In addition to decorating any kitchen or dining room perfectly, linen is a very popular fibre for cooking. It resists odours, dries fast and is highly absorbent. However, the vagaries of everyday life mean that our most beautiful home linens are not always protected from tenacious stains!

What happens when our favourite tablecloth or brand new linen napkin set gets dirty? Don’t throw it away! We are here to give you some tips on how to remove the most common stains on your linen products.

photo credit: Marianne Rothbauer

• Wine

Your guests made a mess on the dinner table? No panic! To remove wine stains, we advise you to act as quickly as possible by covering it with salt. Wait a few minutes until the salt has absorbed all the wine and then remove it. If the stain persists, pour white vinegar on the area and rub gently with laundry detergent. Clean your fabric in warm water and wash in the washer in normal cycle up to 40 degrees.

• Grease / Oil

When you get your hands dirty in the kitchen, it’s not uncommon for our favorite aprons to get stained by oil or grease, and we have the perfect trick for you to get them removed. First, take a towel or dry paper to remove excess oil. Then, pour the necessary amount of dish soap on the stain, and rub gently with a small brush. Finally, rinse the grease or oil stain with hot water and put your linen items in the washer in normal cycle up to 40 degrees.

photo credit: Marianne Rothbauer 

• Ink

There are several methods of removing ink stains from the linen, but the easiest is to use rubbing alcohol; pour a good amount of this product on the ink stain, and place paper towel on it. Put a book or something heavy on the paper for 30 minutes so that it absorbs all the ink stain. Gently blot the affected area (without rubbing to avoid spreading the stain any further) and pour alcohol once again to make sure the stain is gone. Rinse with cold water and air dry your linen product.

• Sweat

Mix one cup of vinegar in two cups of hot water and soak the stain in this solution for 30 minutes. If the sweat stain still persists, pour hydrogen peroxide onto it; this product has the same properties as the bleach, without damaging the colour of the fabric.

photo credit: Marine Le Berre

• Chocolate

First, remove as much chocolate as possible from your linen product with a knife. Then, mix one part of dish soap into two parts of hydrogen peroxide, and pour your solution directly onto the chocolate stain. Gently blot the stain with absorbent towel or cloth. Rinse the affected area with warm water, and repeat this process as many times as necessary, or until the stain has completely disappeared.

• Beeswax

Put your linen in the freezer to harden the stain; take it out after a few moments and scoop the beeswax excess with a spoon or a knife. Wash your linen with laundry detergent and put in the washer in normal cycle up to 40 degrees.

It is important to keep in mind that linen does not react very well to strong chemical cleaning products, so the more gentle or natural products you use to remove stains, the more likely your linen items will keep its beauty and good condition for a long time. And you, what’s your favorite home remedy to get rid on stains on linen cloths?

Looking for a gentle cleaning product that won't damage your linen cloths? We highly recommend this compostable sponge from one of our lovely stockists:

https://unscentedco.com/collections/surface-cleaning/products/tuc-x-kliin-spongy-compostable-sponges

This sponge cloth made with the precious collaboration of Ten and Co. will also become very handful to remove any stain!