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Caring Your Bed Linens

CONGRATULATIONS on your purchase from zelza the luxurious bed linen woven of the very finest natural fibers in multitude fashionable patterns and jacquard weaves with satin finish. All of zelza products are packaged with care instructions, and all have sewn-in labels with universal laundering symbols.

Most of zelza products can be washed in water. The sooner you wash, the better it is, so wash dirty linens right away.

TIPS BEFORE YOU BEGIN

Home laundering is recommended for all of zelza products, except where dry cleaning is indicated. We strongly recommend that you:

• pre-wash all linens before use, and
• wash linens separately from anything else, particularly items that contain any polyester. Polyester "pills," and will shed it's pilling on natural fibers, diminishing the smoothness and softness of the fabric. In addition, garments with buttons or zippers can damage more delicate linens in the wash. Select a gentle laundry detergent. Products with bluing agents or whiteners are not recommended on colored linens, as they may progressively fade the colors. Consider the longstanding tradition to insure the longevity of bedding: rotate your sheets, with a set in the closet, a set on the bed, and a set in the wash. This insures that no one set receives more wear than another.

A Word of Caution: certain skin and hair products that contain oxidizing agents (e.g., lotions used for acne) may cause discoloration of sheets, particularly blue linens. If you use such personal products, cover your pillow with a white pillow case or white towel.

SHRINKAGE

Shrinkage will occur with all linens made of natural fibers, the amount of shrinkage ranging from 4 to 10 percent, depending on the fibers used. The sizing of our products allows for expected shrinkage. Linens washed in hot water or dried at hot temperatures will shrink excessively. Pre-shrunk items, such as Jacquard-woven linens normally shrink 3 percent or less. Generally, very large pieces of fabric or very high thread count linens are not pre-shrunk.

HOW TO WASH

• Linens should be separated into light or dark colors. Avoid overloading the machine to prevent breaking long fibers like those in Egyptian cotton. Whether cotton, pure linen, or a cotton/linen blend, bedding should be washed in warm water, using a gentle laundering agent, with a final cold rinse. If pre-soaking is necessary, it should be in cold water.
• Allow your washing machine to fill up and begin agitating before you add detergent or bleach. Unless your linens are extremely soiled, use half the commercial detergent recommended; this will reduce damage to fibers and clean your linens just as well.
• Remove washed bedding promptly from the machine; this helps reduce wrinkling. Shaking damp linens out before drying (at low heat) will also reduce wrinkles and quicken the drying time.

HOW TO DRY

Line drying linens is ideal, leaving linens nearly wrinkle-free and smelling fresh, but using your dryer with the proper settings will bring about satisfactory results, leaving linens relatively wrinkle-free and soft.

• Do not over-dry your linens by using a dryer setting that's too hot. Set your dryer on permanent press, which has a cool down cycle at the end that helps reduce wrinkles. Most dryers have an air cycle that simply air-tumbles its contents without any heat. This is also a good method for drying linens.
• Remove your linens promptly to reduce wrinkling. Smooth them out, finger pressing details like flanges on pillow shams, borders on flat sheets. Then fold carefully.

HOW TO IRON

Washing and drying your linens properly will eliminate many wrinkles. But fine linens made of natural fibers do wrinkle, particularly when new. As they become older and softer, you will find that they wrinkle less. For your linens, using a good steam iron will make ironing easier. Avoid using spray starch, which has a tendency to adhere to the surface of the iron, and may also attract silverfish to the stored linens. If you wish to iron your linens, it is recommended to iron your bed linens while they are still damp. If the piece is embroidered, ironing on the reverse side will prevent damage to the embroidery. Refer to the label with the universal symbols for the appropriate setting for your iron. (The symbol chart is included at Page One).

STORING LINENS

• If you plan on storing your linens, iron them before you store them.
• Store linens flat. If the shelves are wooden, line them with tissue paper. Some woods, such as cedar, contain oils that can damage linens.
• Make certain that linens are not exposed to direct sunlight or moonlight to avoid color fading.

STAIN REMOVAL

BERRIES AND FRUIT:
If the stain is still wet, sprinkle with salt and gentle liquid soap. Let sit for a couple of hours, and rinse well. If the stain is dry, a solution of borax (one part borax to six parts water) may remove the stain. Soak until it has disappeared.

BLOOD:
Attend to bloodstains immediately. Rinse well in cold water (never hot-it will permanently set the stain), then try one of the following: a) sprinkle the stain with unflavored meat tenderizer; or b) blot on hydrogen peroxide with a damp cloth, allow to bubble, then wipe with a fresh cloth. Repeat if necessary. For dried bloodstain: soak overnight in cold water and two cups of salt. Wash as usual.

BUTTER OR MARGARINE:
Mix one teaspoon of detergent with warm water. Apply to spot and blot. You may need to repeat a few times. Or mix one part white vinegar and two parts water. Saturate the stain and blot until dry. Wash as usual.

COFFEE OR TEA:
Apply a borax solution (1 part borax to six parts water) directly to the stain, then wash in warm, soapy water.

GREASE:
Do not allow grease stains to set! Sprinkle fresh grease stains with baking soda or cornstarch and leave for a couple of hours until the powder gets thick. Scrape away and repeat the process. Brush off the powder and launder as usual.

LIPSTICK:
Scrape off as much as you can with a dull knife. Use a pre-wash spray and rub with a clean white towel. Wash as usual.

MILDEW:
Apply white vinegar and lemon juice to kill the mildew. Let the item sit in the sun for a few hours. Wash as usual, but separately.

SCORCH MARKS:
Treat the same way as mildew, but drying in the sun is not necessary.

WINE:
White wine is easily removed with normal laundering. Red wine stains can be handled two ways: a) rub salt on the stain, and soak in cold water; if the stain is stubborn, rub the salt into it to remove; or b) saturate the stain with club soda until it disappears.