Scarves Cleaning and Caring for Hermès Scarves

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I have. Same technique I usually use: cold water, Dr Bronner's, don't let it soak. Iron with a warm iron when it dries. Excellent results.

I was just about to try hand washing my scarves with Dr. Bronner after having great results using it for silk blouses in the machine, but I have now noticed a ketchup stain on a scarf I haven't worn in 6 months.. It is my favourite scarf, and has many colourful and tiny details, but the area this concerns is black. I was hoping that applying a drop of Dr. Bronner directly on the spot would be good for getting it out, but I have absolutely no experience in removing stains from precious H scarfs. The scarf in question is a couple of decades old. Does anyone know how Dr. Bronner might be able to deal with the vinegar in this ketchup stain, without leaving white traces behind? I've been looking at other means of stain removal, but with a scarf of a certain age and this dark, I'm paranoid about things being too strong for the dye. Seeing as the stain has aged by now I'm off course very eager to find something effective too. Any advice is appreciated.
 
I was just about to try hand washing my scarves with Dr. Bronner after having great results using it for silk blouses in the machine, but I have now noticed a ketchup stain on a scarf I haven't worn in 6 months.. It is my favourite scarf, and has many colourful and tiny details, but the area this concerns is black. I was hoping that applying a drop of Dr. Bronner directly on the spot would be good for getting it out, but I have absolutely no experience in removing stains from precious H scarfs. The scarf in question is a couple of decades old. Does anyone know how Dr. Bronner might be able to deal with the vinegar in this ketchup stain, without leaving white traces behind? I've been looking at other means of stain removal, but with a scarf of a certain age and this dark, I'm paranoid about things being too strong for the dye. Seeing as the stain has aged by now I'm off course very eager to find something effective too. Any advice is appreciated.

So sorry to hear about your ketchup stain. I do hope you manage to remove stain without trace.

I have removed many (old and new) stains (but not specifically ketchup) on Hermès silk twills with the amazing "Grandma's Secret Spot Remover" (available in the UK and the USA). I put it on stain 2 minutes before putting silk scarf in washing machine. On my Whirlpool machine I use "Hand Wash" mode at 20 degrees Celsius, This is actually a gentler wash than I can do by hand. It lasts 35 minutes and the spin-dry is low, only 400.
 
Thanks for reviving this thread back because I'm having stains on the twillies that my local dry cleaner cannot get rid of. I believe that they are stains from the oil in my hand (not sure if that is lotion or just my sweat ) but it stain certain parts of the twilly that is on the handles portion and nothing else. My local dry cleaner was not able to get it out and I'm tempted to hand wash them but I know that I probably can't get it out in cold water.

Any experience on that to share ?? TIA.
 
When drying a carre I am always super careful not to have one side touch another for fear of color bleeding
The basic and maxi twillies have 2 layers by default .... Ooh I would have no idea how to dry one
Also for the maxi , it is super long , and wow it would take a long hallway to find a flat place to dry
Dry clean I guess ?
 
When drying a carre I am always super careful not to have one side touch another for fear of color bleeding
The basic and maxi twillies have 2 layers by default .... Ooh I would have no idea how to dry one
Also for the maxi , it is super long , and wow it would take a long hallway to find a flat place to dry
Dry clean I guess ?

i always do dry cleaning w/H - I live close to H so I bring them in + my H sends them to NYC to be cleaned and are always perfect - in between I just iron them if they get wrinkled - I'm only super careful about never wearing perfume with silks! If you do go to local dry cleaner just make sure you stress they have to be careful and such!

if you have washed 90s + 140s before and had no issues, I would consider washing them! since maxi's + twillies have no rolled hems it may be easier in ways - for drying you could use 2 white large towels flat and turn them over to dry each side or perhaps hang them so both sides dry and then iron if needed...I have a tall bamboo ladder that I keep my most worn scarves or sarongs on that I also use if I need to dry something delicate - since it's curved nothing ever gets indents and I don't need to lay them out where my little ones would probably play a game of twister with them!

either way, ask Seton or check thread here to see if she has posted info as I would trust 100% what she says about cleaning maxis + twillies!! just don't ever wash any older scarves or white scarves as the dyes can bleed!
 
