14th Dec 2022 love2laundry Laundry Tips

Should You Dry Clean or Launder Linen?

We all have linen items and garments in our households – whether it’s tablecloths, towels, handkerchiefs, curtains, duvets, soft furnishings, or clothing such as shirts, skirts and undergarments. A strong, durable material, linen is also used to make a surgical thread, bandages, lampshades, painting canvasses and currency.

A very low-maintenance fabric, linen is a flax-based textile which gets softer with every wash. Amazingly, linen is also incredibly breathable, hypoallergenic and skin-friendly, which makes it an ideal bedding choice for people with asthma and allergies.

In this blog article, we will answer the question ‘should you dry clean or launder linen?’

We at Love2Laundry know that many people spend time online, searching for the answers to frequently asked questions about laundry and dry cleaning. That is why we update our blog with articles to help people find the information that they need- whether that is laundry tips, home hacks, or research related to laundry, dry cleaning and ironing.

For more help, click here to read our blog articles on “how to wash linen“, “is dry cleaning safe for linen?“, “Can you dry clean at home?“, “Can 100% linen be put in the dryer?“, “What are the best linen services?“, “How do dry cleaners work?“, “Will dry cleaning remove cigarette smell?“, “Is dry cleaning a waste of money?” or “Best laundry service London has to offer“.

Should you dry clean or launder linen?

In a nutshell, it is perfectly safe to have your linens dry cleaned, or machine washed unless the linen item is marked “hand wash only”.

You should always check the care instructions on the label of your linen items in case it specifies how to wash them properly.

Dry cleaning is a fantastic way to care for your linen items. Dry cleaning is basically a way of cleaning clothes, without actually using water. The garments are cleaned with organic solvents that work to lift stains, without damaging even the most delicate of fabrics.

However, machine washing your linens will give them a deep clean. The beauty of linen is that it gets softer and more luminous with every wash! You don’t even need fabric softeners to machine wash your linens- simply add a mild detergent, and you are good to go.

There are advantages to getting your linens dry cleaned:

Your linen items will be returned to you, professionally cleaned, pressed and ready to wear!
It saves you the time and effort of washing and drying your linen items yourself, which are time-consuming, laborious and physically demanding tasks.
Dry cleaning will help remove stubborn stains and odours from your linen items.
Many dry cleaners offer a pick-up and drop-off service, which is super convenient for your lifestyle.
Because dry cleaning does not use water, there is far less risk of the colours in your garments running or fading, which can happen over time with machine washes.
It is better to trust a professional dry cleaners to clean your linens and remove stains; using a home method could potentially ruin your favourite outfit or bedding item, which can be expensive to replace.

If you want to wash your linens in a washing machine:

Only use a gentle cycle, on a low heat setting.
Avoid using really hot water to wash your linens- the ideal temperature is around 40 degrees Celsius.
Separate your white, dark and coloured linens.
Wash your linens in a separate load from other all fabrics, such as wool and denim.
We recommend turning your linens inside out before placing them in the washing machine. This will prevent the colour from mixing and help your items last longer.
Use a mild laundry detergent that is specially formulated to work on soft fabrics at low temperatures. Ideally, look for a laundry detergent that is free from VOCs such as chlorine bleaches, parabens, solvents and sulphates.
Do not bleach your linens, as this can destroy the natural fibres in the material.

As you can see, there is no reason why you shouldn’t dry clean or launder your linens. Both dry cleaning and machine washing will keep your linens sanitised and smelling fresh.

The better you take care of your linens, the longer they will last.

So, the answer to the question ‘should you dry clean or launder linen?’ is: both are effective cleaning methods. You can’t go wrong with either option, as long as you remember to machine wash your linens using a gentle cycle on low heat.

Where can I get my linens washed or dry cleaned?

Here at Love2Laundry, we are an on-demand laundry service, serving London, Manchester, Birmingham, Bolton and Bury.

