Looking after your saree
Saree Care Guide
Last updated
A handloom saree, properly cared for, lasts generations. The guidance below is fabric-specific — find your saree's fabric below for full washing, drying, ironing and storage notes, plus the general storage and stain advice that applies to every fabric.
Silk
Silk is a protein fibre — strong when dry, fragile when wet. Kanchipuram, Banarasi, Mysore Silk and Patola sarees all share the same core rules, even though the weaves themselves differ.
Full Silk care guide →Cotton
Handloom cotton sarees — Chanderi, Gadwal, Maheshwari — are more forgiving than silk, but the zari border and any natural dye still need gentler handling than the plain cotton body.
Full Cotton care guide →Georgette
Georgette is relatively easy to look after compared to silk, but its fine crinkled surface snags easily, so gentler handling than a everyday fabric matters.
Full Georgette care guide →Chiffon
Chiffon is light, sheer and easy to care for at home, provided it's handled gently — it snags easily and holds a crease if folded the same way too often.
Full Chiffon care guide →Linen
Linen is one of the more robust saree fabrics day-to-day, but it appreciates one careful first wash to set its natural sizing before regular care begins.
Full Linen care guide →Tussar
Tussar is a wild silk, textured and slightly uneven by nature rather than by flaw, and it appreciates the same careful first wash as linen before regular care.
Full Tussar care guide →Organza
Organza is sheer and crisp, holding its shape away from the body rather than falling close like georgette or chiffon. That crispness is exactly what makes it snag and crease easily, so most of the care is in handling and storage.
Full Organza care guide →Zari
Zari — gold or silver metallic thread — appears across many fabrics and weaves, from Kanchipuram borders to a full Banarasi pallu. It has its own care rules regardless of what fabric it's woven into, because the thread itself is metal, not fibre.
Full Zari care guide →Storage
Store sarees in breathable muslin or cotton covers — never in airtight plastic, which traps moisture and promotes mildew. Refold sarees along a different crease line every few months to prevent permanent fold damage. Interleave acid-free tissue between heavily worked sarees to prevent zari from catching on adjacent fabric. Place cedar balls or neem leaves in the storage area as a natural moth deterrent; avoid mothballs, which leave chemical residues that damage fibre.
Emergency Stain Care
Act immediately: blot (never rub) the stain with a clean, dry cloth. For water-based stains on silk, blot and let air-dry before taking to a professional cleaner. For oil-based stains, sprinkle cornflour or talcum powder to absorb the oil, leave for 30 minutes, then brush off gently. Take the saree to a trusted dry-cleaner as soon as possible and describe the stain type. Do not attempt to remove set stains at home — the risk of colour loss is high.
When in doubt, consult a professional dry-cleaner who specialises in sarees and delicate Indian textiles. A small investment in professional care protects a much larger investment in the piece itself.