A white thobe slowly turning grey. A coloured one that came out of the machine a size smaller. A crease across the chest that no amount of ironing seems to fix. Most thobe damage comes down to a handful of avoidable habits, and the UK throws in a few of its own, from hard water to drying clothes indoors through a damp winter.
Get the basics right and a good thobe will look sharp and last for years. Here is how to wash, dry, iron and store yours properly.
While we strongly recommend to only hand wash your thobes, we understand that you may not always have the time to do this so this guide will also explain how to machine wash your thobes.
Before you wash: check the label and remove the details
Start with the care label. Most thobes are machine washable, but the label usually tells you the safe water temperature and ironing heat for that specific fabric, and that is worth thirty seconds of your time before you commit.
Next, take off anything that can come off. That means the tarboush tassel on an Emirati thobe, the furakha tassel on an Omani thobe, any detachable buttons or cufflinks, and collar stays. These can snag, scratch or tangle in the drum, and removing them protects both the thobe and the trims.
If there is embroidery, such as the chest and wrist detail on a Moroccan kaftan, turn the thobe inside out before it goes anywhere near the machine. This keeps the threadwork from rubbing against other garments.
How to wash a thobe
For most thobes, a careful machine wash is fine. The aim is a gentle, cool, low-friction wash that cleans the fabric without stressing it.
- Pre-treat the usual problem areas. Mix a little mild liquid detergent with cool water and dab it onto the collar, cuffs and underarms, where sweat and attar build up.
- Turn the thobe inside out and, for whites, place it inside a mesh wash bag to cut down on rubbing.
- Wash on a delicate or gentle cycle at 20°C or below. Higher temperatures are the most common cause of shrinking and loss of shape.
- Use a mild detergent. Skip the bleach, which weakens cotton over time, and skip fabric softener, which can leave a residue that dulls the fabric.
- Wash by colour, never mixed. One stray coloured item can tint a white thobe in a single wash.
If your thobe is delicate or heavily embellished, hand washing in cool water with a gentle detergent is the safest option. It takes longer, but it is far kinder to fine fabrics and detailing.
For all Moroccan thobes, ensure to stretch the embroidery after washing to maintain the original shape. Also, firmly iron the inside of the embroidery where the stabiliser is as well as the outside.
Keeping a white thobe white in UK hard water
Much of England, especially the south and east, sits in a hard water area. The dissolved minerals in hard water can leave a dull, slightly grey film on white fabric over time, and they reduce how well your detergent lathers.
A few habits keep whites looking crisp. Use the full recommended dose of a good detergent rather than skimping, since underdosing in hard water is a common reason whites go flat. Wash white thobes separately. For an occasional refresh, an oxygen-based brightener is safe on cotton, unlike chlorine bleach. A cup of white vinegar in the rinse helps cut limescale and softens the fabric without the residue you get from softener.
One more thing that catches people out: drying a white thobe in direct sunlight can actually yellow it over time, not whiten it. Dry whites in the shade.
Drying a thobe in the UK
Air drying is almost always the right call. Tumble dryers are the fastest route to a shrunken, misshapen thobe, so unless the label clearly says otherwise, keep yours out of the dryer.
Hang the thobe on a broad, padded hanger so it holds its shape and the shoulders do not pucker. Dry it in a well-aired spot away from direct sunlight and away from radiators. Drying a thobe draped over a hot radiator might feel efficient in a cold UK flat, but it can scorch the fabric, stiffen it and bake in creases.
If you are drying indoors through winter, give the room some airflow. A thobe left damp too long in a stuffy room can pick up a musty smell that means washing it all over again.
How to iron a thobe
Ironing is where a thobe goes from clean to sharp. The trick is to work with the fabric, not against it.
Begin by laying the thobe completely flat over a flat surface. Ensure there are no parts of the fabric folding between the layers to prevent ironing in creases that might never come out.
Iron the thobe while it is still very slightly damp, as the residual moisture lets creases drop out far more easily. Fill the iron with clean water so it produces plenty of steam. Check the care label for the right heat setting first, because too hot an iron on a fine fabric can leave a shine mark or worse.
If the thobe has embroidery or trims, turn it inside out and iron from the reverse before ironing the outside to ensure the details lay flat after a wash. Work in sections, collar and cuffs first, then the body, and hang it straight away on a hanger so it does not crease again before you wear it.
If ironing is your least favourite chore, fabric choice makes a real difference. Our guide on wrinkle-resistant thobes explains why some fabrics come off the line almost ready to wear.
Storing your thobe between wears
Hang your thobe rather than folding it where you can, as folding sets creases that you then have to iron out again. Use a broad hanger to support the shoulders.
For long-term storage, a breathable cotton garment bag protects against dust while letting the fabric breathe. Avoid sealed plastic covers, which can trap moisture and leave white fabric looking yellow when you next pull it out.
A quick word on different thobe types
Lighter cotton and terry rayon thobes, like most Moroccan, Omani and Emirati styles, follow everything above: cool wash, air dry, iron slightly damp. A double-layered piece such as the Signature Hooded Thobe simply takes longer to dry, so give it extra time on the hanger and make sure both layers are fully dry before you store it.
Different fabrics behave differently in the wash and on the line. For more on matching fabric to the UK climate, see our guide to choosing the best thobe fabric.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you wash a thobe in the washing machine?
We recommend to only hand wash your thobes but if you need to resort to machine washing then following these guidelines is a must to keep your thobes in shape: check the care label first, use a delicate or gentle cycle at 20°C or below, turn the thobe inside out, and use a mild detergent with no bleach.
What temperature should I wash a thobe at?
20°C or below is the safe range for most thobes. Washing hotter than that risks shrinking the fabric and pulling it out of shape, which is one of the most common ways a thobe gets ruined.
How do I stop a white thobe going grey or yellow?
Wash whites separately, use a full dose of detergent, and avoid chlorine bleach. An oxygen brightener and a vinegar rinse help in hard water areas. Dry in the shade, not direct sunlight, and store in a breathable cover rather than sealed plastic.
Should I tumble dry a thobe?
The short answer is no. Tumble drying is the main cause of shrinking and misshapen thobes. Air dry on a broad hanger away from direct heat and sunlight instead.
How do I get creases out of a thobe quickly?
Iron it while slightly damp with a steam iron on the correct heat for the fabric, pressing trims from the reverse or through a cotton cloth. A wrinkle-resistant fabric will save you most of this work in the first place.
Look after it and it will last
A thobe is not a difficult garment to care for. Hand wash, air dry, iron damp, hang to store. Get those four right and a quality thobe will stay sharp wash after wash. If you are ready to add one built to last, take a look through our thobe collections and find the style that suits you.