Cleaning an Indian Mirror Work Embroidered Bedspread

*miaomiao*

Hello!

I'm wondering if any other Moneysaving posters can recommend ideas on how to clean an Indian embroidered bedspread. I decided to ask for help in the Old Style forum because I'm sure that someone must have an idea for cleaning such things without resorting to dry cleaning, which is bad for the environment and really expensive for this kind of item. Someone must have done it before!

It has been hanging on a wall for several years and in a few houses that had damp on the walls behind it. The wall hanging is cream coloured and has cream coloured embroidery and small pieces of mirror work on it.

So far, my thoughts are:
Soaking it in warm water in the bath tub with some delicate Ecover detergent, then rolling it with towels inside, stomping on it to remove extra water and leaving it to dry in the sun on a warm sunny day.

*but, how to remove mildew yellowing to the back?*

Thanks for any and all replies! Advice very gratefully received! :A

Ta!

Icey77

Could you put it inside a larger king size duvet cover and put it in the washing machine?

Also, how expensive would it be to take it to a dry cleaner for a wash? I took a kingsize patchwork quilt to be washed and it cost £14 ish.

*miaomiao*

Oh, I like the idea of a duvet cover were it to go into the machine, but I think it is too delicate.

Aside from other reasons, I worry that a dry cleaning company wouldn't want to touch it because of how delicate it is.

Thanks!

Toomuchdebt

Do you have a handwash setting on your machine?You could use that.Or a delicates setting?

BitterAndTwisted

I have a lovely, Indian mirrored bedspread and I've washed it in the machine on a delicates/wool wash. You could find that if you hang it on the washing-line the sun will bleach out the mildew stains.

*miaomiao*

Those are some excellent ideas.:T

I'm going to try it on a delicate setting inside a duvet cover - it really does need a proper wash - then I'll dash outside to leave it in the sun!

Thanks!:A

*miaomiao*

Well, I have washed the bedspread and it has turned out well! :j

I machine washed it on a delicate cycle, but I increased the water temperature and used some eco bio detergent and a splash of bleach (not recommended for coloured spreads, but this one is cream coloured) to help with the mildew from old houses. It's not come out spotless but as good as and the embroidery has only a tiny bit of damage which is reasonable. In all, definitely I'd do it again (though not for a good long time) and it's great that the mildew has been controlled.

Thanks so much!

Toomuchdebt

Glad to hear it worked

*miaomiao*

Just to add to the final result: today the bedspread was dry, so I steam ironed it on the reverse side on a med-heat setting. I then put it back up on the wall as I like to display its beauty. It has turned out wonderfully - very glad I asked for help! No more mildew or dust all over!

reehsetin

that's really helpfull, would this be ok for silk? I have something very similar I need to wash, my washing machine has a delicates setting would it be ok?

*miaomiao*

You could try a special detergent safe for silk and then use the delicates or silk setting. If possible, try to put the item in a pillowcase or duvet cover (if it's big!). Then set your machine to not spin the item. You can take it out, roll in towels, stomp on them to remove water and then hang the item to dry away from a heat source.

But only try this out if you are happy to gamble that the item will be okay. I don't have anything dry cleaned at all and I've never had an accident.

Good luck!