A Touch Of Lace

Vintage lace can be one of the most difficult fabrics to maintain and revitalize. Remember, even if you cannot save all the lace, even scraps can be used for everything from embellishments in your sewing to scrap booking projects. Lace is a versatile fabric, and if you find some you should always consider keeping it unless it's in truly despicable condition because you never know when a spot of lace might be the perfect finishing touch for whatever you're working on. If you find a bit of lace in need of some TLC, a little elbow grease and the Tobi Steamer can have it looking good again.

All it takes to rejuvenate most lace is a few minutes with the Tobi Steamer. Lace that's been crumpled or left too long in a closet or box will be relaxed and refreshed by the power of steam. The Tobi will remove wrinkles and plump the fibers of the lace to restore its original look.

If your lace is badly stained, don't throw it away! Soaking will remove stains as well as odors from antique lace. Fill your bathtub, bathroom sink, kitchen sink, or laundry room sink (depending on how big your piece of lace is as well as how long you think you might need to soak it). Fill the sink with cold or lukewarm water and pour in about a quarter cup of baking soda. Dissolve the baking soda into the water using your hand. Very gently lay the piece of lace on top of the water and baking soda mixture. Make sure as the piece absorbs the water it sinks without being too crinkled or you may have uneven stain removal.

After a half hour, check the progress. Using either the running tap water or a sprayer attachment (if your sink has one) rinse the lace gently and see if your stain is gone. If not, soak for another half hour. Repeat until the stain is gone or you don't see any progress for a half hour period. If you still have stained lace, consider dyeing the whole piece for an overall "aged" look. Brew some regular black tea (nice and weak, it doesn't have to steep for more than thirty seconds) and dip the lace gently into the weak tea. Rinse after thirty seconds and see how close the match is to your stained portion of lace. Repeat until your lace is all one color. Even if you can't get the stain out, your lace will look like it was always that color and not just stained in one spot. And always remember to maintain your lace with the Tobi Steamer so you don't have to go through that whole process again.

Halloween Costume Care

When you're getting your kids ready for trick-or-treating, it's important that they look as terrifyingly cute as possible. That means you can't just take the chance on dry-cleaning or the washing machine. Whether you're dealing with the best ghoul costume or the most magical fairy wings, you need to find a way to clean them without ruining that delicate, detailed material.

When kids go to Halloween parties, it's always obvious obvious who has the best costume. When you use the Tobi you can ensure that costumes will keep looking fresh through the night of trick-or-treating, playing with friends, and the time-honored late-night candy feast. Kids and grownups alike spend time picking out and creating the best costumes they can think of. The last thing anyone wants is to pull out a costume and realize it could not hold up to the rigorous demands put on it by the dryer. Save yourself and your children from the embarassment of not having a great costume on Halloween - hand wash, line dry or hang to dry, and put creases in and get wrinkles out with a hand-held steamer that doesn't use harsh chemicals that can wear out costumes prematurely.

Is Your Closet Eating Your Designer Clothes?

Not everyone has unlimited closet space, are you one of the millions of people that has to get a lot of clothing into a small closet? You're probably used to pulling something out of the back of the closet to find it wrinkled so badly it's almost unrecognizable. The worst part is when you pull it out of your closet you don't have time to take it to the dry cleaners, so you just wear something else. Pretty soon you have four or five outfits you never wear because they stay at the back of your closet, wrinkled and sad. Wouldn't it be great if you could perk those designer clothes up, refresh them, and make them look like they just came back from the dry cleaners...but without the gas expense and hassle of actually having to take them to the dry cleaner?

Stop leaving your designer clothing in the closet and start wearing it. You can start ironing designer fashions without dry cleaning by using the Tobi Steamer. The simple tug and steam technique will take the wrinkles out of the most delicate items and leave you with a garment you'd be proud to wear to any get together. You can stop worrying about dry cleaning costs, and closet space, and start making more plans by using the Tobi Steamer to steam wrinkles out of designer clothes at home!

