How Do You Clean Vintage Lace Doilies?
Delicate and beautiful, vintage lace doilies should be handled with care. While older methods suggest the use of lemon juice or sunlight to bleach out stains, this may damage the delicate fibers of the doily. Implementing gentle care techniques that don’t involve harsh detergents or wringing the fabric will bring you the best results when cleaning your vintage piece. Fill a sink basin or large container with warm water. Add a capful or 1 ounce of mild laundry detergent for each gallon of water. Agitate with your hand to mix the soap and water together. You should see some bubbling from the detergent. Place the vintage lace doily into the basin or container and allow to soak for 15 minutes. Place in a container of plain warm water to rinse. Swirl the lace doily gently in the water to rinse for approximately 30 seconds before removing and placing on a large towel on a flat surface. Roll the towel up into a cylindrical shape with the doily inside. Press down on the towel with both hands t
