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Just like Western-style
clothing, taking proper care of your kimono will help them last longer.
Here are a few basic tips to ensure your kimono remain wearable for a long
time:
Silk Kimono/Obi
1. When you are finished
wearing your kimono, make sure to hang it up and let it air out for at
least a day. This will help to dry it out as well as to get out any
wrinkles.
2. After airing it
out, check for any stains and wrinkles which remain. For stains,
this is a very delicate matter. The real way to "wash" a kimono is
to take it apart, wash each panel separately and then sew it back together
again. Here in Japan, there are places that specialize in stain
removal. However, it is highly doubtful there will be such a place
outside of Japan. It is possible to clean stains with a gauze soaked
in benzine. Lightly tap the stain without trying to rub it out.
If you are uncomfortable with this, please consult your nearest dry
cleaners or someone specializing in silk textiles.
For wrinkles, you can iron a
kimono. Please don't iron directly. Always lay a towel between
the kimono and the iron.
3. After getting out any
stains and/or wrinkles, fold your kimono
properly and store in (if
possible) a "Tatoushi", which is a long wrapper made of paper specifically
made for kimono. Just imagine a wrapper for a stick of chewing gum,
and you will be on the right track. Please click
here for help with folding your kimono.
Proper folding will guard against wrinkles.
4. Here in Japan, there
are times of the year with a very high rate of humidity. Couple this
with no central air/heating and you have a dangerous situation for kimono.
Silk is a wonderful material, but it is very susceptible to moisture and
bug damage. Therefore, it is important in Japan to periodically air
out kimono. This may or may not be such a problem for those of you
living outside of Japan.
Wool / Cotton Kimono
Wool and cotton kimono are not
nearly as glamorous, but they are much easier to take care of than their
silk counterparts. Cotton may be washed in a washing
machine and wool may be dry cleaned. This is a big advantage.
The same airing out, folding and storing procedures apply.
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