How to Clean Kimono 

I hope so!! 😂😂

Yeah, I’m so happy when this video helps! 💜

Hahaha! Yes, yes and yes! All of this happened to me, too 😂

!!! the cat part is so real

As an update. I have about 80-100 silk kimono and I’ve been cleaning them with oxi clean. I’m learning that it works really great depending on if your kimono has embroidery or not. If it does it sometimes destroys it. But I think the water does that not the oxi clean.

@@Black_Samurai-fish It absolutely is the Oxi-clean - oxygen based cleaners will disintegrate any protein based fibres, ie silk or wool. The water needs to be slightly ACIDIC for silk, eg. lemon juice or white vinegar.

😱 Never use any kind of bleach or oxi clean on silk! There are silk detergents for that. I would also advise to never ever wash silk kimono at all unless you want to ruin them forever. Just submerging them in water alone ruins them in many ways you may not realize. I already wrote this in another comment, but it changes the texture, the luster, and often shrinks. The lining is usually a different kind of silk or may not be silk at all, so then you have issues with the lining and exterior shrinking at different rates, plus silk thread can shrink and snap.

Thank you ❤️

Of course there’s more to come 😉 stay tuned!

Thank you ❤️

Well, if my hands would have touched it of course 😉

I have one I’m going to use paint on. Terrible to loose a beautiful kimono

I live in a subtropical climate where there are torrential thunderstorms every afternoon in the summer. I had won a really cool fukuro obi that had a motif of clouds and lightning bolts on Ebay and it arrived on my doorstep completely submerged in water inside the plastic mailing package. It was a gold base with black, blues, orange, and red accents. All of the dye bled and migrated and it lost all stiffness. There's no way to fix it. Instead of throwing it out I just call it my storm obi and wear it with my more experimental ensembles or in situations where I don't want to risk messing up a nicer obi.

Of course! But for such things you’ve to follow me on Instagram 🙈

When the damage is really bad, always send it to a professional. We had a bad flooding in Kumamoto Prefectur last year, too, and some professionals offered a special cleaning service for kimono that were damaged. It was very sweet. Even if Kimono are not worth a lot, they often have an emotional value (memories!).

@@BillyMatsunaga one is really damaged. It... I actually cried because as you said, even if it's not expensive, it's the memories, what they mean to someone, and it's why I didn't want to mess it up by trying myself to fix it. So they were packed up. Once our things are shipped here (we're still looking for a house. There are not many available for families here, it seems), I will send them to be properly cleaned. Thank you for the advice and knowledge you share. 💖

@@BillyMatsunaga I unpacked my kimono bolts & unfortunately they smell musty from the dampness of our old house in Germany. So this came in handy - I used your directions to wash a chirimen bolt and it's now drying (flat). now 2 more (one silk, one... I can't read but appears to be mixed? idk) to go... So many thanks again for your tutorial. 🥰

You can iron any silk like this 😉

To be safe I would spot clean but if it's really dirty you can wash it. I've washed wool kimono and a whole wool kimono fabric bolt in the washing machine. Wool is mostly self-cleaning but as long as you use cold water and mild detergent like Woolite, put the machine on the delicate cycle or handwash, it should be fine. Never ever dry in the dryer. Hang dry and do not iron until thoroughly dry.

Pyjamas! Like everyone 😉

@@BillyMatsunaga what would historical pijamas have looked like?

Steam with steamer or for kimono, iron on the inside very carefully with low heat but make sure you have the gold design laying on a pillowcase or other clean cloth that doesn't shed. Don't leave the iron in one place- make sure u are constantly moving it. Obi with gold are more difficult to iron. All you can do is try to iron very lightly with a protective cloth. Steamers are way more practical imo. When I worked in a store that sold antique clothing from the Victorian era to the 1970's we cleaned and dewrinkled EVERYTHING with a steamer because it did not damage delicate fabrics or couching. The steamer doesn't have to physically make contact with the garment to work its magic.

Also I forgot to add that you should always only use distilled water in your iron or steamer. I don't think Billy mentions this in the video but distilled water is less likely to make a water mark since it lacks minerals. It also avoids crusty mineral buildup in your iron or steamer.

I’ve a video on my channel telling you more about the storage and answering some questions about storage. Feel free to check that out! Anyway, against smell: airing the kimono is my only recommendation. I’ve once aired a haori for half a year 😂😂 and the smell disappeared!

