Sanity check: laundering linen?

[jducoeur]

I've finally finished unpacking everything from Pennsic, and today is quiet enough to be largely dedicated to laundry. But I am suddenly butting up against yet another of those moments where I realize that I don't know how my life works. Specifically: how does one wash linen?

My Pennsic garb is heavily linen -- after all, when dealing with the heat of Pennsic, why would one wear anything else? (This is why you see me in so much medieval garb at Pennsic. My Renaissance outfits are mostly cotton; my medieval ones are in many cases head-to-toe linen, and much more comfy in the heat and humidity.) So I have an entire hamper made of nothing else. The articles and colors vary wildly, but all of it is linen.

But of course, Jane used to do all the laundry, and I've never washed this stuff. So I'll toss the question out to the network: what should I do or not do? My instinct is that machine-washing on delicate is probably okay. (Should I get some Woolite or such instead of using ordinary detergent?) Not sure whether it is appropriate to tumble dry on a cool setting, or whether it all needs to be hung to dry. I'm not terribly worried about it wrinkling (it's linen -- wrinkles are a feature), and I'm not *too* worried about wear, since I wear each of these outfits only a couple of times a year. I am a great believer in the principle that linen is at its best when it is a little worn, and the fabric starts to relax.

So: opinions? I'm flying blind here, so words from the fabric geeks would be welcome...

Comments

[grinnellian2001.livejournal.com]

Yes to this! I wash all of my linen exactly as I do other clothes *except* that the reds, pinks, and blacks (to make a full load, since the blacks won't be hurt by getting a little fugitive red dye) together, the whites together, and the blues/browns/greens etc. together. Misc cotton (stockings, older junky clothes, underwear) gets thrown in the appropriate pile after Pennsic as well, I don't separate by fiber. We wash all of our laundry on cold or warm unless it really needs more (yours may, after a month, especially the whites) with regular detergent and then machine dry. No need to baby linen as long as you're sure it won't bleed, and if you have anything that does you will know after you do this a time or two.