Caring for your Product
How to wash your kimono
If your kimono or yukata is made from cotton, wool, or synthetic fibers such as polyester, it is usually safe to wash it by hand or sometimes by using a washing machine. If your kimono or product is made from silk, we highly recommend a good dry cleaner over hand-washing. Due to silks delicate nature, the chance of getting a stain out of a silk kimono or product without damaging it is very low. However, if you must wash it, we can share with you the common practices we know.
NOTE: ALWAYS TEST CHECK A SMALL CORNER OF YOUR KIMONO OR HAORI FIRST BEFORE WASHING! SOME OF THE SILK HAS BEEN HAND DYED SO WHEN SUBMERGED IN WATER IT WILL COLOR BLEED ONTO THE OTHER COLORS OF YOUR GARMENT.
1. Start off by filling a bucket or tub with water, you don’t want it to be warmer than 30 degrees Celsius/86 degrees Ferenheight because hot water can damage the silk.
2. Add a small amount of detergent, preferably one specially designed for silk, but a baby shampoo will work as well.
3. Put your kimono in the bucket and swirl it around for a few minutes, focus on the marked area and very gently try to remove the stain. Make sure that you don’t scrub it or leave it in the water too long as this can affect the silk and stitching.
4. Pour out the water and add fresh cold water to rinse your kimono. Do not run silk under running water as the force of the water can damage delicate silk.
5. Be very careful when removing the kimono from the water as it will be much heavier when you take it out and lifting it in the wrong way (for example from the sleeves) can cause damage to the seams because they aren’t made to support that much-added weight.
6. To dry the kimono, carefully hang it on a bar so that the weight is very evenly distributed and let it drip dry, if you’re in a rush you can lay it down between 2 towels and try to get some of the moisture out faster. Try to keep your robe out of direct sunlight as this can cause the silk to fade and absolutely don’t tumble dry!!
7. If you find that your kimono has lots of wrinkles, you can iron it on a super low setting but we suggest putting a thin cotton sheet between the iron and the silk as too much direct heat will make the silk shiny. Also, iron on the reverse side, so that the outer silk doesn’t come in direct contact with the iron. You can steam your kimono but do this with caution as steam irons can spit and this will leave instant watermarks all over your precious silk.
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How to remove a musty or mothball smell from your kimono or product
1. Air it Out
Take your silk item outside and let the air get at it to remove the distinctive aroma of mothballs. You will want to avoid placing it in direct sunlight, however.
Find a shady spot where you can hang up your item. You can also place it on a clean sheet or towel if you wish.
2. Pack it With Baking Soda
Baking soda will get rid of the smell of mothballs, but you will need to give it at least a few days to work. Place your piece of clothing in a plastic bag or a box.
Pack it with enough baking soda to cover it completely. Leave it in place for several days before removing it from the container.
Sniff it to see whether it carries the tell-tale smell of mothballs. If you still smell the stale smell, put it back in the baking soda for a few more days.
Over time, the baking soda will eventually absorb the smell, but you need to be patient.
3. Activate Charcoal Odor Absorber
Another way to get the smell of mothballs out of silk clothing is to buy some activated charcoal. You can find it at home improvement or pet stores.
Place it in a shallow dish at various points around a room. Hang up your silk item and leave it for at least a few days.
The charcoal will absorb odors from the room and get the smell out.
This isn’t the best option if you want to wear the item right away but if you have some time before you plan to put it on, go ahead and let the charcoal do its work.
4. Vinegar and Water Soak
Follow the steps above but add one cup of white vinegar when washing.
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How to store your Kimono:
Store it in a dry, dark cupboard away from sunlight and heat. Place it in either a preservative bag specifically for kimono or place an acid-free paper in between the folds of your kimono. Put insect repellent and a desiccant in the corners of the drawer but do not have them touching the kimono. Doing this will minimize the threat of mold and will repel any insects that will damage your silk products.
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How to care for your obijime (Japanese rope)
The tassel at the end of the rope may become frayed or disheveled.
If this happens, use a liquid seam or fraying sealant, this will seal it and keep the tassel in place.
You may also place a little water on the tassel and then iron it to straighten the strings.
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Bag Care Instructions
Wipe the clutch gently with a fabric cleaner or blot gently using a towel dipped in soap and water. Consider treating your clutch with a fabric protector in order to protect it from water damage, stains & snags. The fabric for your bag is very delicate and each piece is very different from the next. If you are unsure of what to do, take your bag to a dry cleaner who specializes in treating silk or follow the information above.
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Important points
* Washing your kimono with water will possibly cause shrinkage and loss of color.
* It’s not advisable to wash your silk kimono or obi by yourself. It’s better to leave them with a reliable dry cleaning shop that can treat high-grade silk items.
* Frequently cleaning kimono fabric can cause damage to the cloth so cleaning as little as possible is preferred.
* When there is a small stain or mark on your kimono or obi clean only that area as soon as possible (there is no need to clean the entire garment).