For any Indian woman, sarees are a prized possession. Their wardrobe will always have a prominent space for cheap or expensive sarees of all varieties.
Indian brides are known for their fascination for a wide range of expensive sarees. What is of importance is their care and maintenance as care and methods change depending on the material and type of sarees.
Today the hassles of travelling far and wide to buy saris are a thing of the past. There is no need to travel far and wide for buying sarees. All types of saris are easily available in online stores.
Certainly, a radical change has come over in the way sarees are being sourced. To buy sarees online hundreds of online stores are there.
Even though the excitement to buy saris has not waned, many buyers are not displaying the same zeal when it comes to rightly preserving the sarees they have bought. There are many textile experts who offer useful tips to take care of the prized sarees.
On the basis of popularity, price, value and other considerations there are different types of saris to look at. They include Paithani, Cotton, Georgette, Chiffon, Silk, Organza, Tissue among others.
According to experts, Paithani Sarees have to be stored in a dry place and away from moisture. Extra care has to be taken during monsoon season and exposure to sunlight is essential for every four months.
Many online shopping stores offer tips on saree maintenance and most of them recommend chemical protection like naphthalene balls to be away from insects and use of cloves as an alternative way to keep away from bugs.
Cottons: As far as cotton sarees are concerned special care must be taken to avoid loss of color. While washing them the first time, rinsing in lukewarm rock salt water for 20 minutes will help in preventing the color from fading. Cotton sarees with dark shades must be washed separately.
Also, refrain from wringing cotton sarees hard and gently put them over a water tap to have the water drained off. Cotton sarees are noted for crispness. So, soaking in starch and putting them in dry shade will be ideal. Georgette & Chiffon
As delicate fabrics, Georgette and Chiffon require better care to avoid being torn. They can be washed at home but take care not to twist hard to drain out the excess water.
Put them on a wire in the shade and let the water drain out naturally. While keeping in Almirah, make it a point to fold them neatly and hang nicely on hangers.
Once in a month, take them out and refold to avoid ripping.
Organza & Tissue: For Tissue and Organza saris machine wash is not advisable and dry-cleaning is the way to go. For storing, fold neatly and hang them while sparing some time for refolding them.
Silk expensive sarees: Silk sarees are pricey and are great investments for the future generation. They require a high degree of maintenance and proper care.
Have they dry-cleaned? Pure Kanjivaram silk sarees are too costly and are meant to be passed from one generation to another.
Silk sarees are washable. But their shine and crispness of the design have to be maintained.
In washing silk sarees, avoid using soap at the start of the cleaning process. Let the saree soak in salt water for 20-30 minutes and later rinse it with cold water.
Wash the saree in plain water and clean it with mild detergent. Avoid scrubbing by brush or bundling to un-crease. Squeeze out excess water and hang it on the clothesline after making sure that it is beyond direct sunlight.
