Caring for your Vintage Apron
Unsure of how to care for your grandmother’s apron or one purchased at a tag sale?  Here are some tips for cleaning vintage aprons, removing yellow stains and removing lingering musty odors. 

First, color test the apron by using a little cold water on a small area and see if the color transfers to a white towel.  If it transfers, then you are finished because the dyes will run in the wash.  Take it to a professional cleaner for care. 

Once you pass the color test, you can either place the apron in a mesh bag to wash on cold and gentle cycles or as I prefer—hand wash.  Hand washing in cold water with a cup of white vinegar will remove musty smells and yellowing from fabrics. Care not to twist and ring too vigorously because the fabric is weakest when wet.  Gently agitate and press water out as you wash.   If after washing your aprons, the yellow stains remain, try using a little lemon juice and rub onto wet apron to set aside to soak before rinsing.  Finally, you may try apron sunbathing.  Allowing aprons to sit in the sun can bleach the stains out for you.