How to Wash and Care for African or Wax Prints

It's not unusual to find yourself in a quandary about how to clean and maintain African- or wax print fabrics. There can be a love-hate relationship when washing African printed clothing and textiles. One might love the vibrant colours and vibrancy of the fabric, but one may be afraid to wash it in a machine that could cause the fabric to become dingy or lose its colour.

Although some people recommend that you do a colourfastness test on each fabric to determine if it runs, this can be a time-consuming and costly task that is not required if there are many clothes. Don't worry! It doesn't have to be difficult to take care of your African-printed clothing. Follow these simple steps and you will be fine.

Only wash your clothes if they are really dirty

Are you prone to tossing your clothes in the laundry basket after one wear? This is something you might consider changing. The quality and originality of African print fabrics can almost resemble denim. They could become weaker and fade if they are washed too often. You can avoid this by carefully observing the clothes you wear and how they collect dirt from your environment. They should be washed if they emit a foul odour, or have an unusual smell. It doesn't matter how many times you wash the fabric, if it is high quality it will last many years. Buy high quality prints fabrics. If you are concerned about the environment, this might indicate that dyes used in the fabric are not sustainable. However, they will not wash out.

Hand or Machine wash only

Contrary to popular belief you can machine wash African print clothing. However, I recommend washing it with cold water and using a gentle wash cycle. When you place the garment in the washer, turn it inside out. Although many sources recommend washing the garment with similar colours, I find it difficult to do so because these fabrics often come in mixed prints and patterns. It would be difficult and tedious to separate certain colours to wash a full load. Therefore, I wash all my prints together and separate the lighter from darker colours. The fact that I only buy clothing with high-quality African print fabrics has not resulted in any colour bleeding. It is crucial that you only purchase high quality fabrics. This should also be obvious: Never wash African prints with white or light-coloured fabrics. Some heritage fabrics, such as mudcloth, are dyed with natural dyes that can cause fading. Ask the seller about care instructions for garments so you know what you're buying and how to care for it.

Iron on a low heat

I used to line dry my clothes in Nigeria many years ago. However, now that I am Canadian, I don't have the luxury of drying them for many years. So, I don't recommend that African prints be dried in the dryer. You can dry your African prints clothes on a clothesline in your yard or at home. However, avoid direct sun exposure to prevent damage. You can also dry them by simply putting them in the dryer at the lowest heat setting. A few dryers even have a "no heat” setting that works perfectly! After clothes have dried, you can iron them on the cotton setting. If you have a steamer you can also use that setting. Remember that many African prints clothes are lined with silks and linens. When ironing your clothes, it is important to align your iron to the correct fabric setting.

Don't dry clean African prints

To see if you're comfortable washing your African prints in the washer and drying them, I recommend that you test it first with two items. When you feel more confident, you will be able to wash a full load without causing damage to your clothes. You cannot dry clean African prints. It is important to wash your clothes on a delicate cycle, either by hand or in a machine. If you are unable to wash your clothes by hand or don't know how, the washer will still need to be used. It is important to use the washer correctly.