Pashmina Shawls... Cleaning and More!

Pashmina shawls... in today\'s fashion, designers have drawn inspiration from rather ancient cultures, transforming an otherwise utilitarian garment into an all important fashion accessory. Pashmina shawls, scarves and other pieces of garments made from the rare pashmina wool of a certain kind of mountain goat in the Himalayas have been one of the in-things in enhancing one\'s outfit.

Because of the rather pricey nature of such fashion accessories, it is thus very important to know how to take care of them. Although the home care of such pieces of garment need not entail a fortune to keep them in pristine condition, it nevertheless requires the basic understanding of the nature for such delicate treatment.

As a general rule, pashmina shawls and other similar garments are to be treated and or handled as gently as possibly can. This is because the individual wool fibers of these garments are so sensitive to extreme heat as well as other environmental factors that care should be taken in its handling.

In washing pashmina woolen items, it is generally not advised to have it machine washed. Although there are some kinds of pashmina woolen garments that can be machine washed, the purest of pashmina cannot survive mechanical agitation without significant losses in its integrity. The trick therefore is in gentle hand washing using mild soaps or liquid detergents that do not contain bleach or other harsh chemicals.

The manner of hand washing is special too, requiring soaking the pashmina items in lukewarm or cold water for about three to five minutes before rinsing the suds off. In rinsing the garment, it is best not to wring or twist the whole garment but rather use a gentle squeezing motion from one end to the other. Removing excess water also requires gentle squeezing.

Drying pashmina shawls should be under the shade and away from direct sunlight and direct heat. Make sure also to use a shaped or padded hanger in drying these items to preclude the incidence of shedding and wrinkling. In some instances, it may be wise to roll the shawl in a towel for it to dry.

In ironing delicate pashmina fabrics, it is best to press the wrong side instead of the right side. If the right side is to be pressed, just make sure to place a press cloth on top of it to protect the pashmina wool from "shining". A steam flat iron is ideal because the moisture from the steam can help straighten out wrinkles without needing too much heat on the garment.

Also, do not use your pashmina shawl repeatedly without letting them rest for at least 24 hours. This is to allow adequate time for shedding of fibers and the normal return of the pashmina fabric to its original state.

Pashmina shawls... in order to get the most out of your elegant and sophisticated shawls, it is important to know how to clean them and take care of them at home. These tips will help.