How to Clean Chintz

Chintz is a cotton fabric that has been been treated with a resin glaze to make it appear shiny. Chintz is commonly used to make curtains, tablecloths, napkins and seat cushions. Because of the glaze used on the fabric, chintz should only be dry-cleaned. However, you can attempt to spot-clean a small spot or stain on the fabric. Prior to spot-cleaning, test the fabric to ensure the colors won't bleed or fade.

Things You'll Need

• Laundry detergent
• Clean rag

Instructions

1. Mix 1 cup of water, cool to room temperature, with 1 tbsp.. of a chlorine-free, bleach-free laundry detergent.

2. Dip a soft, clean rag into the mixture. Dab a small amount of the mixture onto an inconspicuous area on the chintz fabric. Wait five minutes. If it looks like the color has faded or bled, do not proceed with spot-cleaning. If the color appears fine, proceed to Step 3.

3. Dip the rag into the cleaning mixture. Dab at any spots. Do not rub, as this can damage the chintz fibers, drive the stain deeper into the fibers or cause the stain to spread. Continue dabbing until the stain is lifted.

4. Rinse the rag in cool, running water. Squeeze the cloth to remove excess moisture. Dab at the area to remove soap residue.

5. Allow the chintz fabric to air-dry. Do not use any heat.

References

• Stitch 'n Save: Chintz
• Channel 4: How to Clean Fabrics