Your thobe isn’t necessarily a delicate garment. But that also doesn’t mean that you should get lackadaisical when cleaning it. Like any item of clothing, taking the wrong approach to cleaning can lead to all sorts of issues.
Colours may start to fade and whites won’t be as bright as you want them to be.
If you want your thobe to last as long as possible, there three tips will make it happen.
Tip #1 – Know When to Use the Washing Machine
Most thobes are machine-washable. However, this doesn’t mean that you should always use the washing machine when cleaning them.
That’s especially the case for white thobes. A washing machine may lead to the brightness fading faster than it should. Handwashing with a light detergent and warm water is usually the best way to clean these types of thobe. If you absolutely have to use a washing machine, make sure that it’s on a warm cycle.
Darker thobes require a slightly different approach. You can use the machine but you have to put it on a cold cycle. Again, use a mild detergent so that the thobe doesn’t lose much of its colouring.
It’s also important that you match the colours of the thobes that you’re washing. Light colours mixed with dark can lead to colours bleeding over.
Tip #2 – Hang Them Up to Dry
Ideally, you don’t want to use a tumble dryer for your thobes. You’re putting them under too much stress for the sake of drying them off a little faster.
Always hang them up and allow them to dry naturally.
Do this as quickly as possible after removing the thobes from the wash. The longer you leave them creased up and wet, the more likely they are to develop a musty aroma.
If that happens, you may need to wash the thobe again to get rid of the smell.
Tip #3 – Iron at the Right Time
The natural inclination is to iron our clothes when they’re completely dry.
But you’re going to have to subvert that inclination when it comes to your thobe. It’s always best to iron the garment when it’s still a little damp.
Striking the balance is crucial here. Trying to iron a thobe that’s too wet proves useless. You just need a slight dampness and to have the iron set at a cooler temperature.
If the thobe is completely dry, you’ll want to use a steam iron. This will allow you to throw a little bit of moisture into the mix. You’ll definitely need this if there are a couple of tough creases in the garment. The water softens those creases, which allows you to use the iron to smooth them out.
The Final Word
Proper thobe care will allow you to keep the garment for longer, which means you get more use out of it.
Now, you just need a good-quality thobe. That’s where Jubbas comes in. Check out our collection to find something to suit your tastes.
