Care and cleaning of Altar linens

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mommyof4

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I need some some resources on how to properly wash the altar linens. I have been recruited to wash/iron/deliver the altar linens every week for the next few months. I am sure that I don’t just throw them in the regular laundry. How do I wash them? By hand? Do I use soap? Do I pour the used water into my garden?

Thank you.
 
mommyof4 - don’t you have enough to do???

God Bless you for your service and remind all your friends that this is only a temporary service - sometimes there is nothing more permanent than a “temporary” volunteer. My Dad told me that - one day he volunteered and spent 30 years in the Marine Corps.

Blessings
 
ltbpoe43 said:
mommyof4 - don’t you have enough to do???

God Bless you for your service and remind all your friends that this is only a temporary service - sometimes there is nothing more permanent than a “temporary” volunteer. My Dad told me that - one day he volunteered and spent 30 years in the Marine Corps.

Blessings
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I’m a school teacher, so I’m just doing it during the summer when I have time off. The lady who is currently doing it hasn’t had a break for several years. I have teenagers to help me with housework, too, so it really isn’t so bad.
 
You won’t be in charge of cleaning the chalice, paten, or other sacred vessels will you?
 
Cristiano said:
Are those considered as linens?
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No, but I didn’t konw if someone in the cleaning of altar linens were expected to clean the vessels as well. After all, parishes are shrinking and individual people are having to perform the duties that other people used to hold. I was just curious and meant no intrusion by my question.
 
Hi Matt,
Our parish is getting a seminarian for the summer. Guess you guys don’t do linens. Do You?🙂

plato3
 
mommyof4 said:
I’m a school teacher, so I’m just doing it during the summer when I have time off. The lady who is currently doing it hasn’t had a break for several years. I have teenagers to help me with housework, too, so it really isn’t so bad.
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Would you be able to get instructions from this person, or has she already left for the summer?
 
lak611 said:
Would you be able to get instructions from this person, or has she already left for the summer?
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She called me, and we’ll be able to meet on Sunday after mass. I’m just a bit nervous about it, but I’ll live.
 
mommyof4 said:
She called me, and we’ll be able to meet on Sunday after mass. I’m just a bit nervous about it, but I’ll live.
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That’s great that she will be able to help you learn. I’m sure you will do a great job.🙂
 
I met with the regular altar linen cleaning lady, and she gave me some instructions on how to wash the altar linens. She told me to soak the purifiers in cold water to remove all of the precious blood and host particles. I then take that water and pour it into the ground somewhere. I can then place all of the linens into the wash machine and wash them with detergent. Does this sound right? I’m a bit nervous about doing this. I thought that they had to be washed by hand entirely.
 
mommyof4 said:
I met with the regular altar linen cleaning lady, and she gave me some instructions on how to wash the altar linens. She told me to soak the purifiers in cold water to remove all of the precious blood and host particles. I then take that water and pour it into the ground somewhere. I can then place all of the linens into the wash machine and wash them with detergent. Does this sound right? I’m a bit nervous about doing this. I thought that they had to be washed by hand entirely.
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I wash the altar linens for my church and this how I do it. The one other thing is that you don’t put the purificators into the dryer. Just iron them while they are still wet and they will come out as if they were starched. Also, if you have a problem with lipstick on the purificators (it is such a pain!), after soaking them, spray hair spray on the lipstick, then rinse and use a pretreater on the spot. It should come out.
 
icequeen said:
I wash the altar linens for my church and this how I do it. The one other thing is that you don’t put the purificators into the dryer. Just iron them while they are still wet and they will come out as if they were starched. Also, if you have a problem with lipstick on the purificators (it is such a pain!), after soaking them, spray hair spray on the lipstick, then rinse and use a pretreater on the spot. It should come out.
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Thank you! I’ve been doing this for a few weeks now, and so far, so good. I’ve never realized before how difficult lipstick can be to get out of the purificators! I’ll never wear lipstick to church again! I’ve been damp drying the purificators, and yes, they do iron up better damp.
 
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