Keep your well loved linens well cleaned

From your grandmother's Thanksgiving tablecloth to the napkins your mother received on her wedding day, cotton linens are difficult to keep clean but well worth it for the sentimental value as well as the stories attached to every piece.
Check for Colorfastness - If you haven't washed the linens in a while, it's always best to check and make sure the colors won't run. The best way to do this is to wet a cloth (or a moist cotton swab for more detailed items) and check the different colors of the item. Just a gentle rub will be enough to see if the color is going to run onto the others during cleaning.

Pre-Treat Stains - Pre-treat oil or grease stains with a regular dishwasher detergent (not concentrate.) Rub the dishwasher detergent gently into the stain and let it sit for a while. For rust stains that are more common on tablecloths stored in trunks, try a rust remover like Whink which is safe for fabrics as long as they're colorfast.

Gentle Wash - Fill the bathtub (or your laundry room utility sink) with lukewarm water. Gently swish the linen through the water making sure to get the rest of the rust remover or any other cleaners you used to pre-treat the fabric. Lay flat to dry.

Making Them Beautiful - Once your linens are dry, they will be wrinkled. Instead of ironing delicate items, make sure to use your Tobi Steamer to get your tablecloth table-ready and you will find it's not that difficult to make your linens look well cared for as well as well loved.

Last Minute Party? Skip the Dry Cleaners!

We've all had it happen before. You get a call reminding you about a party you agreed to attend ages ago, and you forgot to write down on your calendar. Now you have about two hours to get yourself ready and over to your friend's house. You have to move fast, because you don't want your friend thinking you forgot about her special day.

The problem with forgetting is that your pile of clothes to take to the dry-cleaners is right there, in your closet, most likely on the floor or stuffed into a hamper. What to do? First things first, pick out what you want to wear. Don't worry about anything else until you choose an outfit. Don't feel bad, because everyone keeps worn designer clothing in a hamper or pile before it gets cleaned - it's not just you.

Once you've picked what you want to wear make sure there are no obvious stains or marks. It's okay if it smells less than fresh because along with getting the wrinkles out of designer clothing at home, steam ironing your clothing removes odors as well. Refreshing your designer fashions without dry cleaning has never been easier. Put your dress (or outfit) on a hanger, grab your Tobi, and get steaming! In a few minutes your outfit will be in tip top shape ready to impress. Now spend the time you saved getting yourself ready and getting to the party on time.

Make sure your vintage clothing looks fresh

Vintage clothing never goes out of style. Hunting down the perfect outfit happens more often in a thrift store than a department store. But after you have invested so much of your time to find the perfect outfit, how will you make sure your outfit looks fresh and wrinkle-free as well as stylish? Being able to look classy at a party while still looking different from everyone else means you have to not only get a outfit with great style, it has to look like it hasn’t been stuffed in an attic trunk since 1930!

When you want to take care of getting the wrinkles out of designer clothing at home, the Tobi Steamer is your best option. It took you forever to find the perfect outfit, and you cannot risk sending something so precious to a dry cleaner that will treat your vintage outfit the same way he treats everyday clothing.

By steaming your retro clothing you can ensure it looks off-the-rack fresh while still retaining all the style and panache of being a truly vintage garment. Your friends will be asking you how you managed to make a thrift store outfit look so chic. You can tell them it was easy with the Tobi Steamer and then you can bask in being the smartest person at the party, not just the most stylish.

Make Your Next Anniversary Gift Perfect

You want to give your parents something really special for their anniversary, right? Why not consider getting them something that touches their hearts this year. Look around your parent's attic (or your attic, or your grandmother's attic) for something that was really special to your mom or dad. It could be anything from your mom's first communion dress to the suit your father wore when he married your mom. Even better, ask your grandmother or another family member to help you find something that might not have been owned by your parents but would still have a special meaning to them.

It could be a handkerchief that belonged to an ancestor, or a tablecloth that has been handed down through your family for generations. A precious memory is an amazing gift that will be treasured. Once you've found something, check it for stains or other signs it may need to be pretreated before washing. If it looks aged, but not stained you can either leave it in the original condition or if it is white a bluing agent might get it back to a crisp white. Don't use a dryer to get the wrinkles out - delicate and vintage fabrics do not respond well to the heat from a dryer and you might destroy the precious memory you were trying to preserve. Use a steamer like the Tobi to get the wrinkles out and release any odors that might still be hanging on from being in the attic.

