How do a clean a hand-made Christmas stocking without any damage?
For our first Christmas together, my Grandma made two beautiful knitted (could be crochet) stockings for my husband and myself. Each of our children were also given one for their first Christmas. Here’s the problem…one of them has gotten some kind of spot that I would like to clean off. It appears to be a thick dust like stain. How do I clean the spot without ruining the stocking as it is irreplaceable/priceless to our family? It appears to made out of yarn only but also looks very well made.
I clean knit items in cool to cold water, with a bit of mild (dish) detergent or laundry soap, the kind that comes as a solid bar. Rub the soap round and round in your hands in the water until there are a few suds. I use the (freshly cleaned) kitchen or bathroom sink. Gently squeeze the stocking up and down in the water. If the stain doesn’t seem to be moving, rub it gently with more of the soap. You can let it soak for 15 to 30 minutes, as well. Rinse in cold water until no suds remain. Don’t let it stretch out while you are handling it. Carefully squeeze the water out, and lay it flat on a clean light colored towel. You can press another towel on top to get more of the water out. Make sure it is back to its original shape; if not, gently pull or push it to the right shape. Leave it to dry flat. I do mine on top of the dryer and the gentle heat helps to dry it quicker. You might want to wear rubber gloves, as the cold water is best for knits, but not for hands!
I wouldn’t put it in the washing machine at all, laundry bag or not.
You could also try to spot clean it. Blot it with a damp, light colored face cloth or towel.
Good luck!
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