
- All paint washed off after the first wash. Now the things that were erased with her in rainbow stains.
- The fabric was as rough as burlap.
With this option, every time a seller in an expensive store speaks of linen clothes as the most unpretentious and easy to care for, there is only a bitter smile, saying "we know your unpretentious clothes." Although everything is actually very simple!
Why do linen things sit down?
One of the most significant problems faced by owners of linen items is the reduction of the longitudinal and transverse dimensions of the linen after washing. So that further recommendations to prevent such an occurrence are logical and understandable, let's look at the mechanism of shrinkage of linen items:
Flax fibers in the process of making threads are very elongated. In water - the optimal conditions for their slight twisting, in addition, there is a gradual washing off of starch glue, which is used in the production of fabrics.
High temperatures contribute to the swelling of plant fibers. Now they are in close contact with each other. Due to its natural origin, flaxen threads at the microscopic level are similar to herringbones, which, clinging to each other, are held tightly after drying in a new position.
Knowing this, one can easily explain a number of methods to prevent and combat shrinkage. We will answer one question that interests everyone.
Recommendations
How to wash flax so as not to “sit down”:
Correct temperature conditions. What is the temperature for washing linen? No more than 40 degrees for color and 60 for white things. Thus, flax fibers swell less, do not touch too close, and as a result, there is less chance of microvilli adhesion when the fibers are slightly twisted in the aquatic environment.
You should iron things until they are completely dry after washing. But why? After all, as was said earlier, hot water creates all the conditions for a thing to sit down. In this case, the same process occurs that causes linen to shrink, only with the exception that with a heavy iron, we forcibly pull the twisted fibers, and the swelling process bonds them in a new position. Fight fire with fire!
Drying clothes on a coat hanger or clothespins (for towels, bedding and other things). Everything is obvious here: the wet tissue stretches under the weight of its own weight.
It's important to know! When staining, flax is boiled in boiling water (decanting occurs - the fabric shrinks to the maximum, almost irretrievably, and simply cannot sit even harder, therefore, it doesn’t shrink during household washing). But with dyed linen there are some nuances.
Why does the fabric "molt"?
Because dyes are used to dye plant-derived tissues that dissolve fairly well in water (especially in an acidic environment). Therefore, the best solution is to choose white linen or linen items in natural shades.
How to wash so that things retain their color?
The natural color of the material is dark gray. It is impossible to return the color of a thing if it has already been washed off with detergents using other chemicals. There are many methods for restoring the color of brown things with coffee broth, black with tobacco, blue with blueberry juice, and special dyes for fabrics are produced. All these methods are effective to varying degrees and take time, so it’s best to know how to wash linen.
In the washing machine, colored items are not recommended. But if the colors are light or close to the natural color of flax, then you can try. Many experts recommend adding a tablespoon of vinegar when hand washing colored flax, which gives things brightness. It is difficult to explain the essence of this method, because acidic solutions “wash” the fabric dye. Perhaps this gives the effect of brightness - the color becomes lighter, but does not fade. Table vinegar itself, unlike other acids, does not produce a damaging effect on flaxseed.
How to wash linen in a washing machine:
- Delicate wash mode.
- Without spinning and drying.
- Flax is washed at a temperature of 30-40 degrees for colored items and up to 60 degrees for white.
- The machine should be filled no more than 2/3 of its volume.
We also give other tips on how to wash linen.
How to remove stains from linen clothes?
Acid-containing and chlorine-containing stain removers damage linen fabrics, so ammonia can be used for contaminants such as sweat stains, cosmetics, and blood. To remove greasy stains, it is recommended to sprinkle the item with talcum powder, cover with white paper and leave it under the load for a day (dry wash).
How to wash linen?
For flax, powders for delicate washing are used. Many people wash a thing with ordinary laundry soap or with Indian soap nuts, which have established themselves as a universal and completely natural detergent.
How to bleach flax?
You can bleach linen with your own hands using soda ash. This is done in a washing machine, the maximum temperature should not be higher than 60 degrees.
How to make flax softer with your own hands?
Over time, this will happen by itself, but if you do not want to wait, you can use the following method (which, of course, is safer to use for unpainted fabrics). This is soaking things overnight in saline (about a glass of salt in 15 liters of water), followed by washing. As a result, the thing will become softer.
Conclusion
So, we figured out how to wash linen. As you can see, sorting this issue out is pretty easy. Knowing all these nuances, you can significantly extend the life of a thing and not spoil it at the first attempt to wash.