Pre-Puja preparation
The pre-Puja dry cleaning window is narrow and fills quickly. At The Swiss Laundry, we process significantly higher garment volumes from late September through the first week of October. The practical timeline: identify all sarees that need cleaning by mid-September. Bring them in by the last week of September for standard turnaround.
Silk and Banarasi sarees stored since last Puja. Any saree with last year's stains that were not cleaned post-Puja. Blouses stored with the sarees. Sherwanis, panjabis and other occasion wear. Woollen shawls if stored unwashed. Anything with visible mildew, yellowing or odour.
Between-day care
After each day's wearing: hang the saree immediately on a broad hanger — do not fold while still warm. Allow it to air for at least 2 hours in a ventilated space before folding. Remove any surface soils or makeup transfer with a clean dry cloth before they dry and set.
Do not steam a silk saree at home — domestic steam irons operating directly on silk can cause water spots. Do not spray perfume directly onto a saree — the alcohol causes localised dye damage. Do not refold along new fold lines.
Sindoor stains after Dashami
Sindoor (vermilion) is a pigment powder. When it falls on fabric it creates a stain that behaves differently from liquid stains. The cardinal rule: do not wet the stain. Water causes sindoor pigment to spread and penetrate deeper into the fibre.
Post-Puja cleaning
The post-Puja cleaning window is when all worn sarees should be cleaned. Many people defer this, planning to clean "before next Puja." This is a common mistake. Soils left on fabric for 12 months oxidise and set. Body oils polymerise. Incense residue penetrates. The sarees that come in the following September having been stored uncleaned are significantly harder to restore.
"The sarees we see with permanent staining in October are almost always the ones stored directly after Puja the previous year without cleaning."
Seasonal storage
After post-Puja cleaning: allow 24 hours of airing after dry cleaning before folding. Wrap in acid-free tissue. Fold along original fold lines. Store in cotton muslin — not in the dry cleaner's polybag. Add dried neem leaves or cedar blocks. Store in the coolest, driest part of the wardrobe away from direct light.
Zari tarnishes in contact with sulphur compounds. Wrap zari borders specifically in acid-free tissue and ensure storage has minimal sulphur exposure — avoid storage near rubber or adhesives.
October is our busiest month of the year — Puja preparation and post-Puja cleaning combined. Book your Puja dry cleaning by mid-September to ensure collection before Saptami. Post-Dashami sindoor stain treatment within 24 hours: bring it in the morning after. 13 years of the Puja garment care cycle from Kasba, Kolkata.