A Risk at Best

Question: I have an antique wool knit shawl, linen, and quilts, all with brown “old age” spots. Can you tell me how to remove the spots without damaging the old material? Lorena L. Tucker, Rocky Mount, Virginia

Answer: Brown spots that sometimes show up in old clothing and household textiles may be caused from any variety of staining agents. Each of these requires a different procedure for removal. Chemicals used to remove such stains must be flushed out of the fabric to prevent further fabric damage. Since it requires an expert to identify and remove the stains, and since special equipment is not available in the home, we strongly recommend that valued old articles be entrusted to the best dry cleaner available for spotting and cleaning. Margaret Childs, Department of Clothing and Textiles, Brigham Young University