Then prepare to be amazed at the look on your parents' faces as they open a gift they've been waiting a lifetime to receive.

Renaissance Fair Clothing Care

From your whalebone corset to your authentic reproduction breeches, is there retro clothing more fun than Ren Faire clothing? Even if you only wear your scullery maid or royal duchess outfit for eight weekends out of the year, you want to make sure your costume looks pristine every year for every event.

Start by knowing what your outfit is made of. Even though it is made to look like antique clothing, many Renaissance Faire outfits are made of cotton or a polyester/rayon and cotton blend. The high price of much medieval costuming is not because of the materials used but the craftsmanship and care that go into every piece. For that reason, you can't throw your outfit into the washer and dryer - special care needs to be taken to ensure your outfit will last for many seasons to come.

Consider hand washing your costume. It will last longer if you keep it away from the washing machine. Let your outfit air dry, and then use a hand-held professional quality steamer like the Tobi to get the wrinkles out and keep creases sharp. From the stable boy to the Queen of England, your costume depends on your careful care to remain beautiful. Also, steaming gets out odors and refreshes fabric, so you won't have to completely wash your costume between weekends - this can save a lot of wear and tear on your delicate fabrics and fine craftsmanship.

Tips for Ironing Fancy Dresses

So you finally took that bridesmaid dress in to get it altered. Surprise! It actually was the dress that you could hem and then wear out in public. After you've finished thanking the bride for choosing the only bridesmaid dress in history that could be worn more than once, you need to deal with the very real issue of ironing it before you wear it to dinner. Even the prettiest dress just doesn't look right with wrinkles, and getting those wrinkles out can cost a pretty penny if you take your dress to the dry cleaners.

If you're looking to save money and get great results, don't iron your fancy dresses and delicate fabrics, steam them! The Tobi Steamer doesn't just flatten the fibers of your dress like a heavy iron, it expands and restores the fibers of your cocktail dress so it looks better than it did when you started. Don't flatten your dress, refresh it! As long as your dress doesn't have any leather or suede on it (a steam no-no) steaming can take out any latent odors (that last party was supposed to be non-smoking, wasn't it?) and you'll have a wrinkle-free, odor-free dress that people will compliment you on for sure.

Vintage + No Tags = Extra Care Needed

Almost any piece of clothing that could be considered vintage is delicate, but don’t forget that along with age there is the original condition of the garment to worry about. If your outfit was hand wash only to begin with, once it has aged to the point of being vintage it’s necessary to be that much more careful. To make it even

After hand washing and laying your vintage clothing flat to dry, you will probably still find wrinkles where you don’t want them. A Tobi hand steamer is the safest, most convenient way to get the wrinkles out without endangering your retro clothes.

Vintage Jeans and Denim Care

Have a great pair of jeans you found at a vintage shop? Maybe you came across an antique denim jacket that you can’t wait to clean up and wear out. Here are some tips to keep your denim In great condition.

Check for Colorfastness - It is advised that you test for colorfastness before applying any detergent/stain remover to your jeans. For liquid chlorine bleaches, mix a tablespoon of bleach with 1/4 cup of water, then use an eyedropper to apply a drop of this solution on a hidden seam or pocket edge inside the garment. Let it stand for a few minutes and then blot the area dry. If there is no color change it is safe to use the product.

Pre-Treat Stains - For the most common fresh stains (blood, grease and food) you can soak the stain in hydrogen peroxide, it might take more than one application. You will know the peroxide is working if the fabric “foams”. Please note: you can pour the hydrogen peroxide directly on the stain. Continue this process until the stain disappears. For older or more set in stains you can pre-treat the fabric with a mild stain remover and let the jeans sit overnight before washing.

Gentle Wash - If you want to preserve the embroidery, or ensure the frayed edges on your vintage jeans wont disintegrate in the washing machine here are two simple tricks. Always turn your jeans inside out before washing and utilize a mesh laundry bag.

Make them Beautiful - Denim is best maintained by keeping it out of the dryer, so use the Tobi Steamer to get out all those little wrinkles rather than putting it through the wash again.. The dryer is where most fading, tearing and unwanted fraying occurs. Air drying, or hanging over a drying rack are the recommended drying methods. Use a Tobi hand steamer keep your denim looking stylish for years to come.