To freshen your scarf and make it look new, iron it with a hot steam iron or simply apply steam. If you spill something on it, hand wash it with mild soap and cold water, or dry clean.
Every piece is washed in cold water and pure detergent when it comes off the loom. If you hand wash yours, the dye might bleed a little. This is not a problem with multicolored pieces, but with black and white scarves and shawls the black dye could turn the whites a little silvery.
To avoid this, use a large dishpan or tub and fill it up with cold water. Use a mild dish detergent: if it’s mild enough to not harm bare hands it won’t hurt the silk. Woolite is pretty harsh, so don’t use that. I use a product called Orvus, a white paste of pure sodium laurel sulphate that’s used in textile conservation labs.
Wash the piece gently and take it out and rinse it right away. Never let it sit and soak. You can run it through a spin cycle in your washing machine or you can squeeze the water out by hand, but don’t wring or twist it. Hang it on a line or clean pipe to air dry, then iron or steam.
Two notes about Orvus: You can get it from Agway because it’s also used to wash horses. It doesn’t dissolve well in cold water, so you need to dissolve it in a little warm water, then add that to the cold water in the tub.
Don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have questions or issues with care for your scarf or shawl. I want you to be happy with it and I want it to last!