Fabric Care Guide

Cashmere

Cashmere is an investment and should be treated with care.  Hand washing cashmere in cool water using Roux Maison Delicate Detergent will help make your cashmere last longer.  Do not wring out cashmere, which can stretch it out of shape.  Rather, lay your item on a towel and gently roll up the towel to absorb excess moisture.  Reshape and dry flat on a dry towel or mesh rack.  Do not hang cashmere once dry; it should be folded for storage instead.

 

Cotton

Most cotton fabrics are preshrunk and easy to care for.  They can be machine washed
in the temperature best suited for the color of the item (white, bright or dark), using the appropriate Roux Maison Detergent.

 

Denim Maintenance and Preservation

If you want to preserve the rinse on your denim and prevent fading, soak for about an hour in a mixture of 5 quarts of water to about 4-5 tablespoons of white vinegar. Launder as usual in cold water to avoid fading and streaking with Roux Maison Detergent.  Additionally, always wash your denim inside out to prevent fading.  Before drying, stretch the legs to restore length. Dry on low or medium heat and remove when slightly damp, or hang to dry.

 

Faux Fur

As with anything, always check the label first! However, much faux fur should respond well if you hand wash and then lay it flat to dry.  Pay close attention because some linings used with faux fur are dry clean only and may impact your ability to successfully launder at home. If your item has a very long pile, it may require attention from a furrier.  Follow the label's instructions. Faux fur items can often be cleaned simply by brushing, shaking out and aerating. Avoid the dryer, since heat may affect the size and shape of the garment and its lining. Unlike real fur, no additional special maintenance or storage is required.  

 

Fur Cleaning

Real fur items should be professionally cleaned no more than every couple of years unless you wear them consistently, as the process can diminish their life expectancy.  Be sure to store furs professionally or at home in a cool dark place in a cloth bag during the off season.  If you do need to spot clean, try rubbing cornmeal in the affected areas and then brush out.   

 

Linen

Linen is created by weaving fibers of the flax plant.  It is prone to wrinkling and should be hand washed in cold water using Roux Maison Delicate Detergent and laid flat or hung to dry. Otherwise, you may dry clean linen if necessary.  

 

Rayon Cleaning

Rayon is made of wood pulp that has been chemically treated, so. it is considered semi-synthetic. Rayon garments can usually be washed by hand or in the machine on a gentle cycle. Otherwise, they will require dry cleaning. If you hand wash, use cool or lukewarm water and Roux Maison Delicate Detergent.  If the item is labeled "Machine Washable", you may use warm water, the gentle cycle, and Roux Maison Delicate Detergent.  Hang to dry and do not squeeze or wring. While fabric is still damp, you may iron rayon on a medium setting.

 

Satin

Care as with everything, check the labels in your items prior to washing yourself, especially since much satin is dry-clean only.  Satin made from crepe, as well as that from synthetic fibers, should be washable using Roux Maison Delicate Detergent and warm water. Submerge the garments in the water until any stains are gone, rinse them out at least twice and then allow them to drip dry.  Silk satin usually responds well when washed with Roux Maison Delicate Detergent in cold water on a very gentle cycle or by hand.

 

Silk Care and Cleaning

Silk is woven from protein fibers made by silkworms.  It is a strong fabric that is often treated with sizing or has dyes that may bleed.  Always check the instructions on the garment's label prior to washing silk. Many silks are machine washable and will yield good results when laundered in cold water on a delicate or gentle setting. To avoid fading, check for colorfastness prior to washing. If the item is not colorfast, you will need to dry clean it. If the label states it may be hand washed, use Roux Maison Delicate Detergent and do not squeeze or wring it out.  Be gentle with the garment and hang it to dry away from direct sunlight.  If spot treatment is required, use Roux Maison Delicate Detergent directly on stains and allow to soak in for 5-10 minutes and launder as instructed above.

 

Suede Care and Cleaning

It is advisable to pre-treat your suede items by spraying them prior to wearing with silicone protection sprays that you can purchase at shoe and leather stores.  However, if you do get stains, try using a suede brush first.  If that is ineffective, try again by gently using an artist's eraser or an emery board and then steam the specific area. If those methods do not work to remove the stain, consult a professional suede cleaner promptly.  Suede cleaning products that you can purchase for use at home often achieve less than optimal results and can even make stains worse.

 

Synthetics

Synthetics include polyester, nylon, spandex, acrylic, and acetate.  Because they are synthetic, water based stains will not usually harm them.  These fabrics can be laundered in warm water, using the appropriate Roux Maison Detergent.  Shapewear should be washed in Roux Maison Delicate Detergent and outerwear should be washed using Roux Maison Sport Detergent. These do not often shrink, but they may create static electricity when placed in the dryer. Some may wrinkle permanently in the dryer, so it is best to dry on low or else air dry.

 

Viscose Care and Cleaning

Viscose is typically a dry-clean only fabric.   If you feel comfortable hand washing, be sure to use Roux Maison Delicate Detergent and lukewarm water.  Do not ever dry in the dryer, but hang dry and iron while still damp.

 

Wool

Wool is spun from the undercoats of hairy mammals such as sheep and goats.  It does not respond well to heat,which causes wool to permanently "felt" or shrink and become tightly woven, like felt.  Always launder in cold water and lay flat to dry to prevent felting.