How to wash a vintage scarf

Vintage silk scarves often have a high price, but if you are a little clever about washing, you can find one at a really low price and then give it a new lease of life through washing. Their high price is based on them being genuine, intact, and clean.

That's what I call a bargain: finding something that can be saved! Here I’m showing one such example; I paid a few hundred kronor at a second-hand shop for this beautiful scarf from Burberry. You should NOT buy something you are unsure about; copying well-known brands is a trademark infringement. If you suspect it is a counterfeit, don't buy it.

You can recognize a genuine scarf by its material: it is silk, nothing else. Feel the material; you can often tell quite easily whether it is nylon or another synthetic fabric or genuine silk. Another good clue is the hem. If it is clearly machine-sewn, it is NOT genuine. A genuine vintage silk scarf has a rolled, hand-stitched edge. The print is usually almost equally beautiful on both sides of a genuine scarf. The size is usually 90x90 cm, a carré. Last but not least, the label—but be vigilant. Simply looking at the label is not enough; a better counterfeit will have a forged label too. 

My scarf had these yellow stains; it was also lightly soiled across the entire surface, uneven and yellowed. 

Add All-Purpose Detergent from Soapa to lukewarm water (it does not contain enzymes and does not break down natural materials such as silk, down, wool, etc.). 

Soak the fabric completely. The fibers should be thoroughly wet. Then apply a little more detergent to a soft cellulose sponge and work on the stains. 

Then wash it through again and rinse in lukewarm water. Hand-wash only and rinse thoroughly several times.

Allow it to air-dry, do not tumble-dry, then iron on a very low heat.

Look how beautiful it turned out. Just like new, yet old :)

It is completely clean, even in color, soft and lovely, and the stains are gone. In fact, light-colored silk can withstand soaking in a bath with a little bicarbonate of soda if it has yellowed. You can let it soak for a while in bicarbonate of soda and water, then wash it with enzyme-free detergent if necessary.

Before and after. This makes me truly happy. Imagine being able to rescue such beautiful old garments as this. 

If you happen to come across a vintage scarf from Burberry in particular, I can tell you that Burberry uses mulberry silk woven as silk twill in its pure silk scarves. Mulberry silk (Bombyx mori) is the same luxurious silk used by most major fashion houses (Hermès, Dior, and others). It provides: even fibers, high strength, and a soft but not “slippery” feel.

Silk twill is therefore not a material but a weave. It has a slight diagonal structure, more body than smooth silk (charmeuse), holds its shape and print very well, and drapes beautifully without feeling limp. It often says made in Italy, but not always. 
Those were my best tips for finding and rescuing a vintage scarf with stains.

So, what about carré?!

Carré is a practical, classic format, but of course there are genuine scarves from major fashion houses in other formats too, although they are less common. 

If you find another format that also shows other signs of not being genuine, it is likely that someone simply cut a piece of fabric and tried to make it look like something authentic = a counterfeit.

What you may find is the following:

Format	Dimensions	Use
Carré	90 × 90 cm	Classic silk scarf
Small carré	70 × 70 cm	Neck, hair
Micro	45 × 45 cm	Bag detail
Skinny	approx. 6–8 × 180 cm	Neck, hair, belt

Order natural cleaning products here: Soapa