I have followed this group for some time, & gleaned some very useful tips & ideas, I now need some help.
We had a house fire last week and some of my tapestries are smoke damage. They have all been Scotchguarded but look dirty and smell of smoke. Does anyone have any idea about the best way tp clean them? Not sure whether to try dry cleaning, washing, foam cleaners etc or which would be the best. I am in Australia so info on local products would be most helpful
Thanks in anticipation.
Steve
Many of these can be washed, but we need to know EXACTLY what they are made of, and whether there are any non-fiber (i.e., pearls, beads etc.) incorporated. Just recently, a friend brought me some embroidered pix which had been through Katrina flooding and coated in the "toxic soup" and I got them clean and ready for framing again.
HOWEVER, the way we treat them depends totally on the fiber and embellishment content. Give us all the details, and we can tell you how to handle the task.
Olwyn Mary in New Orleans.
They are actually Beth Russell rugs in Appleton wool on canvas. There are also six dining chair seats, also wool on canvas.
I'd wash the rugs - gently, gently - if you have a front loader machine - on a wool wash, not with woolite (which can be harsh). OR in the bathtub, with plain Ivory soap - dishwashing liquid - and a good splash of plain white vinegar in the mix. You could add some baking soda - as that also helps absorb the odors.
I'd definitely vacuum first. You could test spray the back side of something with some Febreeze . I've found it works well for odor removal. Definitely vacuum. You could try dusting the chairs with some baking soda, let it sit a while, and then brush and vacuum well. You can also use a damp sponge to try and remove some of the soot. There are some non-detergent cleaners used for natural fibers - wool - like Eucalan - which is a non-rinse product. You could certainly wash the rugs with that, then reblock them as they dry. And you might be able to use that as a spongeable cleaning solution for the chairs.
I'm sure it would be a serious pain to remove the chair covers, wash, and reblock - but that's your final option.
Hope this helps, Ellice
Oh that's heartbreaking.
I found a good article. Drycleaning is not recommended. The ozone can cause deterioration of the textile. Warning. The article says you might have to wash the articles in question 5-6 times in order to get the smell out. I would start with the smaller articles, air them, coat them with baking soda until you're ready to work on them.
Steven Boyes wrote:
FIRST Hang them in a WELL AIRED , No direct sun place for 7-10 days .. mirjam
Many thanks for all your help. In inspection they do not appear to be as bad as I first thought they would be. I will try coating with baking powder to neutralize the soot then a light soap wash. I will let you know how I get on.
Steve
There is a definite difference between baking powder and baking soda. Amongst other things baking powder contains salt. Be sure to use Baking SODA.
Lucille
You might be in very good shape simply because the pieces were Scotchguarded, and so soot particles probably are sitting on the surface of the fibre rather than inside. Definitely vacuum as much as you can first. I'd also Scotchguard afterwards. And like Lucille said, baking soda, not baking powder.
I saw a reno show on tv a while back which featured a house which had been though a fire. There was a comment that for many people, the trauma of the fire often results in them being able to smell a smoky smell, even when no one else can smell it. Hopefully that won't be your experience. Let us know how you get on. Dora
Steven Boyes wrote:
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