White linen for Christmas

On my desk this Wednesday is newly washed white linen waiting to be ironed.

Vintage table cloths and napkins, tray cloths, mats and table runners all handed down to me by my parents and grandparents. I love them all but keeping them snowy white isn't always easy as 'vintage stains' have left their mark over the years. Boiling, bleaching and any number of hot washes with biological detergents have had little effect on a handful of items with stubborn stains. But then I discovered Oxy-plus.

My blogging chum Jan recommended it to me a couple of weeks ago and I couldn't wait to try it. I found a tub in my local hardware store, parted with my £1.50 and returned home thinking I'd probably just wasted my hard earned cash. The instructions on the label tell you it can be used on food and wine stains, grass stains, mould, mildew, tar in fact virtually anything. Colours won't fade, nasty odours will be removed and it can be used for washing by hand or by machine. In the end I decided it all sounded a bit too good to be true so I half filled a bucket with very hot water, added a scoop of Oxy-plus and put a badly stained tray cloth in to soak. I was sure it wouldn't work as nothing else ever had.

How wrong I was. After 40 minutes the stains had completely vanished, the cloth was brilliant white and sweet smelling and all it needed was a good rinse. Since then I have washed other items using Oxy-plus in the washing machine and had similarly good results. So thank you Jan for recommending this magical powder. Do be sure to visit Jan at Redwood House as she's a very creative and talented lady; I always look forward to reading her posts.

So now I have snowy white cloths for my Christmas table. I wish I could say this was actually a picture of my table but sadly it isn't.

It can be found in this book. Its one of my all time favourites and I will be returning to it again nearer to Christmas.

Meanwhile I think I'll settle down with some of my other Christmas publications and look for inspiration for this year's festivities, keeping a watchful eye for ideas that recommend the use of snowy white cloths!

Comments

[Fiona]

Gosh you have a lot of Christmas books! Thanks for the Oxy tip. I will definitely look out for it as I have a few bits that could do with some of it's treatment. Enjoy searching for those Christmassy ideas.

[Paula]

Dear Eli,
Your linens are so beautiful! I am glad the oxy-plus took out the stains!

You have a wonderful selection of Christmas books and I am sure your Christmas table will be as beautiful as the one you have pictured!

I am off to visit Jan!

Have a lovely day! Paula

[Suzanne]

Eli,
I just love the linens and your publications. I have a proposition for ya. Last year I did a Christmas swap with a girl in England, Norfolk to be exact. We switched a handmade ornament, a magazine from our part of the world, music such as a CD from our country for Christmas and a candy or goodie. Are you game? I would love to send you something anyway:-))

[redwoodhouse]

Hi Eli, so very pleased the oxy worked for you on that wonderful linen, even more wonderful having come from your mother.
I love the look of the Millers Traditional Christmas book I do have the Preparing for Christmas one that I enjoy browsing every season I also love a little book called 'christmas inspirations' by Rose Hammick and Charlotte Packer, simple little ideas with lovely pictures. If I find a book that takes my fancy when I am out and about I just can't wait to get home put the kettle on and first go through savoring the pictures then gradually read thereafter with every cuppa.
Thank you for the lovely comments about Redwood House blog especially from a blog such as yours which I equally look forward to reading.
....just got back from a grocery shop but seem to have fabric peeping over the top of the bag handles, I wonder how that got there!!!!
Jan

[clarice]

Isn't that oxy-plus stuff rocken !!!!! Clarice