- Laundering antique lace, particularly large or delicate pieces, is a challenging process. Standard soaps and detergents are too harsh for these fine antiques. Orvus soap is used by museums and conservators to wash fine linens. You can purchase Orvus at quilt shops. Line your bathtub or sink with clean cotton muslin or a clean white sheet. Submerge the lace in room temperature water with Orvus. Delicate pieces should simply be allowed to soak with no agitation. You may soak for several days or up to a week, changing the water daily. Rinse well, using distilled water for the last two or three rinses. Shape the lace and allow it to dry flat outside on a sunny day with no wind.
- Antique laces are most often made of cotton or linen. These fabrics require different care than some antique fabrics, particularly wool. Antique lace is best stored in a dry, dark, cool environment. Small pieces of vintage lace should be stored in unbuffered, acid-free tissue paper. You may use unbuffered, acid-free storage boxes if appropriate. Larger items or lace garments can be hung or gently rolled, using the same tissue paper to pad shoulders and delicate areas and cotton muslin garment bags. Cotton muslin may also be used to pad and wrap pieces of lace if necessary.
- While many pieces of antique lace can be used and enjoyed, some are much more delicate and require special care. Silk lace should not be laundered. If you have a piece of silk lace or a garment constructed with silk lace, it can be stored as described above; however, laundering should be avoided. Consult a conservator at your local museum for dry cleaning recommendations, if necessary. Extremely fine, fragile or delicate cotton and linen laces may be laundered at home, but you should stabilize them before laundering. Use a pastel colored thread and carefully stitch the lace to a cotton sheet or cotton muslin. Stitch only between the threads to support a large piece. A very delicate item can be stitched between two pieces of net. Blot out excess water and allow to dry somewhat before handling these delicate pieces.
