Summary: Although there are various materials like cotton and polyester tablecloths, it can’t give you the elegant look that linen tablecloths have.
Maintaining linen tablecloths might be a little difficult especially since they are white. But with a little care, you could maintain it well for a long time to come. Invented much before cotton, this material was first used by noblemen. This fabric was sent as dowry when a lady was wedded and she took great pride in it and passed it on to her next generation and many more to come. Since it has been passed on over the generation, it is considered to be an heirloom.
If you have linen family heirloom, then obviously it is of good quality but an old one which needs a lot of care. Air the linen tablecloths once in a while so that it does not color yellow over the time. Sunlight does a lot good in keeping it in good condition. When you are washing old linen, never soak it in hot water, lest it is damaged. Machine washing is a definite no-no for old linen tablecloths. Refrain from washing it in washing machine. In case of old food stains, it would be best if you just scrape off the food particles first and then wash it. This way, you wouldn’t have to brush it roughly to get rid of stains.
Washing old linen tablecloths should be easy. Just soak the linen in lukewarm water for a couple of hours. Add some sodium borate along with the detergent. Rinse it in cold water, but do not wring the cloth or you will end up damaging it.
If you have new linen tablecloth, then nothing to worry about since you can wash it in washing machine. Just as old linen, you could use the same washing methods. You can use sodium borate and detergent to wash it. Though you could machine wash these, hand wash is the most recommended method.
When it comes to preserving linen, make sure you store in an airy and dry place. Also, keep it away from direct contact with the cupboard. Also, cardboard and polythene covers should be avoided. What you could do is either wrap it in an old piece of cloth or tissues. Ironing linen tablecloths is not recommended when you are preserving it. It would only weaken the fabric and will not last longer. So when you are not using it and are putting it in cupboard, the best thing to do is to fold it and keep it without ironing it.
If you take proper care, these linen tablecloths can last for a really long time. Preserve it in the above given methods, then you should be able to pass it on either to your daughter or daughter-in-law.