How to Wash and Care for Jute Fabric

Jute is strong in the hand and fussy in the wash. The fibre loses strength when wet, creases sharply, yellows in sun and holds moisture, so most jute that gets ruined is ruined in the laundry. Here is how to wash jute fabric and keep it looking new, piece by piece. For what the fibre is and why it behaves like this, see Jute Fabric: The Complete Guide.

First, what is it blended with?

• Jute-cotton (kurtis, everyday sarees, cushion covers, most bags): can be hand-washed.
• Jute-silk, jute-tussar, and anything printed, painted or embroidered: dry-clean only.
• Pure jute (rugs, matting, hessian): spot-clean; do not immerse.

If the label does not say, assume dry-clean.

Hand-washing jute-cotton

• Fill a basin with cold water and a little mild liquid detergent. No bleach, no enzyme detergents.
• Turn the garment inside out and submerge it. Squeeze gently; do not rub or scrub.
• Do not soak for more than ten minutes. Wet jute weakens and colour can move.
• Rinse in cold water until clear.
• Never wring or twist. Lay it flat on a towel, roll the towel up and press to take the water out.
• Dry flat, or on a wide hanger, in shade with air moving. Direct sun yellows and weakens jute.

Dry-cleaning jute-silk

Tell the cleaner it is jute and ask for steaming rather than pressing. A hot iron flattens the slub that makes the fabric worth having. Between cleans, air the saree for an hour after wearing before it goes back in the cupboard.

Ironing

Iron while the fabric is slightly damp, on the reverse, on a low setting, with a thin cotton cloth between the iron and the jute. Do not press hard on a crease; jute creases are set by pressure, and you can set a new one as easily as remove an old one. A garment steamer, held a hand-width away, is safer than an iron.

Storing

• Fully dry before it goes away. Jute stores moisture and grows mildew.
• Wrap in cotton or muslin. Never plastic.
• Fold loosely and refold along different lines every few months, or roll a saree around a cardboard tube.
• Keep out of direct light.
• A cloth bag of dry neem leaves, cloves or camphor in the wardrobe keeps insects and damp smells off.

Bags and rugs

Spot-clean with a cloth wrung out in cold soapy water, working from the outside of the mark in. Blot, do not rub. Let it dry fully before use. Shake rugs out and vacuum them without a beater bar; hang them in shade, never in rain.

Fixing common problems

• Stiff after washing: it dried too fast or in sun. Steam it lightly and it will relax.
• A watermark: the fabric dried unevenly. Dampen the whole piece evenly and dry it again flat.
• Yellowing: sun. It does not reverse; keep the piece out of light from now on.
• Mildew spots: brush off dry, wipe with a cloth dampened in one part white vinegar to four parts water, and dry fully in shade.

Treat jute like a wool sweater rather than a T-shirt and it lasts for years.