The Oktoberfest is coming to an end. Now life is back on track. But after the constant use in the marquee, the dirndl dress, apron and blouse need to be washed and properly cared for – so that they can be there next year when it says “O’zapft is”. You have to take this into account when washing the costume.
Normally you don’t go wrong with a low temperature, low spin speed and mild detergent. Nevertheless, before you put the dirndl in the washing machine, you should read the instructions on the sewn-in label. And stick to them to avoid any nasty surprises. Also important: If you have caught stains in the beer tent, you should definitely pretreat them before washing.
As with normal laundry, the dirndl should be washed according to colour. This means that the white blouse should not be put in the washing drum with the red apron. In addition, the individual parts should be washed inside out if possible in a protective laundry bag.
It is definitely gentler on the fabric if you wash the individual components of the dirndl by hand. This is also easier than expected – especially when it comes to robust fabrics such as cotton or linen: dirndl dresses and aprons are soaked in a sink filled with warm water together with a little detergent for a few hours, then the clothes are rinsed out and hung up to dry .
A little tip: However, if it is an expensive couture or designer dirndl made of velvet, silk or other fine fabrics, it is advisable to have the dirndl dry cleaned.
Under no circumstances should you put the costume in the dryer after washing – whether in the machine or by hand. This is an absolute no-go! It is better to hang the dirndl on a hanger and let it dry outside in the fresh air. The first crumpled folds are smoothed out all by themselves.