I have successfully washed silk twill scarves, but now have some Mousselines.

Anyone washed mousses? And unique advice?

I hand wash my twills and mousselines using The Laundress Delicate Wash. Same process for both, but for mousselines, I make sure to iron while damp (avoiding the hems). After ironing, I lay the scarf out again to allow the hems to air dry. The one time I waited until completely dry to iron a mousseline, the fabric had a bit of a crinkly texture afterwards. This was remedied by rewashing, then ironing while damp.

As with the twills, the mousselines will not be 'like new' after washing, but as I prefer to hand wash, I don't mind these slight changes. My mousselines are from 2004, 2007, and 2011. I mention this, as newer releases may react slightly differently, and I don't own any changeants. Hope this helps a bit!
 
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I have washed more than 30 silk scarves. 20 were vintage Hermes, the balance were Chanel, LV, Dior, Paloma Picasso and Gucci. They have all turned out beautifully. I am really pleased with the result and encourage others to try the method described in this thread.
 
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I always hand wash my H scarves, as I think even if you can't see stains, there must be traces of perspiration and I like to wear clean things. I hand wash quickly, no soaking, with a gentle wash - I use my shampoo if there's nothing else - then roll in a towel to blot and iron immediately while still damp on the reverse. Then I hang over landing balustrade until perfectly dry to fold and put away.

BUT I will say that this softens the scarves - if you prefer the new crisp feeling you might be better dry cleaning.
 
I hand wash my twills and mousselines using The Laundress Delicate Wash. Same process for both, but for mousselines, I make sure to iron while damp (avoiding the hems). After ironing, I lay the scarf out again to allow the hems to air dry. The one time I waited until completely dry to iron a mousseline, the fabric had a bit of a crinkly texture afterwards. This was remedied by rewashing, then ironing while damp.

As with the twills, the mousselines will not be 'like new' after washing, but as I prefer to hand wash, I don't mind these slight changes. My mousselines are from 2004, 2007, and 2011. I mention this, as newer releases may react slightly differently, and I don't own any changeants. Hope this helps a bit!
Thanks
 
Does anyone notice though, the silk twill scarves lose their "sheen" with hand wash? When I was at Festival des Metiers the Hermes scarf craftsman told me that they had special coating on the silk that would wash out with use of water. He literally scolded me for hand washing my scarves.
 
Thanks for reviving this thread back because I'm having stains on the twillies that my local dry cleaner cannot get rid of. I believe that they are stains from the oil in my hand (not sure if that is lotion or just my sweat ) but it stain certain parts of the twilly that is on the handles portion and nothing else. My local dry cleaner was not able to get it out and I'm tempted to hand wash them but I know that I probably can't get it out in cold water.

Any experience on that to share ?? TIA.

Hi chkpfbeliever, I've hand washed my Twillys with success, but none were stained. If you think it's oil from hand lotion, or perspiration, I'd try using The Laundress Stain Solution, along with their Delicate Wash. I've had luck with these for oil stains on regular twills. Fill a basin with cool water, add a squirt of the Delicate Wash, and make a note of where the stains are. Submerge the entire Twilly, then apply the Stain Solution where needed, and gently rub the area. If you think the stain may be color transfer from your bag handles, I'm not sure if this will work, but worth giving it a try. Once you've swished it through the soapy water for a bit, rinse, rinse, rinse. Gently roll in a towel for a moment, then hang to dry. I find Twillys don't need ironing, and I prefer not to, as I don't want to iron the edges. Good luck!
 
Does anyone notice though, the silk twill scarves lose their "sheen" with hand wash? When I was at Festival des Metiers the Hermes scarf craftsman told me that they had special coating on the silk that would wash out with use of water. He literally scolded me for hand washing my scarves.

They always say to dry clean, but I actually prefer the soft drape of scarves that have been hand washed. I always wash new twills before wearing, to remove some of the sizing!
 
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