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In this article, you will learn how to store vintage clothing like a pro! I’ve already written about how to take care of vintage clothes but this is a more in-depth piece. For this article, I consulted with a professional textile conservator working for the museum of King Jan III’s Palace at Wilanow. And that’s why I hope that this post will answer most, if not all, questions about the do and don’ts for storing vintage clothing.
Table of Contents
The Must-Do Before Storing Vintage Clothes
- First, make sure that all your clothes are dust and pest-free before you store them!
- There is a brilliant Insect and Pest Guide on the Preservation Equipment website that will help you identify and fight the evil pest.
- Before you store your vintage treasures you will want to make sure they are clean. It’s also important to check for any tears and holes.
How To Fix a Hole in Vintage Clothes Without Sewing
DISCLOSURE; As of October 2021 I’m part of an affiliate program and I get a small commission for purchases made through some of the links in this post. When you purchase a product via the link in my post you are helping to keep my website alive for which I’m very grateful. All opinions expressed here are mine!
I don’t know about you but I’m awful at mending and I can’t sew at all. And that’s where Bo-Nash Fuse It Powder comes to the rescue! Here is a step by step instructions and tips on how to fix a hole in clothes without stitching or sewing.
How To Clean Vintage Clothes
You can read all about cleaning vintage in my article “How to clean vintage clothes headache-free”.
- Eucalan detergent is my No1 choice for washing vintage and contemporary lingerie.
I receive a lot of e-mails about what detergent to use for washable vintage clothes. And I would like to emphasize the word, washable, because please remember, that there are fabrics that should never get into contact with water!
My favourite and the only detergent I use when washing vintage clothes and lingerie is Eucalan Wrapture or Lavender. It’s a very gentle detergent that doesn’t require a rinse, which means that you are saving water, and on top of that it smells divine!
*Tip. Always test for colour – fastness first!
Hand Washing Instructions
- Fill the basin with tepid water.
- Add half the Eucalan cap to the water. [ you really don’t need much!]
- Soak the garment for 15 minutes.
- Squeeze gently. No rinse required!
- To dry, lay the garment flat. I always place my freshly washed pieces on a towel.
2. Retro Clean-The Best Stain Remover
For getting rid of stubborn spots, yellow stains and dirt, I always use Retro Clean. It works every single time.
Time needed: 6 minutes.
How To Store Vintage Clothes Like a Pro!
- Firstly, before you store vintage clothes, make sure that all garments are clean and free from dust as well as pest. Remember that dust can cut fibre.
Inspect your vintage garments for any pest infestation. If you are not sure how to do it, the PEL website has an excellent guide on how to identify different types of pests and how to get rid of them without causing damage to vintage & antique clothes.
- Choose the right storage materials if you want to store vintage clothes the correct way.
For storing vintage clothes you can choose un-dyed cotton or muslin fabric, but only if the vintage clothes don’t have any decorative motives! That would be a big no-no for the late 1930s blouse embellished with sequins. On a side note, the blouse made an appearance in one of my favourite Bette Davis films, Old Acquaintance, 1943.
- Invest in Tyvek (1623E) archival garment covers or archival Tyvek roll that you can cut to the desired size.
Tyvek covers are lint-free, dust, pest and light-resistant. They come in many sizes. Preservation Equipment Ltd. launched this year a new product, the archival Tyvek bag for storing vintage & antique shoes. I use it for storing my vintage lingerie and gloves.
- Use acid-free unbuffered tissue paper & archival boxes to store your vintage clothes and accessories.
Place the acid-free unbuffered (don’t buy the buffered version) paper in your drawers, inside your hats, or use it to store your vintage & antique gloves. You can always choose the archival Tyvek shoe bag for storing vintage gloves. Archival boxes are brilliant for storing heavy vintage & antique dresses, capes and coats but they are very expensive.
- To store vintage clothes like a pro, don’t ever use wire, wooden, or plastic hangers.
Use conservation hangers for your precious vintage clothes. They come at a high price so alternatively, use Tyvek archival material (you can buy it in a roll) to wrap the coat hangers you already have. I use velour padded hangers that I cover with the archival Tyvek material so that the vintage garment is never in direct contact with the velour. Trust me, your precious vintage clothes will last you for many, many years to come if you store them the proper way.
Storage Materials
- Fabric Materials
- Un-dyed cotton or muslin fabric.
*Tip. I also use 100% natural and undyed linen fabric but all textile conservators I spoke to use cotton and muslin.
Always wash the fabric you are going to use for storing vintage garments. The product recommended to me by several textile conservators is Orvus W.A soap. You can buy it from preservationequipment.com or a saddlery shop.
