CARE GUIDE

Want to know how to care best for your item?
Here are some easy tricks. Pssst…this is also the best way to contribute to a better tomorrow.

No washing:

  • wool pants, skirts, coats: some might say you can wash these, but I really recommend not to - they can totally loose its shape and sleek design (the majority wrinkles, also after ironing)

  • viscose mix pants, dresses, skirts

  • heavy coats, jackets, wool blazers in general

Handwash (cold up to 30°C):

  • If you don’t know the exact material composition of the item

  • it’s embellished or has any kind of delicate extras

  • tag reads “handwash only”

  • delicate wool pieces especially from the 50s & 60s (those super light and airy knits will shrink to doll-size)

  • mohair & angora pieces: blends will shrink and for the rest you’ll have fibers all over the other pieces as well

Machine wash with 30°C in a wash bag:

  • pieces made from 100% natural fibers (and are explicitly marked as 100% natural fibers)

  • 100% silk blouses (without embellishments etc.)

  • 100% cashmere

  • all other pieces

I don’t recommend to ever wash anything over 30°C at all. Never use a dryer. Try to lay them flat if they are delicate or really heavy (if soaked with water (e.g. wool sweaters) otherwise they will loose their shape).

Wool pieces are self-cleansing:

Wool proteins (keratin) kill bad-smelling bacteria and remove odor. Just hang the piece outside/ balcony etc. for 1-2 nights and it will be like new.

Try to avoid washing your clothes too often! Pieces like denim, silk or wool don’t need regular washings. If they smell - just hang them outside or treat them with some homemade texile spray (recipe below).

STAINS

Oil stains
Try very carefully to soak the wet stain with a tissue (don’t rub) Then place the item in the sun and leave it there.
After a few sessions in the sun the stain will be hardly visible anymore. (up to 10h direct sunlight, but repeat as often as necessary don’t do anything else while trying this one – no bleach etc!!)

Orange/ yellowish stains from storage and older pieces

Use olive soap to get those stains out. If 100% cotton or synthetic fibers you can try some soft-bleaching methods (try on small corner first).

Stains on white cotton pieces:

Try olive soap first. If this doesn’t work, then bath your pieces in hot water and add baking soda + some laundry detergent with bleach in it (e.g. ARIEL). Let it soak over night and then machine wash. – Repeat if necessary.

Stains on silk pieces:

Place the piece in the sun first and see if the sunlight has any effect on the stain (try for a minimum of 10h direct sunlight). If not, use olive soap. Otherwise try to cover the stain in a creative way instead of harming the item with aggressive detergents

All other stains should be quite easy to remove during a regular wash cycle or with some olive soap!
If stains can’t be removed, try to get creative: add patches, some little embroideries, pearls, try cropped looks etc. My favorite inspirations for that are Pinterest and Etsy for any tools, gadgets, high quality patches etc.

TEXTILE SPRAY

  • 300ml distilled water

  • 40ml clear alcohol (pharmacy or leftover vodka)

  • 1 tbsp. baking soda/ natron

  • 10-15 drops oil (I use bergamot)

  • 1 spray bottle

mix everything together and shake well before using!

Sometimes all you need is a fresh scent!

P.S.: 


Please keep in mind that Katharina Vintage is not responsible for pieces that have been damaged during the care/ wash process. These are our recommendations on what worked best for us. We can’t take proper care of your pieces from the distance so we can’t take over responsibility.

Pieces can only be returned unworn/ in their original condition within 14 days after receiving.