Tablecloths do an excellent job of protecting tables from stains, scratches, knocks and marks, but they can come under a fair amount of heavy use as a result. Food and drink stains can be hard to shift, but using a few tricks of the trade, you can restore your tablecloths, napkins and table runners back to their original glory. Fortunately, when you hire linen from Linen Rental, you don’t need to worry about washing your tablecloths or removing stubborn stains. We do the hard work for you, and once your event is over you can simple bundle up your linens and hand them back to us. It couldn’t be easier!
A Quick Inspection Before Washing
Before washing tablecloths it’s wise to carry out a quick inspection before bundling everything into the washing machine.
- Check that no cutlery is hidden inside the folds of your tablecloth. This could do serious damage to your washing machine. Remove any solid food residue, and any other objects such as table confetti.
- Never mix different fabrics together. Washing cotton with items that are 100% polyester could result in dye transfer or lint being left all over your cotton tablecloth. Lint can be very difficult to remove.
- Don’t mix heavily soiled items with lightly soiled items. Heavily stained tablecloths and napkins, or linen with stains should be put to one side. We’ll look at how to tackle these in a moment.
- Always wash white polyester tablecloths and napkins separately to prevent dye transfer from other coloured items.
Tackling Stubborn Stains
Heat can 'set' a stain, making it very difficult to shift. For this reason, put all heavily stained items through a cold wash first. This will help to loosen and agitate the food particles without setting them in the fabric. Adding sodium percarbonate to your wash can also help this process.
Wash your tablecloths and linen on a 60 degree wash, followed by a cooler wash. This will help to prevent, or at least reduce creasing. It’s no fun ironing tablecloths and so the less time you need to spend on this the better. For a really crisp and elegant finish, you can add starch into the machine at this stage. This will help to improve the look and feel of your linens as well as adding a protective barrier to the fabric that will help to repel food debris and stains.
Save Yourself The Hassle With Linen Rental
Looking after tablecloths is a worthy task when you step back and see your elegantly dressed tables, but it is hard work! Why spend hours laundering table linens when you can hire them easily and at an affordable price direct from Linen Rental? We offer a wide range of tablecloths, napkins and table runners, and we will deliver them direct to your door, and pick them up when you are finished. No fuss, no energy costs and no standing over a hot iron trying to remove creases! Take a look at our range today.