Tips And Tricks To Maintain Your Kanjeevaram Sarees!

Kanjeevaram sarees are bae but they also cost a bomb! While we love new outfits for all occasions, it’s important to maintain those stunning kanjeevarams so that they last forever. After all how will you create heirloom pieces of you don’t maintain that stunning silk!

Image via Vivek Krishnan Photography

Cleaning your Kanjeevaram

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Always dry clean – Silk is a delicate fabric and therefore it needs a skilled hand to wash it. Dry cleaning is the best way to handle the fabric.

Washing - If you do end up washing it at home, always use cold water and just a little shampoo only after first three washes. Harsh detergents and brushes will harm your beloved saree! Wash the sari, the pallu and the border of your sari separately.

Soap berries – Remember our grandmothers used this to have a bath? Soapberries or soapnuts offer a great alternative to any chemical soaps. They don’t even harm the zari or the silk of your kanjeevaram.

Never wring it – That is the last thing you want to do. It will wrinkle the saree and spoil it forever. First, roll the saree in a dry towel to remove the excess moisture and then, hang it on to a padded hanger.

Drying - Avoid drying your silk saree in direct sunlight. Dry it in the inside of your home where there is no direct harsh sunlight.

Ironing - Do not iron your saree directly. Always put a cloth on it and iron. Direct iron may affect its shine.

Stains

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A stained silk sari should be dry cleaned as quickly as possible to remove the stain. The more the delay, the tougher it gets to remove the stain. Use a laundry to deal with any stubborn stains.

Storage

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Storing your Kanjeevaram – Don’t store cotton or other sarees along with the kanjeevaram. Wrap your precious saree in a muslin cloth or pure cotton cloth and store it separately to maintain their longevity.

Folding the saree – Always fold your sarees carefully to avoid damaging the zari. When it comes to silk, it may be a good idea to fold the saree with the zari inwards in order to protect its sheen.

Colour fading – To avoid colour fading, store them in a dry and dark place where there is no sunlight falling on it.

Handling - Unfold your silk sarees and change the folding preferably every 3 months. Don’t use plastic saree covers, instead use cloth ones if you don’t want to wrap it in muslin.

Air your saree – Kanjeevarams should be aired in the shade, or even within your own room. Doing this once in 2-3 months ensures that your sari is well maintained for a long time.

Fresheners - Never use napthalene balls as moth protector or even spray air fresheners where your sarees are being stored. Use neem leaves instead. You can also use silica gel if you’re afraid of any fungal growth on your saree.