- Tyvek (1623E) material is pH neutral and lint-free. It’s also very soft tear-resistant and breathable. Protects against pests, dust and light.
Archival Tyvek Covers Come in Many Sizes
I’m obsessed with Tyvek archival garment covers! As you can see in the picture below, the covers come in different sizes and you can easily fit two suits or blouses into one cover.
You can buy it in a roll and cut it to the desired size and shape. You can also purchase ready-made Tyvek Garment Covers which come in different sizes.
Archival Tyvek Shoe Bags-The Most Exciting Product Of The Year!
A must-have product for antique and vintage shoes but also brilliant for storing purses, lingerie and gloves!
The inner bags supplied in pairs come in three sizes;
- Small 450 x 200mm
- Medium 400 x 400mm
- Large 500 x 400mm
The outer bags with a hook and look closer also come in three sizes;
- Small 500 x 500mm
- Medium 650 x 500mm
- Large 800 x 500mm
- Needle-punched (made without any adhesive) 100% non-woven polyester felt is great for the lining of drawers.
- Acid-free unbuffered tissue paper is the ideal wrapping material.
Don’t use buffered tissue paper as it’s damaging to silk and wool. In fact, I only ever buy acid-free unbuffered tissue paper. You can get it in sheets or rolls.
*I always buy mine in rolls and cut to the desired size.
Storing Vintage Clothes & Accessories in a Box
- Archival cardboard box.
Many of the archival cardboard boxes available online are NOT acid-free. If you have the option of choosing a buffered or an unbuffered box, always choose the latter. Otherwise, wrap your vintage garment in unbuffered acid-free tissue paper.
- You can also use an archival plastic box because it doesn’t contain any additives and is more pest-proof than the archival cardboard box, but it’s not a cheap alternative.
*Every antique textile collector I know uses archival cardboard boxes.
WARNING! Never store your vintage clothing in a non-archival plastic box or an air-tight plastic bag!
Hangers
The don’ts!
“No wire hangers, ever!” Said Faye Dunaway’s character in Mommie Dearest and right she was! After all, you don’t want to end up with rust on your precious clothes.
- Don’t use wooden hangers as they exude harmful materials that will be deadly to your vintage clothing.
*I’ve learned it the hard way by damaging a Victorian garment that I left on an antique wooden hanger.
- Don’t use plastic hangers either as they can be as harmful to vintage clothing as wooden ones.
If it’s possible, don’t use hangers at all or buy only conservation hangers. Unfortunately, they cost a fortune and take up a lot of space in the closet. You could make your own but the materials required for the padding are not cheap either.
- The cheaper alternative; cover your coat hangers with Tyvek fabric!
- I use velour hangers, mainly padded, which I wrap in either the Tyvek material or the unbuffered acid-free tissue paper. Only time will tell if it’s a good idea or not. My garments are not in direct contact with the velour so I’m optimistic.
- Never hang vintage garments that are made of; heavy fabric, embellished with sequins, beads or made of very delicate fabric that will easily tear.
On a separate note, my dream walk-in closet would consist only of drawers!
Rolled Storage
Some, not all, vintage garments can be stored on a roll.
- You can use an archival acid-free storage tube that comes in different sizes.
- Always use unbuffered acid-free tissue paper when starting the rolling process to protect your vintage garment.
I have neither space nor patience to roll my vintage garments.
- That’s why I always opt for storing as many pieces as possible in a drawer lined with Tyvek material.
- I also put acid-free unbuffered tissue paper between garments.
The Summary
- It’s crucial for vintage garments to be stored properly in order to prolong their life!
- If your budget permits you to buy only one of the mentioned materials I personally would choose a roll of Tyvek. It’s ideal for the lining of drawers and for making garment covers. Remember that vintage clothing shouldn’t have direct contact with wood, plastic or metal.
- I can’t imagine my wardrobe without acid-free unbuffered tissue paper. It’s definitely money well spent!
- Always make sure that your vintage clothing is clean before you store it. Dust can actually cut fibre!
Q & A with Barbara Czaja, textile conservator at Museum of King Jan III’s Palace at Wilanow
- What materials do you use to protect historic textiles in storage?
Barbara Czaja: To store historic textiles we use boxes made of acid-free cardboard. Flat tapestries such as rugs are stored on acid-free cardboard rollers or perforated plastic rollers, wrapped in acid-free paper or Tyvek.
- Is there a preference for the use of materials needed for the storage of historic textiles? Undyed cotton, muslin or perhaps Tyvek, Marvelseal or Melinex?
