Recently I acquired a beautiful 1950s cream coloured cashmere cardigan by Helen Bond Curruthers. If you are a connoisseur of beautiful knitwear you would know that a cardigan by HBC is not just any old cardigan it is something amazing.

However, the cardigan that I have was sadly terribly stained on one of her sleeves, and the worst part is I suspect that these stains are rat/mice droppings, or possibly mould. Yuck.

I gave her five treatments and multiple soaks with only minor improvement before I asked the vintage hive mind for advice. The photo shows her progress at the time from when it began to when I sought advice. I want to share with you one piece of advice that I received which was shocking.

The advice was to soak her in an Oxy solution (like Oxyclean or Biz)

Here's why this is shocking, and frankly, just terrible advice:

Never I repeat never launder or treat cashmere with any kind of oxy based solution. Oxy solutions (like oxyclean, Biz, Vanish, Napisan) are basically colour safe bleach; they use enzymes to break down proteins. Yes, proteins .. like the same stuff hair and cashmere is made from. Using these products on cashmere is like putting your precious vintage item into a vat of acid. It will erode and eventually dissolve the fibres. I am not generally a fan of these types of products on vintage clothing but I know others who use them very successfully - but not on cashmere!

So, I didn't follow this advice. I continued to treat her conservatively by stain treating with my most loved product The Laundress Stain Solution (I'm not paid or endorsed by them at all, I just love their stuff!) and then I also used their Wool & Cashmere shampoo to soak her. 

It was around 15 treatments and 10 soaks that did the trick. Unfortunately some of the cashmere fibres around the appliqued areas weakened and broke, so now this needs to be repaired. However fortunately I have a knitting genius friend, who, for the purpose of this article shall be known as The Wool Whisperer who is going to help re-knit those fibres and bring her back to life again.

So.. more on her later!