We provide a door-to-door service, so we will collect your items, wash, dry and fold or hang them up, and then deliver them straight to your door!

We also offer ironing services across London, as well as dry cleaning, shoe repairs, upholstery cleaning and alterations.

All you have to do is make an order online on our website, or through our mobile app (iOS and Android).

You can choose a location and time slot that works for you, and our friendly couriers will collect your laundry items. We will then professionally clean your items and return them to you- all within 24 hours!

Our prices are affordable- for example, the ‘wash, dry, and fold’ package starts from £2.65 per kg. See the prices on our website here.

At Love2Laundry, we are not your typical launderette. We operate a cashless system, so you will pay for your order via our mobile app or online via our website.

We accept various forms of payment including American Express, Visa and MasterCard.

No more worrying about finding the correct change, or physically dropping off your laundry items- simply input your order with just a click of your fingers, and the rest is up to us!

Love2Laundry’s Hotel Quality Linen Cleaning Service in London

Here at Love2Laundry, we also offer an on-demand linen cleaning service for hotels and Airbnb hosts. All you have to do is make an order, and we will pick up your dirty linens on the same day and professionally clean them for you.

We also offer all the essentials that you need to keep your guests comfortable and happy, including a complete range of bed linens, towels, hotel toiletries, bath mats, kitchen clothes and more.

Click here to learn more about our Hotel Quality Linen Cleaning Service in London and request a quote.

Does linen shrink in the wash?

Yes, linen does shrink when coming in contact with water, but that is true for almost all fabrics.

The best way to prevent shrinkage is to wash your linen at a lukewarm temperature, on a gentle cycle- we recommend around 40°C.

It is not necessary to use fabric softener to wash linen, as the fabric becomes softer and more supple, the more it is washed.

A neat hack to prevent shrinkage is to hand wash your linen in cold water first, before machine washing it. Don’t use freezing cold water for this, though. Additionally, don’t wring the cold water out, as this will disturb the fibres. Instead, let the linen dry naturally.

Will linen shrink if it is dry-cleaned?

Yes, shrinkage may occur after linen is dry cleaned, as the fibres get exposed to heat and moisture. This can’t be helped- and nobody would continue using dirty linens, out of fear of shrinkage!

Not to worry, though- a professional dry cleaner will always have the knowledge and experience of how best to remove tough stains and foul odours from your linens and return them to you in pristine condition.

Can you hand wash linen?

Yes, hand washing is a straightforward way to take good care of your linens.

Simply separate your linens by colour and soak them in a tub of lukewarm water. Add a teaspoon of mild detergent and let the linens sit for 10 minutes.

Then, carefully move the linens around in the tub, to remove the dirt and grime. You must not wring the fabric or scrub it harshly, as this can damage the fibres in the linen.

Then, dry the linen outside in the fresh air, or in a well-ventilated area indoors.

You can put linen in the tumble dryer, but set the temperature at the lowest setting possible.

Why is linen a good choice for bedding?

Linen has so many properties which make it a perfect choice for bedding. You will often find linen bedding items in hotels because it is a luxury fabric which is soft, comfortable and long-lasting.

Linen is an excellent bedding choice because:

The fabric has great thermoregulating properties. It naturally keeps you warm and insulated during the colder seasons, without making you feel too hot and stuffy.
The fabric is lightweight, breathable and offers great airflow, so it wicks moisture away from your body and keeps you cool during the warmer months.
Linen is antibacterial, so harmful bacteria can’t survive within the closely woven fibres.

Linen is biodegradable and recyclable and produces zero waste. This makes it one of the most sustainable fabrics known to man. The material is derived from the flax plant, which grows without the need for fertilisers or pesticides; and when flax is grown, it actually takes carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere – which means that linen actually lowers your carbon footprint!

You should now hopefully have the answer to the question ‘should you dry clean or launder linen?’

For more content like this, check out our blog here to read more articles.

Find out more about Love2Laundry’s dry cleaning and laundry services by visiting our website here.

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