Unfortunately no books will show you this. Kimono sewing books are usually text books starting with the basics. You’ll need sewing teacher when you want to be taught these kind of things on point. I’ll also try to add some content little by little. But as I’m not going to sewing school because if COVID I’m lacking of confidence 😪

Anything you can share is more than I would have access to where I live. Thank you! I have another question. I have a yukata that is made of crinkly fabric. Do you have any tips for how to get creases out without ironing all the crinkles flat?

You talk about 割烹着 (kappōgi). They’re super sweet!! I want to make one, too. We’ll see when I come around to actually do it... 🙈 About the silk setting in your iron: that’s usually too low temperature. You should work on silk as hot as you can (and this is advice from a professional kimono tailor 😉 in sewing school the irons are taped to the highest setting, so couldn’t even change it if you wanted to)

@@BillyMatsunaga Thank you for the explanation, that makes for much easier ironing knowing that, instead of ironing two or three times on stubborn kimonos; I appreciate all the help I can get and also for giving me the word for the kappogi.

For silk: of course no water and especially no steam.

Kimono are not meant to be washed while still tacked together. When they professionally wash kimono they take them apart and rinse the pieces in flowing cold water, then steam them at specific temps to lock the dye back in. Traditionally dyed silks were put in the Kamogawa river because it had a fast flowimg current so any dye bleed is swept away. Most kimono just don't accumulate as much dirt or sweat as western clothing bc you wear so many garments underneath and it's designed with open armpits. When kimono is worn correctly the collar never touches the skin. In my experience the places kimono have the most wear and tear are the tips of the sleeves. Most often secondhand kimono are garments that were saved for special occasions and only worn occasionally, or never worn at all. I've collected vintage kimono for years and rarely run across pieces that were actually dirty, badly stained or unwearable, and those that were had all been stored improperly. Nobody would pass down a kimono that wasn't clean. In the old days worn or stained kimono were picked apart, and they'd throw away the ruined sections and recycle anything left over into clothes for the kids, futon comforters, obi, furoshiki, and crafts. Nothing was wasted. I just steam my kimono from time to time with a steamer if they really need freshening up, otherwise they just air out on a kimono hanger for a week and they are good to go. Never, ever submerge a silk kimono in water while it's sewn together because aside from dye bleed it can permanently change the texture of the fabric, remove its luster, snap stitches and make it shrink. Even if you don't care about the design, or if it's just one overall color, it will ruin the entire garment.

Cotton- Use Woolite or any mild detergent. It has to say mild on it. For silk, just spot clean with a mix of vinegar and distilled water, or pure vodka. If you really have to wash something like maybe a nagajuban or underkimono collar, you can use baby shampoo.

Was too busy when I published the video, will add the information today

I haven't had to wash mine yet. Do yours come out relatively flat that way, or did you have to iron them? 🤔

@@angelwings06 Depending on the material, if they are very well pinned and dried with the pins it's ok for practice. For having crisp pleats, I iron them (folded up). But I have also sewn some of my pleats. The pins and the bag prevent everything from getting too tangled and wrinkly.

@@Elanoranime Thank you! 😁

washer is okay when polyester. sewing the pleats saves a lot of work

A mixture of 2 tablespoons white vinegar and 2 cups room temp water. Pure vodka also works bc it evaporates quickly. Always blot stains with a towel directly underneath the fabric you're treating and do not rub. If it's the lining, I'm afraid you will have to open up one of the seams to get behind the fabric. Kniwing how to sew comes in handy.

I forgot to add that you always need to use distilled water. This is very important as minerals in tap water (and as you can see, sweat) is what makes water stains. But migrating dye can also make water stains, for example if the lining is red, trying to clean it may make more stains.

You should google for “washing benzine”. Washing them in the washing machine is totally fine 😉

@@BillyMatsunaga I think it's a little difficult, there seems to be confusion between benzene and benzine. This product will not be easy to source in USA. P: Maybe I will look for similar dry cleaning solvents.

@@GO01 hydrogen peroxide mixed with a bit of dish soap works really well for removing oil based stains too. So it should work as a good substitute

@@Kaori_Suzuki Interestingly enough that's a good way to kill pests on orchids too :D