It is well known that sarees continue to reign supreme among Indian outfits. Sarees retain a unique place in every woman’s wardrobe because of their sentimental importance and high standards of craftsmanship, whether it be a custom Banarasi saree that your mother wore on her wedding day or a genuine zari saree that has been in your family for generations. Tremendous yards come with great responsibility, and your heritage weaves, in particular, need your fair share of care to keep them looking as good as couture. Color fading, unintentional spills, food stains, etc, are a few of the accidents that are always a possibility. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t undo the harm or, better yet, prevent it from happening in the first place. Here are all the things you should and shouldn’t do to maintain the quality of your designer threads and antique weaves.
Refold them periodically
You should take the sarees out of the closet about once every six months and leave them in the soft sunlight for a few hours. This would aid in preserving the sheen and color of the cloth and even stop any fungal infections or odors that it may have acquired. To preserve them against zari breakage or long-lasting creases, restore them by rearranging the fold.
Be Mindful About The Storage
It’s strongly discouraged to hang sarees, especially silk sarees, on metal hangers. The best course of action is to store them folded in a porous fabric bag in a cool, dry location to promote air circulation and prevent any musty odor. To eliminate dampness and stop fungal growth on your silks, you may also use silica gel bags.
Revive the Sheen
Your six yards will typically lose their luster with time, which is a common occurrence. The trick is to periodically treat the fine fibers to prevent them from permanently losing their brilliance. To restore a silk saree’s lost sheen, wash it in one gallon of water and one-fourth cup of distilled white vinegar. To avoid damaging the fabric, only hand wash in cold water and thoroughly rinse off the vinegar. To prevent pigment loss, colored silks must be washed separately from white silks.
Damage Control
Food spills and stains are an inescapable evil that we have all likely experienced at some point. However, attempting to treat just the afflicted area alone can provide some disappointing results and a radius of discoloration. Instead, when you arrive home, soak the saree in cold water. If necessary, gently scrub the discoloration with a sponge and mild soap.
Controlled Steaming
Your heirloom sarees’ delicate weaves ensure that any creasing that occurs after washing may damage the fabric’s fibers and leave behind permanent wrinkles. Simply steam the desired region to eliminate wear- or wash-related creases when attempting to remove them. If a steamer is not available, iron the area from the inside out using the lowest heat setting. To achieve the best results, sandwich a cotton sheet between the fabric and the iron.
Rinsing when Required
One must avoid washing their pricey, designer sarees too frequently. And if it’s your first wash, make sure to use salt water. By doing this, the color will last longer. Only use soap for the subsequent washes and check for color bleeding if there is any during the initial wash.
Take the ‘Tag Info’ Seriously
Make sure your sarees don’t contain any labels that say “Dry Clean Only” before attempting any home hacks. If so, it would be best to let your reliable local launderette do the work. Another important piece of advice is to always wash your favorite sarees in cold or lukewarm water if you don’t want them to instantly shrink, especially if they are made of silk.
Once you have completed each item on this list, your favorite sarees will be prepared to face the world and be with you always.
