How to iron and wash a thobe: a simple guide
When it comes to caring for your thobe, it’s important to be diligent. This is especially important for thobes made from luxurious materials or designs featuring small buttons. For Emirati and Omani thobes, remove the tassel when washing to avoid damage.
By following our easy guide to washing and ironing a thobe, your outfit will look crisp and neat in no time, ready for any occasion. Plus, learning how to care for your thobe properly will help your clothes last longer, remaining in great condition for years to come.
You can say goodbye to stubborn wrinkles and stains; with the right approach, your thobe will come out looking brand new.
Understanding your thobe's fabric
Now, when it comes to washing and ironing your thobe, the right technique depends on the type of fabric it’s made from and its texture.
Before purchasing a thobe, make sure it’s a fabric you feel comfortable maintaining to save yourself the stress when washing (or take it to a professional cleaner!)
Most thobes are typically made from polyester blends, cotton, and linen, so that’s what we’ll focus on today:
- Cotton: Light and breathable, cotton is a delicate material that is prone to shrinking when washed in hot water or tumble-dried. It can also wrinkle easily as it absorbs moisture well.
- Polyester blends: Polyester is less prone to wrinkles and is lower-maintenance; however, they tend to trap odours easily, leaving smells lingering on your clothes.
- Linen: With its textured design, linen is an airy and lightweight material ideal for hot weather. However, it’s prone to wrinkling easily and tends to shrink when washed in hot or warm water.
Washing your thobe: Expert tips
So, when it comes to washing your thobe, there are different methods for each material— what works for one might not work for the other.
You can’t just toss your thobe into the machine and hope for the best (that is, if you want it to come out looking the same as it went in).
Cotton thobes
Cotton is a delicate material, so you’ll have to handle it with care.
While cotton lasts long when it's properly cared for and feels soft on the skin, it’s sensitive to hot water and heat in general. The solution is to keep it cool and focus on a gentle wash.
Machine washing
- Turn the thobe inside out
- Wash it with cold or lukewarm water (30°C max)
- Use a gentle, non-bio detergent (it's soft on the fabric and your skin)
- Choose a gentle spin to avoid seams from being pulled or shrinkage
Tip: Dab diluted detergent on stains before washing your thobe to get rid of stubborn marks— this is a better alternative to bleach, which can weaken cotton.
Linen thobes
If you’re looking for something luxurious and beautiful, then a linen thobe is a must-have for your wardrobe. However, if you so much as look at it the wrong way, you’ll end up with a thousand wrinkles on your clothes.
Machine washing
- Place your machine on a low spin, shirt cycle, and cold wash.
- Wash linen separately from other fabrics to avoid snagging.
- Place your thobe in a mesh laundry bag to avoid damage.
Tip: If your thobe has any metal embellishments or buttons, hand wash it and lay it out to air dry.
Polyester or poly-blend thobes
Polyester or poly-blend thobes are a great choice for those who want less of maintenance while still enjoying the benefits of a long-lasting outfit.
Our polyester thobes at AbayaButh are smart, stylish, and look great after every wash.
Machine washing
- Turn your thobe inside out and wash in cold or cool water.
- Place the machine on a gentle or synthetic cycle.
- DO NOT use fabric softener, as this can coat the fibres and lock in odours.
Tip: For stubborn odours, add a splash of white vinegar to areas like under the arms. This will get rid of the smell and keep the material looking beautiful.
Extra care tips
If you want to keep your thobe for another few years, we suggest sticking to one-colour washing. Mixing colours can cause them to bleed, especially onto white fabrics (yes, even light colours can cause some damage).
Unless the label says your thobe is fine to machine dry, always hang your thobe up to air dry— this will prevent shrinking and heat damage.
How to iron your thobe
Before ironing your thobe, you’ll need to make sure that you have a good-quality iron, a sturdy ironing board, a hanger, a clean white cotton cloth, and plenty of space.
Make sure your iron is filled with clean water to produce more steam when ironing.
1. Turn the thobe inside out
First things first, turn your thobe inside out if it has any embellishments or details that you don’t want to run over with the iron.
It’s best to iron clothes while they’re still slightly damp to smooth out any wrinkles with ease. ALWAYS read the labels for ironing instructions— this will tell you what heat to iron your thobe on to prevent burning a hole in the fabric.
2. Start with the collar and cuffs
Once you have laid your thobe out flat on the ironing board, lay the collar flat and iron from the outer points inwards.
Then, fold it back down and press the edges so they hold their shape.
3. Move on to the sleeves and cuffs
Now, lay the sleeves flat and gently run your iron down the lengths of the arms, pulling the fabric to avoid any crinkles. Flip the sleeves to iron both sides.
When ironing the cuffs, open them up and iron them flat before folding them back. Use the iron's tip to reach the small, hard-to-reach parts on the cuffs.
4. Iron the shoulder panels and yoke
This part is more difficult, so take your time to smooth out all of the wrinkles and creases before bringing your iron to the fabric.
Drape the thobe over the narrow part of the board until one shoulder lies flat and smooth. Then, starting at the seam, work your way across the shoulder panel and follow the stitching with your iron.
Use the tip of the iron to get into small edges without leaving drag lines. Once one shoulder is done, repeat the process on the other side. When ironing over embellishments or buttons, use a pressing cloth or turn down the heat to avoid damage.
Now you can move onto the yoke (the upper back part of the thobe). Lay the yoke flat and iron from the centre outwards. If your thobe has a double yoke, press firmly but gently to ensure both layers lie flat.
Paying attention to these parts can really improve how your thobe sits on your body.
5. Front and back panel
The front and back panels on a thobe are the areas people notice the most (so it’s important to focus more on these spots).
Lay your thobe on the ironing board with one side of the front panel positioned across the surface with any buttons and zips facing up. Then, working downwards, iron in smooth, firm strokes at a steady pace to remove any creases.
Repeat this process on the other side— iron inside out if there are any embellishments on the panels. Once you’ve done the front, turn the thobe over so that the back panel is flat on the board.
Smooth out any folds with your hands, then iron from just below the yoke downwards in long, even lines. If there are any pleats or seams, iron in the direction they're stitched to avoid damaging the thobe.
Make sure not to forget the curved side sections on the back panel!
6. Hemline & bottom edge
The hemline is often the part most people skip when they’re in a rush— we’re here to make sure that’s not you.
Drape the thobe so that the hemline rests on the ironing board (work in sections if the board is too small). Smooth out the fabric before ironing, then iron the hemline in small, overlapping sections, starting from one side and working across.
Avoid ironing directly over seams. Instead, press next to them and gently smooth them out with the edge of the iron.
Storing your thobe
Once you’ve successfully washed and dried your thobe, place it on a padded hanger to avoid dents and place it on gently to prevent the collar from stretching.
Fasten any buttons or zips up when hanging the thobe to keep it in shape. If there are any embellishments, place them in a breathable garment bag or leave plenty of space between your clothes to prevent snagging (this will also stop odours and creasing).
You can hang cedar balls or lavender pouches in your closet or in your drawers to keep your thobe smelling fresh.
If you're looking for high-quality thobes that'll last, then our selection of comfortable and stylish thobes at AbayaButh are bound to impress you. With something for every occasion, you'll find exactly what you're looking for.
