How to Care for Your Silk Sarees
A silk saree, cared for properly, will outlive you. Cared for badly, it will not survive three seasons.
Here is how to keep yours beautiful.
Washing: don't
Let us be direct. Never machine wash a silk saree. Never soak it. Never wring it out.
Silk is a protein fibre. Water, detergent, and agitation break it down, dull the sheen, and can permanently damage zari work. Dry clean your silk sarees — always, and by someone who knows what they are handling.
For a small fresh stain, blot gently with a dry cloth. Do not rub. Do not apply water. Take it to a professional as soon as you can.
Storing: the part most people get wrong
Wrap in cotton or muslin, never plastic
Plastic traps moisture and suffocates the fabric. Over time it causes yellowing and can leave the silk brittle. A soft cotton or muslin cloth lets the fabric breathe.
Refold every few months
This one matters more than people realise. A saree left folded the same way for years will develop permanent creases along the fold lines — and on a zari border, those creases can crack the metallic thread.
Every three or four months, take it out and refold it along different lines. It takes five minutes.
Keep it dark and dry
Sunlight fades silk. Humidity invites mould. A dry, dark cupboard is ideal.
Neem leaves, not naphthalene
Traditional wisdom holds here. Dried neem leaves keep insects away without the harsh chemical residue of mothballs, which can damage delicate fabric over time.
Ironing
Use the lowest heat setting. Always iron on the reverse side, and place a thin cotton cloth between the iron and the saree. Never iron directly over zari work — the heat can tarnish it.
Wearing
- Perfume and deodorant first, saree second. Alcohol-based sprays stain silk.
- Air it after wearing. Do not fold it away immediately — let it breathe for a few hours first.
- Rotate your sarees. Wearing the same one repeatedly wears it out faster than you would think.
A last thought
The sarees that get passed down through families are not the ones that were never worn. They are the ones that were looked after.
Browse our silk saree collection.
