Pashmina and woolen shawls are undoubtedly expensive and premium products. The right care and belonging of these shawls however can pay you dividends on your purchase by lasting for lifetimes and generations. So how do we do the right care of these shawls?
Firstly when storing it regularly, do not use naphthalene cakes or balls – this is a common myth and will end up giving a permanent smell to your valuable piece.
The simplest way for storage is to fold it inside out and then cover it in a muslin cloth. And that’s it! The idea here is to prevent the natural occurrence of lint/ moth and short fibres.
There is still a lot of debate over storing it in sealed plastic bags or not. Personally, we feel it is better to go the natural way of a muslin cloth rather than synthetic material.
How to wash your Pashmina
Firstly, the beautiful pieces need not be washed after every use. You can always air it to remove any smell or odour, but be careful of extreme sunlight.
Do not put your precious pashmina piece in the machine, it will end up damaging the piece. Even the delicate wool cycles of the machine are not advisable for delicate pieces like pashminas.
A cold water hand wash is suitable for removing any stain. Adding a mild detergent is ok as long as it dissolves in the water before soaking your pashmina. Later you can spread the shawl on a dry towel which would help absorb water from the shawl. Do not wring your pashmina!
Lastly, dry cleaning is the best method for when a full cleaning is required. Using organic solvents is preferred. Dry cleaning is the safest way and also the way to increase the life and look of your pashmina!
