Dirty Cashmere scarves ruining your mood? Clean them up with our helpful guide on how to wash cashmere scarves!
Cashmere (from “Kashmir”) is a delicate and highly sought after material. Made from the wool of Cashmere or Pashmina goats, cashmere has been used for hundreds of years to make yarn, textiles, and clothing.
The goats that produce Cashmere have a double fleece of a soft undercoat and a coarser outer coating of hair called “Guard hair”. To clarify, the fine undercoat is what makes Cashmere, and it first needs to be de-haired from the outer coating of coarser hair. Similarly, the guard hair is used in brushes, interfacings, and non-apparel uses.
Pure cashmere needs to undergo treatment for commercial use. Highly sought after and rare, it first needs to be degreased, with all the dirt and coarse hair removed. One goat only gives about 150 grams of pure cashmere per year.
Cashmere wool makes sweaters, hats, gloves, socks, and – you guessed it – scarves!
Cashmere Scarves
This soft, luxurious clothing accessory is long-lasting and expensive. Instructions for cleaning cashmere usually include “Dry Cleaning Only”. Furthermore, cashmere scarves require delicate care and frequent cleaning to maintain their softness. Hand washing is the preferred method of cleaning these top-shelf items.
Here’s how to wash Cashmere scarves
1. Prepare a mix of cleaning solution. Use a mild detergent, baby shampoo or soap flakes mixed in warm water.
- Do not use fabric softeners or bleach-containing detergents.
2. Next, soak the scarf in the water for a good five minutes.
3. Rinse the scarf in lukewarm water for a few times, without squeezing or otherwise wringing it.
4. Then, using a fresh dry towel, roll the scarf up to absorb excess moisture. Use a secondary towel if the first one becomes too damp and there’s still water in the cashmere scarf.
5. Finally, keeping the scarf away from sunlight or heat, lay it down on a separate towel to dry.
- Avoid hanging the scarf to dry. As a result, the scarf might lose its shape and stretch out.
Tips
- Store cashmere scarves with cedar chips. Consequently, this keeps the moths away.
- Never hang your cashmere scarf. Fold it up and keep them in a drawer.
- Above all, do not machine wash your cashmere scarf.
- Similarly, do not use bleaching or fabric softening agents.
- Finally, never twist, wring or squeeze out water from cashmere scarves.
To sum it up, Cashmere scarves are a tussle to maintain – but the process could be well worth it and highly rewarding in the end.