Pro Tip: Vodka to Clean Vintage

The least glam part of fashion is the maintenance.  But sometimes amazing vintage finds come from a store of questionable cleanliness or have a musty odor attached.  Washing can work for young vintage but it is still a gamble because clothes fade and take a beating with each wash.  Dry cleaning can damage delicate fabrics and can cost a fortune if you have multiple pieces in this condition.  Not to mention the heavy solvent chemical used that can irritate skin and that are not very eco-friendly or part of a green lifestyle.  Beaded, sequined, and antique fabrics should NEVER  be dry cleaned, only be spot-cleaned.   So what do you do?

Seriously.  On set, sometimes we work with one of a kind vintage pieces.  In the theatre, we're always working with rental costumes with not enough time to take to the cleaners even if there was no risk of lost or destruction.  So we use vodka.  Here's how:

Spritz Method:

If your garment has an odor to it such as general body odor, must, or just an overall stale clothes, this method is best.  Similar to how Febreze works, a vodka/water solution will neutralize the smell, but without the harsh fake fragrance.

•  Start by getting a small spritzer.  I usually use generic spritzers from the dollar store.       However if you have children in your home, the small clear ones are great because you can label them, just in case.
• Fill the the spritzer half with water and half with vodka.
• Some people recommend only 100 proof vodka, but I've found any will do.  Even the cheap stuff!  Avoided flavored vodkas because they are not pure and also have a flavor odor.
• Start with a test area and lightly spritz.  Allow the test area to dry to make sure no discoloration or disintegration occurs.
• Spritz the garment liberally, particularly where the odor exists.  
• Hang outside (in the shade) or in a well-ventilated area.  Vodka is odorless but any trace of the solvent will disappear after dry.

Steamer Method:

For more of a cleaning and disinfection, I prefer to put the 50/50 solution right into my steamer.

• Only use this method if you have a steamer with a removable tank.  It is too difficult to remove excess or determine how much you need with the one-piece metal tank steamers such as Jiffy J-4000.
• Fill the removable in the same manner of the spritzer, 50/50 water and vodka.  Fill only want you think you will need, a 1/4 or 1/2 full, unless you have many garments to steam.
• Start with a test area and lightly steam it.  Let a few minutes pass to make sure no discoloration or disintegration of the fabric occurs.
• Steam the entire garment, spending extra time on stains and the underarm areas.

Happy Cleaning!

-vV