Q I bought a vintage dress from the 1960s. I am not sure what material it is made of (the label has faded) but it feels like cotton or linen. It is primarily dark blue and a little faded. How do I prevent it from fading further?

A Generally, vintage clothes that are not made from delicate fabrics like silk, wool or lace do not need to be dry-cleaned. If you are considering this route, however, try Presto Drycleaners in Takashimaya Shopping Centre. It is known for being able to handle stubborn stains as well as problematic material such as fur and leather, so your dress should be in good hands. Kelly Lee, owner of vintage boutique Deja Vu Vintage, adds that vintage fabrics are sometimes richly pigmented so the colours are more prone to running when washed by hand. In these cases, dry-cleaning is a safer bet.

But Pia Chew, owner of vintage boutique Dustbunny Vintage, says that if your dress is already faded, it might be better not to send it to the dry-cleaners as the chemicals used may cause more fading.

So if you prefer to hand-wash your garment, do so with cold water and mild detergent (not the powder kind) used for washing delicates. Do not soak your dress for more than an hour.

Other care tips include storing your vintage items in acid-free tissue paper, available from most art supply stores like Prints, and away from direct sunlight.

Do not wear them too often so they do not need to be subjected to harsh cleaning agents regularly.

Wearing your dress every two to three months or so should do the trick and any spots or stains can be tackled with stain removers without having to wash the entire outfit.

This article was first published in Urban, The Straits Times.