The Complete Guide To Wash Embroidered Clothes

Embroidered clothes look so pretty and colorful. Not to mention the hand-embroidered ones usually cost a lot! So it only makes sense to preserve them for as long as you can. Here is a complete guide to wash and special care instructions for your embroidered items.

Steps To Wash embroidered clothes By Hand

Can you wash embroidered clothes?

Dry cleaning remains the most popular way of cleaning hand-embroidered clothes. However, considering the harmful effect of dry cleaning on clothes and on the environment, it should only be your last option.

This post details how with little care and attention you can easily wash embroidered clothes at home. The embroidery thread will retain its original bright color.

Before you start, always read the washing instructions for embroidery carefully.

Also, preferably wash embroidered pieces one by one in your sink.

1. Test the cloth for color bleeding

Always test for color bleeding from the threads. Soak a cotton swab in cold water. Gently rub the swab on the embroidered parts. Make sure to rub on all colored threads. If any color transfer happens, you need to treat the garment first. Or just take it for a dry wash (if you don’t want to take any risk).

2. Soak in Mild Detergent Solution

Fill in your washbasin or tub with cold or lukewarm water. Cold-water prevents dye bleeding.

Pour in a detergent of your choice. Make sure it is a mild one. Using any strong detergent will affect the embroidery thread life. Any detergent with bleach is an absolute No.

Soak the entire garment in the water for about 10 minutes.

If the clothing has any dirt spot in it that you want to get rid of, treat the spot separately. You need to pretreat it before soaking the clothes.

3. Hand Wash (Do not Scrub)

With an up and down motion of your hand, swish the clothes gently in the soapy water. It will get rid of the dirt. Do this action a few times.

Do not ever scrub or use a brush on your embroidered clothes. The stitches might come undone.

Drain out the dirty water and fill in the sink or basin with cold clean water. Dip your cloth again, swirl it around and do the up and down motion of washing.

Change the water. Repeat these steps a few times till the water runs out clean.

Gently twist and scrunch the cloth and wring out the excess water. Twisting vigorously can harm the embroidery.

Open your washed garment and give it a gentle shake. Now it is ready for drying.

4. Drying

Avoid putting your embroidered item in the dryer. Always hang it out in the open clotheslines or rack and let it air dry. Or spread it in a cleaned area on a towel and let it air dry.

Be careful and award drying the cloth in the direct sunlight. Harsh sunlight may affect the thread coloring and give it a bleached effect. Dry your washed embroidery in the shade.

5. Ironing

If you need to iron your embroidered cloth, always iron it on the wrong side. Ensure that the backside of the embroidery does not have any loose threads hanging out. It also should be covered which embroidery protector cloth in the back to prevent any tearing of threads.

If you need to iron the right side of the cloth, put a pressing cloth between the iron and the embroidered clothing.

Tips for Washing Embroidery in Washing Machine

If you need to use the washing machine for your embroidered item consider the following tips. First, check the garment level. One should mostly never put vintage pieces in the washing machine. The same goes for clothes with strict hand-wash-only instruction.

• Like any other clothes, always check for color bleeding.
• Use a mild detergent only.
• Use cold water and the delicate cycle.
• Put the garment in a separate laundry bag.
• Take out after washing and preferably air dry in the shade.

FAQ

How do you wash embroidered towels?

Unless otherwise specified, you are fine washing your embroidered towel in a regular laundry cycle. However, do the color test and make sure the embroidery does not leech color. If it does release color, you need to do treat it for colors first.

How do you wash embroidered pillowcases?

If you own a few beautiful vintage pieces of embroidered pillow take utmost care about washing them. You can follow the above handwashing steps to clean the pillowcases.

If they have turned yellowish with usage, do not bleach them. Instead use a mixture of warm water, borax, and mild detergent. You might also want to consult a specialist.

How to wash embroidered shirts?

Simply follow the government instructions for washing. Make sure to use cold water or lukewarm water only. Always use the mildest detergent you cant find. Check out more detailed instructions here.

Can you bleach embroidered cloth?

You should never use chlorine bleach on your embroidered clothes. It may end up ruining your favorite pieces. Instead, try the traditional bleaching using lemon, borax, etc.