With another holiday season behind us, the time has come to put our holiday decorations in storage and that includes our best table linens. Tablecloths and napkins often bear the brunt of holiday party chaos and usually need a little TLC at the end of the season. Luckily these three easy tips should do just the trick.

Act Fast

Yes, hosting during the holidays can be exhausting. Rather than washing your table accessories right away, it’s likely you’ve crumpled them up and thrown them in a basket to take care of “later.” Unfortunately, you need to act fast as the longer a stain sets, the harder it is to remove. For food stains, choose a spot treatment that contains enzymes and gently dab the stained area. Don’t rub! This will only work the stain into the fabric and potentially cause irrecoverable damage.

Forget the Bleach 

When washing table linens at home avoid bleach and whiteners. These products can change the natural white linen damask or woven pattern of the fabric. Certain bleaches, like chlorine bleach will leave a sour yellowing and worse, can even destroy the integrity of your tablecloth’s fabric. Instead, soak your household items in detergent overnight and then wash them on a short and gentle cycle. Line drying in sunlight will brighten your tablecloth’s whites naturally; however, this can be difficult when it’s wintertime in Toronto and sunlight is scarce. Alternatively, you can put them in the dryer on light heat and use a gentle cycle.

Fold, Hang, or Roll

Luckily, table linens can be stored in a variety of ways which is ideal when storage space is limited. Folding, rolling, or hanging table linens are all possible storage options. For luxury or vintage pieces, wrapping them in tissue paper and boxing them is best. Remember to store them in a cool and dry place as it will keep them preserved until next season. 

There’s nothing worse than taking your table linens out from storage only to find them damaged or stained. Act now so you’re already a step ahead for the next holiday season. And, when in doubt – take your table linens to a professional dry cleaner. They’ll be able to identify, treat, and remove stains properly. An added bonus? They’ll also handle the ironing and packaging, so you can get planning your next party!

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