How to wash a metallic print cotton fabric?

[Pinkcoke]

This cotton dress I am re-sizing is essentially just very grimy, as I don't think it has ever been washed (ew, but that means the print is perfect...) but it also has a orange paint mark on the back which really looks like the wearer leant against a wet fence....anyway I have held off washing it because it has a metallic gold print on top of the blue novelty print, and I don't want to accidentally rub this off or dull it unwittingly. I don't think dry cleaning will get the clean I need, this needs soaking, which I can do as I am removing the boned lining in the process of letting all the seams out, so it will be only the cotton to soak. Have you washed a print like this? hot or cold water? what medium of detergent (or not?)
Just to add, it will all go back together as originally sewn, just larger than a 22" waist...

 

[Circa Vintage Clothing]

Hi Melanie,

To preserve the gold paint, I would recommend a lukewarm temperature, or even cold but neither will probably get your stain out with a soaking. You may wish to consider the priority: keep the gold or lose the stain.

Personally I would apply some detergent directly to the stain, let soak in, rinse and see if it improves it. If it does, I'd soak the whole skirt in hot water and oxygen bleach, and cross my fingers that the gold remains.

That said, if it was my skirt, I'd try to preserve the gold and not worry about the mark, but most buyers dislike stains, I'm more easy going about them.

 

[Pinkcoke]

I am removing the neck facing to extend it anyway, so I can use that as my test piece, to be honest I am not bothered about the paint mark, bad as it is, it's not too noticeable combined with the busy print and gold accents. The grime is bad though, and because I'm letting it out at the seams, it is a different colour inside the seams and out of course, so not cleaning isn't really an option. I am altering this for myself (I wouldn't have gone to this length of alteration for a sale!).

 

[Circa Vintage Clothing]

Oh good - that makes a difference. Glad this is for you. It's a darling print.

 

[Pinkcoke]

I'm adding some photos to show the discolouration I'm concerned about, although I couldn't get it to show in the photos as much as in reality for the life of me! It's worst around the topline, under the arms and around the back of course, someone got rather hot in this I think.
Under the arms and on the back sweat does seem to have disolved or reacted with the gold print somehow, some dots look a little greenish or have yellowish pools around them. But I imagine this is because sweat is not just water no? Also, that would be hot. Sorry to anyone grossed out by this, this is going to be a chemical discussion as much a cleaning one!

 

[Rue_de_la_Paix]

That is a fabulous fabric on that dress. I have not had good luck washing metallic painted/screened/printed fabrics. Often they come out clean, but it is in the drying that the troubles started. The metals would tarnish or green just as in old jewelry and such, leaving a thin green or blue film on the very top surface, or leech into the fabric. I tried different drying methods but it still occurred, often happening as much as 1 month or more after I had laundered the fabric.

If you wash the test strip, I might suggest you wait at least 1 week or longer before you decide, as that verdigris can turn up later as the air reacts with the metal and cloth over time.

It is a wonderful textile, just to have even with the staining. Perhaps you could rescue it and make a skirt and matching accessories. That is, if it cannot be salvaged.