My collection of soft and pure silk sarees is a prized possession. It is a treasure that I have build up over the years, through travel souvenirs, careful buying, and well, a few luxurious gifts given to me by my close family members. I also happen to inherit two handloom silk sarees- a plain blue Chennai silk saree with a paisley motif zari border, and the other one is pink heavy Banarasi brocade, both from my mother’s collection. With almost a dozen of such woven masterpieces in my closet, and given my love for Indian silks, taking care of my closet treasure has always been one of my priorities.
Storing silk sarees properly
The older the saree gets, the more attention and care it requires, especially when you’re not wearing them regularly. I learned my lesson the hard way, when a mulberry silk saree from my collection tattered away from the folded lines. It was lying unbothered in my closet for over a year, and one fine day when I picked up for wearing it to a family function, I noticed the withering threads from the folds. Henceforth I have always made it a point to reshuffle the collection, and re-wrap each of my silk sarees differently, although I have to do that a little more often with the Banarasi and Chennai silk sarees, which happen to be over two decades old.
Stocking these drapes is also a lengthy process. Pure silk sarees are not supposed to have too much exposure to sunlight, moisture, chemicals, and even other fabrics. So I keep them wrapped separately in soft cloths in the cupboard and placing plastic sheets in the surroundings to protect them from termite attacks. Being a natural fiber, silk is food for such organisms, and I wouldn’t want my beautiful silks, including my favorite green Kanchipuram silk saree to get eaten up!
Cleaning silk sarees at home
The first and foremost thought that I have while thinking about the cleaning of silk sarees is sending them promptly for dry clean. I have read a couple of articles on the internet teaching how to clean and wash silk sarees at home, and have even tried them with a few pieces from my collection, like a printed crepe silk saree and a yellow Chanderi silk polka-dotted one. I wash them gently in a tub of lukewarm water (each saree should be washed separately). I never use regular detergents, mild liquid soap, and white vinegar, followed by a quick soak in fabric conditioner solution. It doesn’t take much time, but one must always be alert, for silk, no matter how beautiful, is a problem fabric when it comes to cleaning.
Still, most of the times, I outsource the task to a good Dry Cleaner. After all, a few hundred bucks do not stand close to the price of my luxurious silks!
Ironing silk sarees at home
It is usually the dry cleaning task that gives me a well-finished saree, ironed to a ready-to-wear look. But there are times, like when I take along these drapes for destination weddings, I carry a travel steam iron to even out the extra creases at low temperatures. I also make it a point to place a cotton fabric on a flat surface and then iron the saree over it, so that the cotton cloth pulls away excess moisture from the steam ironing because too much moisture can also tarnish the fabric.
Possessing multiple pure silk sarees has always been a dream, which I would like to continue living for years to come. I recently gave away a green Kota silk saree which I bought ten years ago, so while even the best silk saris have an expiry date, a little more care, and conscious effort can make them last longer.
