Silk Saree Care: When to Wash at Home and When to Dry Clean

First, check what you have

Before water touches a silk saree, ask three questions.

• Does it have zari or metallic thread? Real zari is silver or copper wire coated in gold or silver. Water, sweat and perfume tarnish it. Dry clean.
• Is the work heavy? Embroidery, stones, sequins and heavy borders can pucker or bleed when wet. Dry clean.
• Does the colour run? Dab a hidden corner of the pallu with a damp white cloth. If any colour comes off, it will run in a wash. Dry clean.

If the answer to all three is no, careful hand-washing is fine for many everyday silks.

How to hand-wash a silk saree

1. Use cold water and a small amount of mild, pH-neutral detergent — a silk wash or a gentle baby shampoo.
2. Wash it alone, and keep it in the water for no more than a few minutes. Long soaks invite colour bleed.
3. Swish it gently. Don't scrub, rub or use a brush.
4. Rinse in cold water until the water runs clear.
5. Never wring. Roll the saree in a thick towel and press to remove water.
6. Dry it in the shade, spread out. Direct sun fades silk and weakens the fibre.
7. Iron on the reverse, on the silk setting, while it is still very slightly damp — or with a thin cotton cloth between the iron and the saree. Never spray water directly on silk; it leaves spots.

Looking after zari

Zari is the most valuable part of many sarees and the easiest to damage.

• Let the saree air for a few hours after wearing before folding it, so sweat can evaporate.
• Put on perfume and deodorant before draping, and let them dry. Never spray onto the saree.
• Wrap zari borders in soft muslin or cotton so they don't rub against other sarees.
• Keep mothballs from touching the silk; a cloth pouch of neem leaves or cloves in the cupboard is gentler.

Storing silk sarees

• Breathable, not plastic. Store each saree in a muslin or cotton bag. Plastic traps moisture, and in a humid NCR monsoon that means mildew.
• Refold every few months. Silk can weaken and split along the same fold if it stays folded one way for years. Refold along different lines.
• Don't hang heavy sarees. The weight of a Kanjeevaram pulls at the fibres. Fold and stack instead, heaviest at the bottom.
• Air them twice a year. On a dry day, open them out in the shade for an hour.

When to hand it to us

Send us sarees with zari, heavy work or colours that bleed, any saree after its first wear, and any stain — especially oil, turmeric or sweat. Delicate sarees are hand-finished rather than machine-tumbled, and zari and stonework are photographed at intake so you and we share the same record of their condition. See our dry cleaning service, read how to remove haldi stains, or book a pickup.