Barbara Czaja: We use Tyvek as well as acid-free paper. We avoid using any type of fabric that would have direct contact with antique textiles. The reason behind it is rather simple, cotton or linen could catch the threads of the antique fabric e.g. metal embroidery threads. We do not use Melinex because it doesn’t let air circulate and may cause moisture to accumulate in the storage box.
- Is natural undyed linen suitable for storing historical clothes?
Barbara Czaja: There’s always a risk with linen that it will catch decorative elements on the fabric.
- Is Orvus W.A soap popular in Poland amongst textile conservators?
Barbara Czaja: We don’t use Orvus W soaps. For removing impurities from historic fabrics, as long as they can be immersed in a water bath, we use Pretepon G.
*Pretepon G, a detergent commonly used in the textile industry, consists of the sodium salt of sulphuric acid ester and cetyl alcohol.
- How do you protect historic garments from moths?
Barbara Czaja: We use anti-moth paper and of course, we keep a close eye on the antique textiles that are in our collection. Also, before we start any conservation work, textiles are placed in the fumigation chamber in which they are exposed to Rotanox gas. Gas neutralizes most microorganisms, it also has a destructive effect on moth eggs and of course larvae and adults.
Barbara Czaja
Prevention and Conservation Department
Textile Conservation Workshop
Museum of King Jan III’s Palace at Wilanow
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I sincerely hope that you found this article useful! If you enjoy reading my posts and would like to show your support for my blog, please consider donating to my book fund that will help me with further research. Thank you!
Dominique x
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Martha
March 23, 2022Great tips! Thank you!
Dominique de Merteuil
March 23, 2022You are welcome!
Stacy
March 23, 2022Thank you for sharing your love and knowledge of sentimental treasure and art! Upon becoming aware of the horrendous damage mice can do, I found myself quickly and desperately searching for the right way to store my favorite childhood dresses, made with a unique touch by my mother who worked as a seamstress all day and continued passionately until bedtime for most of her life.
What I learned from you was of timely essence and of endless value!
Thank you so very much for sharing!
Dominique de Merteuil
March 23, 2022Oh no! Mice and moths are the biggest threat to vintage and antique garments! I’m very diligent when it comes to the proper storage of pieces in my wardrobe. My husband refers to our walk-in closet as a museum, but better save than sorry!
Stacy, thank you for the kind words about my articles. I’m beyond happy that you find them useful!
Dx
Alison Cloonan
January 5, 2022Some great information and interesting from cleaning to coat hangers great read and post thankyou
Dominique de Merteuil
January 6, 2022Thank you!
Brigitte
October 13, 2021Hi,
Thank you for these articles, they are very informative.
I have seven new old stock 1950s lady Manhattan blouses in the original plastic. The blouses have cardboard to keep the shape and pins in them to hold them in place. The plastic has a slit at the bottom so the shirts can breath.
They are Dacron and polyester material by the way. Before storing them in acids free unbuffed tissue paper should I remove them from the original plastic and take the cardboard and pins out of the shirts?
Also should I store them in my wood dresser once they are wrapped in tissue paper or do I need to buy an archival box?
Lastly, should I be using the unbuffed tissue paper if the blouses are 65% Dacron and 35% polyester cotton?
Or should I use the buffed acid free tissue paper for these shirts because they are also made up of polyester cotton?
I look forward to hearing from you.
Thank you,
Brigitte
Dominique de Merteuil
October 15, 2021Dear Brigitte,
Thank you for the lovely comment!
You asked a very tricky question. If I was a vintage seller, which I’m not, I would tell you to keep the NOS blouses in their original packaging because they are much more valuable this way!
As a buyer and wearer of vintage clothes, I would unpack them and store them in a drawer lined with acid-free paper. I always use the unbuffered one and I’m really baffled about the use of buffered acid-free paper.
Either way, do check, without damaging the original packaging, if the pins are not rusting!
Archival storage boxes are VERY expensive, and I don’t see the need for using them unless it’s a fragile or very heavy vintage or antique garment that can’t be stored any other way.
Hope my answer helped a bit!
Dominique x
Ivy
October 5, 2021I had some vintage clothing items which was wrapped in acid free paper, stored in acid free box. When I checked it today I found evidence of tiny bugs, holes in paper. How can I prevent these insects? Thanks
Dominique de Merteuil
October 6, 2021That’s terrible!
Did the bugs do any damage to the clothes? What kind of bugs are we talking here about? Moths? Bedbugs?
Did you clean your vintage garments before storing them away?
Acid-free paper prevents discolouration and fibre breakage when you stuff garments with it but to prevent moths, I suggest Tyvec clothing covers.
