How to clean Pashmina and silk scarf?

Pashmina scarf and silk scarves, both are delicate and gentle and need a lot more care than your other cotton or nylon scarves and accessories. But wing to their feminine demeanour and everlasting grace that they lend you as a wearer, you just can't stop buying them. We all love those silky, comfortable, colourful scarves as women. But with love comes care, and caring for these scarves is a tedious activity. Hence there is a long list of precautions and a step-by-step guide on how to clean Pashmina and silk scarves. And even though we are the dealers of Pashmina only, we still did our little research to provide you with the basic knowledge of silk scarf cleaning as well. Let's get started.

Cleaning Pashmina scarves

Many of us believe that spot cleaning is best for a precious and delicate thing like a Pashmina scarf. But that might not be true if your scarf has been lying in your wardrobes for months together. It needs thorough cleaning now. It might look really clean and fresh, but trust us, there are minute food remains hair strands, and even sweat particles, which are ready to attract deadly moths.

Generally, Pashmina, being the value that it is, is always trusted to dry cleaners and is washed in laundries professionally. But if you don't have such a facility available instantly, you can wash it at home, with lots of precautions though.

Always wash your Pashmina scarf with your hand. Some might suggest washing it in the washing machine with a “hand wash” setting on, but we suggest doing that as a last resort. Use lukewarm to semi-cold water to wash it, and use baby shampoo or a mild conditioner to clean it. There are nowadays a number of Pashmina detergents and shampoos available in the market which help keep this precious asset super soft

After you are done, take the scarf out of the water tub, and don't ever wring or twist it. Gently squeeze the soapy water out of it, and rinse it with lukewarm or cold water. 

Drying a Pashmina scarf

Once you start drying your scarf, you have to be extra careful again, as in washing. Never tumble dry your Pashmina. Never twist or wring your scarf to let go of the excess water. The best way to dry a Pashmina scarf is to lay it flat on a towel, gently roll the towel, and gently press it to absorb the excess water. After some time, you can unroll it. 

After you remove the towel from the scarf, leave it to dry in a flat position. Do not hand your Pashmina scarf, as the weight of water might distort its shape. Keep it away from direct sunlight, radiators or hair dryers. It must air dry naturally.

Storing Pashmina scarves

It's not just washing and drying, but taking care of its storage which makes Pashmina live long. Pashmina can't be left open in your wardrobes like cotton and nylons, They have to be taken extra care of.

First and foremost, clean the shelf where you are planning to store your Pashmina, properly. Note that it must be clean and moisture free. Any amount of dampness will ruin your precious piece. After cleaning it, take care of moth spread. Moths are deadly as far as Pashmina is concerned. Make sure the place will remain moth free. There are plenty of anti-moth papers or naphthalene balls to take care of moth spread. Use these to keep moths away. Replace them once they lose their strength.

Do not store Pashmina scarves in cardboard boxes like you would store your other essentials. Do not put them in plastic bags either, since they might experience dampness there. These types of storage might tamper with the quality and change the colour of your scarf.

The best way to store Pashmina is to wrap these in tissue paper. This helps preserve their natural state. There is no danger of dampness or dust, and your Pashmina lives a long life. 

Also read: IS CASHMERE WARM?

Washing Silk Scarf

Silk too is a long-term investment, and should be cared about carefully. Even Though we might not be the kings with respect to silk, but we consulted our fabric experts before writing this. So here you go:

• Silk should be washed in cold water, and again using a shampoo or mild detergent. If you feel the silk scarf is too dirty, keep it soaked for 4-5 minutes.
• Remove, squeeze and rinse it with cold fresh water.
• Squeeze again to remove excess water, and lay it flat on a towel which absorbs the remaining water
• Lay flat to air dry

After it dries, your scarf will have creases. Iron it using a steamer, or iron it yourself. Keep the iron on low heat, and do not use it directly. Place a thin cotton sheet in between the iron and your scarf, and then begin with the edges. Do not spray silk with water during the ironing process, as silk catches water stains. 

Ta Da! Your scarf is new and fresh.

Also read: PASHMINA BELONGS TO THE CLAN OF ORIGINALITY