Care

The label gives the highest temperature the item can take – a lower one is always fine. Don’t overload the drum, wash with similar colours, and wash delicate weaves (sateen) inside out. Chlorine bleach weakens cellulose fibres.

How to wash linen

Natural fibres don’t need to be dried to a crisp. Take cotton and linen out of the tumble dryer slightly damp, or line dry them. Dry viscose and wool flat unless the label says otherwise. High heat in the dryer is the most common cause of shrinkage.

Cotton and linen iron best when damp. The number of dots on the iron symbol gives the maximum temperature. Iron dark colours on the reverse to avoid shiny patches.

Care label symbols

Act quickly and rinse with cold water from the reverse; don’t rub. Never use hot water on protein stains (blood, milk, egg) – heat sets them. For greasy stains, detergent worked into the dry stain helps. Test any stain remover on a hidden spot first.

Clean, dry, loosely folded, in a breathable cover. Plastic bags trap moisture. Refold linen differently from time to time so that sharp creases don’t always form in the same place.

Cotton and linen that have not been pre-washed shrink slightly in the first few washes. A lower washing temperature and line drying help. Knits shrink more than woven fabrics.

Glossary entry

Linen and cotton soften by themselves with use and washing. Fabric conditioner may make the surface feel softer, but it can reduce absorbency – which does more harm than good on towels and tea towels. Shaking items out and drying them in a breeze helps more.