Best way to care for pashmina shawl, please

Please forgive me if this question has previously been answered and discussed. I find that scarves/shawls are a quick and easy way to add versatility to my cruising wardrobe. My mother-in-law recently gave me a beautiful pashmina silk shawl, and I'd appreciate any tips for cleaning it. Thank you very much in advance.

What is the actual fabric content? (Pashmina used to mean a specific type of fabric. These days it tends more to describe the shape of the wrap and could be a cashmere/silk blend or just a rayon)

That said - I wash all my scarves by hand in cool water (sturdier ones on the handwash cycle of my front loader washing machine) with woolite, air dry. Iron on low if needed.

Actual fabric content of your scarf will determine how you should care for it (I'm assuming you're asking here because it doesn't have a care tag?) I don't pamper my clothing, though - I will wash EVERYTHING at home. Including down pillows & comforters, cashmere sweaters.....I don't think I own anything dry clean only anymore (maybe a couple blazers but I don't wear them often so I don't have to clean them often - my job is usually casual enough for a cardigan)

Hand wash, cool water

Dry flat

Do not wring, can roll in a towel to absorb excess water.

http://www.scarves.net/blog/how-to-wash-a-scarf/

Be careful of the edges if you iron your scarf. If it's a flat hem, no problem. If it's a rolled hem, iron UP TO the hem. Do not flatten a rolled hem.

Hi,

Another helpful hit about traveling with a Pashmina shawl is to roll it when packing. This will eliminate most wrinkles. If you do have wrinkles, hang it on a pant or skirt hanger and mist with warm water. I carry a spritz top that fits on a water bottle and use this to take care of most wrinkles in clothes. Works fabulously!

What is the actual fabric content? (Pashmina used to mean a specific type of fabric. These days it tends more to describe the shape of the wrap and could be a cashmere/silk blend or just a rayon)

 

That said - I wash all my scarves by hand in cool water (sturdier ones on the handwash cycle of my front loader washing machine) with woolite, air dry. Iron on low if needed.

 

Actual fabric content of your scarf will determine how you should care for it (I'm assuming you're asking here because it doesn't have a care tag?) I don't pamper my clothing, though - I will wash EVERYTHING at home. Including down pillows & comforters, cashmere sweaters.....I don't think I own anything dry clean only anymore (maybe a couple blazers but I don't wear them often so I don't have to clean them often - my job is usually casual enough for a cardigan)

Correct, the shawl tag mentions that it's a silk/cashmere blend, but the shawl doesn't have a care tag. Thanks for your washing recommendation.

Hand wash, cool water

Dry flat

Do not wring, can roll in a towel to absorb excess water.

 

http://www.scarves.net/blog/how-to-wash-a-scarf/

 

Be careful of the edges if you iron your scarf. If it's a flat hem, no problem. If it's a rolled hem, iron UP TO the hem. Do not flatten a rolled hem.

Hi,

Another helpful hit about traveling with a Pashmina shawl is to roll it when packing. This will eliminate most wrinkles. If you do have wrinkles, hang it on a pant or skirt hanger and mist with warm water. I carry a spritz top that fits on a water bottle and use this to take care of most wrinkles in clothes. Works fabulously!

Thanks very much for your washing and packing advice. Very helpful!

Please forgive me if this question has previously been answered and discussed. I find that scarves/shawls are a quick and easy way to add versatility to my cruising wardrobe. My mother-in-law recently gave me a beautiful pashmina silk shawl, and I'd appreciate any tips for cleaning it. Thank you very much in advance.

Hi MAM! I wash virtually everything, in part because the so-called dry cleaner in our rinky-dink little down is a fabric murderer, so I've been forced to take matters into my own hands (literally). ;)

That said, I will not wash my own pashminas. I take them onto the ship and send them for drycleaning on the ship when necessary. My hesitations are the fabric mix, and the relatively loose weave of a pashmina (compared to the tight weave of my vintage Hermes scarves, or most other 100% silk items such as blouses).

In reading that link, it seems to mention using cold and then lukewarm water. In my experience, that has the potential to create problems as the change of temp can cause silk to get crunchy (for lack of a better word).