I use Tyvek for all my vintage clothes made of wool and silk. I’ve recently bought more of them for my 1940s and 1950s suits. Tyvek covers are great protection against pests, dust and fading!
I check every single item in my closet for dust and moths once a week! I also have lavender sachets hanging all over the walking closet.
Ivy
October 6, 2021These items were not cleaned – they had been in my Mother’s things and I think too fragile to do any thing. I’m not sure what the bugs are – I tried looking at one with magnifying glass and best I can tell they were brown and white – or clear – striped. Maybe 3 mm long. I haven’t had opportunity to check all pieces, but so far see no damage except to what I believe is a wool piece, and holes in the acid free paper. Most of these pieces dates back to my Grandmother who died in 1905, possibly to my Great-Grandmother. What can be done to prevent the bugs? I have plenty acid free paper and box. Thank you for your help.
Dominique de Merteuil
October 6, 2021I’ve just googled a “brown and white bug”, and the first thing that came up was a carpet beetle! I suspect that the bugs were already on the clothes when you wrapped them in the acid-free tissue paper. You should definitely check every single item very carefully! As I’ve mentioned before, my recommendation would be to use Tyvek covers for your vintage or antique pieces, but the garments MUST be bug-free before you store them.
I don’t know anything about bugs, now moths, on the other hand, that’s a different and frightening story.
Go on the preservation equipment dot com website and look for the Insect & Pest Guide!!! They have pictures of all sorts of bugs and tips on how to fight them. I will add the link to their page on my blog!
Eileen
March 7, 2021Extremely helpful information, thanks. I only have a few pieces, but I love them. Any information on repairs to silk 1920-30’s dress that has a tear in the back ? Should I re sew the ribbon detail on the skirt, and how?
Dominique de Merteuil
March 7, 2021Thank you! I’m glad to hear that you find the tips helpful.
I’m terrible at mending therefore I always leave it to professionals! I did attempt to fix a tear with the Bo-Nash Fuse it Powder, but I failed. Perhaps the tear was too big and beyond repair. I know people who use the powder and swear by it. if the garment is very precious to you let a professional seamstress deal with the problem.
Hanni
November 5, 2020This article goes to great lengths in its research and is greatly helpful! Thank you very, very much! I will get that Tyvek.
Dominique de Merteuil
November 5, 2020Thank you!
I do my best to be as thorough with my articles as possible! Tyvek is brilliant for storing vintage and antique garments.
Dx
Sylvia
November 25, 2019Brilliant and very informative post!
I can’t believe the amount of research you do with all your articles.
Dominique de Merteuil
November 25, 2019Thank you!
Anna
October 31, 2019Thank you for this amazing article!!! I’ve been looking for useful tips for months!
So great that you got to interview a real textile conservator.
Dominique de Merteuil
October 31, 2019Thank you, Anna!
I’m really glad you found the article useful!
Best wishes,
Dominique
Kate
September 27, 2019Another very useful post!
After reading this I’m definitely going to buy Tyvek.
Dominique de Merteuil
September 27, 2019Thank you for the lovely comment!
Melissa Levey
September 26, 2019Thank you for this article on storing vintage clothing. My only question is whether old padded hangers, the ones using cotton batting
for the padding and cotton or rayon covers, is acceptable? I have searched antique stores or consignment shops for these and have a large supply.
Melissa Levey
Dominique de Merteuil
September 26, 2019Hi Melissa,
I had an old padded hanger from an antique shop as well and it caused damage to one of my antique garments. Only use padded garment hangers that are conservation quality. Take a look at the preservationequipment(dot)com website and what their hangers are made of.
I use velour hangers, mainly padded, which I wrap in either the Tyvek material or the unbuffered acid-free tissue paper and make my own Tyvek covers for all the garments.
Conservation hangers are usually made of polypropylene plastic, polyester punched felt and washed cotton.
Sending you a link to instructions on how to make your own padded hanger!
http://www.mnhs.org/preserve/conservation/reports/paddedhanger.pdf
Dx
Melissa Levey
September 26, 2019Thanks so much, Dominique.
Dominique de Merteuil
September 27, 2019You are very welcome!
Dx
Sarah Lafreniere
September 25, 2019lovely, as always
Dominique de Merteuil
September 25, 2019Hi Sarah,
Thank you so much for your comment!
I’m thrilled that people actually like mt posts. Hope that the article is useful to you.
Best,
Dominique
Emma
May 29, 2021This is an amazing post
thanks for sharing
Dominique de Merteuil
May 29, 2021Thank you so much!