How to clean Indian Shisha embroidery

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Cleaning authentic Gujarati Indian decorative cloths requires careful consideration to avoid damaging the fabric and embroidery. Concerns include potential color fastness issues, especially with white backgrounds, and the risk of puckering after washing due to uneven shrinkage between the embroidered and background materials. Hand washing in cold water is recommended, and testing a small area first can help assess the outcome. Professional dry-cleaning may be a viable option, but it’s crucial to choose a trusted cleaner to prevent damage. Traditional cleaning methods, such as using fullers Earth for oil absorption and sunlight for bleaching, are suggested, though the effectiveness may vary based on local climate. Consulting with someone knowledgeable about traditional Indian textiles or an antiquities expert could provide valuable insights, especially regarding the cloth's care and value.
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I have two authentic Gujarati Indian decorative cloths that need some cleaning. One has oil residue from being located in the kitchen, the other could use a cleaning all-together.

I wonder, will I ruin the cloth or the embroidery by cleaning it?

Here you can see an example of the elaborate nature of the embroidery (not mine):
gujrati-embroidered-elephants-and-colorful-birds-HF96_l.jpg


The design of mine is similar, but then the cloth is a circle with elephants, parrots, peacocks and flowers with mirrors at the center (and more delicate/refined than the one above, which looks like a cheap fabrication). Anyone here with experience? :smile:
 
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It would depend on if the yarns are all color safe. I'd hate to give advice not knowing.

One problem I find with washing such things is that the material tends to pucker after drying since the background material and embroidered areas don't shrink uniformly. When I used to do embroidery, I would wash and dry the material first in order to pre-shrink the material. You can try wetting and drying a small test area and see what the results are.
 
Yeah, the color fastness was worrying me as well.. especially since the background is white. I would only wash it in cold water by hand, but still..

Would dry-cleaning make sense?
 
A professional cleaner might know the best way, but take it to one you trust. I've had things ruined by cleaners.

Your cloth sounds awesome. Good luck with it.
 
I would ask somebody from the subcontinent, if you know any students, work colleages, etc from there. Traditional Indian (using the term loosely) clothes probably have the same types of dyes, and they will need regular cleaning!

If this is made from genuinely "traditional" materials, the answer might be something like fullers Earth to absorb the oil and grease (and any other surface dirt), and tropical sunlight to bleach the white background. No liquids required. But that's just a guess, and the sunlight where you are might not be tropical enough!
 
All good advice.
You haven't mentioned how old this thing is or what it might be worth. I would be inclined to approach an antiquities expert at a museum or art gallery. I can't imagine one charging for a simple opinion.
 
The cloths used to be part of an Indian household and were a gift to me, they sure aren't antiques. I can have a spot around the city to see if there are any Indian dry cleaners who can give advice.
 

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