Just another point of view :) Whatever you decide, enjoy that lovely gift!

You can roll the scarves or other items and put them inside a wrapping paper tube

What is the actual fabric content? (Pashmina used to mean a specific type of fabric. These days it tends more to describe the shape of the wrap and could be a cashmere/silk blend or just a rayon)

 

That said - I wash all my scarves by hand in cool water (sturdier ones on the handwash cycle of my front loader washing machine) with woolite, air dry. Iron on low if needed.

 

Actual fabric content of your scarf will determine how you should care for it (I'm assuming you're asking here because it doesn't have a care tag?) I don't pamper my clothing, though - I will wash EVERYTHING at home. Including down pillows & comforters, cashmere sweaters.....I don't think I own anything dry clean only anymore (maybe a couple blazers but I don't wear them often so I don't have to clean them often - my job is usually casual enough for a cardigan)

My Pashmina was given to me as a gift from a Tibetan friend. It's a product of the Himalayas. It is 70% pashmina wool and 30% silk and dry clean only.

My Pashmina was given to me as a gift from a Tibetan friend. It's a product of the Himalayas. It is 70% pashmina wool and 30% silk and dry clean only.

Here goes form a textile engender!

Take a dryer sheet or one piece of a paper towel with one or two drops of laundry detergent, wet it and wring out. Place the wet paper or dryer sheet with your scarves or anything you want dry cleaned in a dryer set on low for 10 minutes.

Dry cleaners hate us!!

I was given a 100% cashmere pashmina shawl. While I don't like it and will probably never use it, I have no clue how to store it properly so I can give it to someone who would enjoy it.

Any storage tips would be greatly appreciated.

I am very fond of shampoo, in my bath sink..if it has a soil spot, DAWN works well..my silk things are good w/reg water..rinse well....roll in big bath towel....loop over fuzzy hanger when almost dry.Have a 100% silk

Pash from Morocco, watched them being woven. have poly ones, treat the same. my tops, also, press on wrong side and up against seams...hand washed a lined silk fancy jacket stuffed with tissue..pressed a bit..if something is beaded...lay down a thick bath towel on ironing board, press on back..the bead/etc will sink into the loops, and u get a nice flat press on the rt side. I take a water sprayer to the laundry, if bath steaming dosent quite work.always test heat of iron 1st....I have used tissue paper, or brown paper bag as sole plate buffers (no shine)...my things have lasted a very long time. going on 11 yrs for some things, but I used them seasonally..not every cruise...somethings I olny wear about 2x a year....as I cruise about a dozen times or more in a year.

If this gift is rather old, not knowing your MIL's age, I'd have it dry cleaned because older silks tended to shrink a lot more than more recently made silks. Maybe check dry cleaning ads or yelp reviews for a dry cleaner that advertizes caring for heirloom tablecloths and the like. Most will exam the item and let you know how to care for it if possible at home. They get great repeat business that way. (My MIL gave me formal tablecloths of linen with silk embroidery her MIL had given her. If we wanted to go through a long process we can care for them at home easily but they are a pain to iron.)

Here goes form a textile engender!

Take a dryer sheet or one piece of a paper towel with one or two drops of laundry detergent, wet it and wring out. Place the wet paper or dryer sheet with your scarves or anything you want dry cleaned in a dryer set on low for 10 minutes.

Dry cleaners hate us!!

Thanks for the info!

I don't have an authentic pashmina but I do have some delicate scarves (one from India from a friend) and if any of my delicates are machine-washable, I put them in a zippered laundry bag made specifically for the washing machine. It has saved me many times over. I wash my undergarments, hats, scarves, etc. in it - anything that I fear may be damaged or get caught in the wringer.

And of all things, it was purchased at the dollar store. :D

Please forgive me if this question has previously been answered and discussed. I find that scarves/shawls are a quick and easy way to add versatility to my cruising wardrobe. My mother-in-law recently gave me a beautiful pashmina silk shawl, and I'd appreciate any tips for cleaning it. Thank you very much in advance.

If it silk, it's probably carefully hand washable. If it has wool or cashmere, I strongly suggest dry clean only.