I have a 1950s Henri Bendel polished cotton (I think this is the fabric type) dress with a novelty print. This is a dress I'm keeping, it's my favorite dress ever, and I would like to be able to wash it. But if it seems like a bad idea to any of you vintage laundry mavens I will dry clean it. Here's a pic so you can see the print and the texture of the fabric. Thank you for any advice!
Can I safely hand-wash my 50s Henri Bendel polished cotton dress?
- Thread starter Jen S
- Start date
Jen -
Your dress doesn't look like polished cotton to me in the photo. Polished cotton is shiny due to glazing known as calendering.
http://vintagefashionguild.org/fabric-resource/polished-cotton
If it does have a glaze, washing will remove it. If it's already been washed and/or the glaze is long gone the safety of washing it now would depend on what it's lined with - if it's lined. Let's see what others think but I'd get it cleaned.
It's definitely a fun print.
Your dress doesn't look like polished cotton to me in the photo. Polished cotton is shiny due to glazing known as calendering.
http://vintagefashionguild.org/fabric-resource/polished-cotton
If it does have a glaze, washing will remove it. If it's already been washed and/or the glaze is long gone the safety of washing it now would depend on what it's lined with - if it's lined. Let's see what others think but I'd get it cleaned.
It's definitely a fun print.
Thank you! Yes, I wondered about the polished part. It does not have a finish on it, but the weave is such that it has more of a sheen than regular cotton, and it's a bit more flowing and less crisp than many vintage cotton dresses I've seen. It's probably just the weave, but I don't know the name for it. There are more floating threads. And it is not lined!
Rue_de_la_Paix
VFG Member
Charming print. May we see more of the dress? Dry cleaning may mean removing the buttons first, if there are any. I agree it does not look like polished cotton in the photo.
Love the dress by the way. I'm always worrying about washing my nice clothes in case I end up ruining them.
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Circa Vintage Clothing
Alumni
Jen, I recommend hand-washing in warm water with mild detergent. I've washed thousands of these dresses and they're usually fine, the '50s cotton prints are fast and can often take hot water but until you're sure, I'd stick to lukewarm. Rinse well, gently wring and dry flat on a towel in the shade.
It's probably okay to line dry after that, I hang over the waistline as it's the strongest point, once it's mostly dry. If you do it whilst very wet, the fabric might pull out of shape a little.
It's probably okay to line dry after that, I hang over the waistline as it's the strongest point, once it's mostly dry. If you do it whilst very wet, the fabric might pull out of shape a little.
Robin of Frocksley
Registered Guest
I have found that hand washing as Nicole suggested works great! It is a challenge to get garments dry enough to hang. If you roll the wet dress gently up in a large bath towel and (again gently!) press to wring, it should get dry enough to stand hanging.
Circa Vintage Clothing
Alumni
Yes, the towel trick is good. Also, if your washing machine has a very good gentle (repeat, gentle) spin, or if you can turn it down to a slow speed that can be good. But don't risk your dress. Washing machines and spinners aren't good for older fabrics.
bycinbyhand
VFG Member
^^^ I agree. Just keep an eye on it first time for possible bleed but even then, I think this one is going to be ok.
Great, thank you all so much! My instinct was that I could wash it, but I wanted to make sure.
So I'm going to check on a seam for color-fastness and then wash in warm with mild detergent. I'll roll it in a towel like everyone suggests, and then use my drying trick, which is to lay it out on another towel on my drying rack and turn on my dehumidifier! The dehumidifier makes it dry much faster and then I can hang it on the line for the final dry.
So I'm going to check on a seam for color-fastness and then wash in warm with mild detergent. I'll roll it in a towel like everyone suggests, and then use my drying trick, which is to lay it out on another towel on my drying rack and turn on my dehumidifier! The dehumidifier makes it dry much faster and then I can hang it on the line for the final dry.