Q I have a few pieces of sarongs and kebayas given to me by my mother-in-law. I have been yearning to wear them but they have yellow stains.

Please tell me how I can get rid of these stains.

A Unfortunately, there is not much you can do to salvage vintage sarongs and kebayas once stains have set in, says Bebe Seet, owner of Rumah Bebe boutique (113 East Coast Road, tel: 6247-8781).

“Even dry-cleaning won’t get the stains out in most cases,” says Seet.

If the stains on your vintage stash are relatively small, one option is to get a boutique like Rumah Bebe to embroider new designs over the affected areas in order to cover up the stains.

Seet says that prices for this service will depend on the amount and type of embroidery required, but it can start from as low as $50.

If you do manage to get your hands on vintage kebayas that are in pristine condition, keep them looking that way by handwashing them with a gentle detergent.

Do not send them for dry-cleaning. The chemicals used are likely to be too harsh for them, says Seet.

Do not wring these garments after washing. Instead, lay them flat on a towel for excess water to be absorbed.

If your mother-in-law is also interested in passing down any vintage camphor chests, these are excellent for protecting fragile vintage clothes from our humid climate.

Otherwise, wrapping the garments in acid-free tissue paper should also do the trick.

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