Diwali falls on Sunday, 8 November this year. The silk saree, the sherwani, the lehenga that has been in the cupboard since last year's wedding season: most of these come out once or twice a year, and they usually need some care before they are ready to wear.
The mistake most people make isn't how they clean festive clothes. It's when. Leave it to the last few days and you're choosing between paying for express, wearing something that isn't quite fresh, or skipping the outfit you'd planned. Here's how to time it.
Work back from 8 November
Standard delivery at LaundroKart is about 4–5 days from pickup. Add a day or two so you can try everything on and still have time if a blouse needs a stitch or a dupatta needs a press.
| If your pickup is on | Service | Back around | Comfort level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat 24 Oct – Sun 25 Oct | Standard | 29–30 Oct | Relaxed, a full week to spare |
| Sat 31 Oct – Sun 1 Nov | Standard | 4–6 Nov | Good, time to try on |
| Mon 2 Nov | Standard | 6–7 Nov | Tight, little room for changes |
| Thu 5 Nov – Fri 6 Nov | Semi-express (1.5×) | 7–8 Nov | Last resort |
| Sat 7 Nov | Express (2×) | 8 Nov | Not recommended |
Our suggestion: book your pickup for the weekend of 24–25 October or 31 October–1 November. That gives you everything back with days in hand. The last few days before any festival are when everyone else has the same idea, so earlier pickup slots are also easier to get.
If you're travelling home for Diwali, count back from your travel date, not from 8 November.
Decide what each outfit actually needs
Not every festive outfit needs a full dry clean. Paying for the right service saves money and is gentler on the fabric.
- Dry cleaning is for anything worn and not cleaned since, anything with a visible mark, and anything labelled dry clean only. Silk, heavy zari, embroidered and embellished pieces usually fall here.
- Steam press is enough for an outfit that was cleaned before it was put away and has only picked up creases and a slight cupboard smell. See our steam press guide for which fabrics suit it.
- Roll polishing gives a silk or cotton saree a crisp, even finish without a full clean. It suits sarees that are clean but have gone limp or creased from folding.
A quick test: if you can't remember whether it was cleaned after it was last worn, assume it wasn't. Sweat and perfume left in silk for months can mark the fabric, and the longer they sit, the harder they are to lift.
What festive outfits cost
These are standard prices from the LaundroKart rate card, before GST and packaging.
| Outfit | Dry cleaning | Steam press |
|---|---|---|
| Silk saree | ₹319 | ₹135 |
| Silk saree with work | ₹472 | — |
| Designer saree, heavy | ₹575 | — |
| Lehenga set | ₹524 | — |
| Lehenga set, heavy | ₹835 | — |
| Anarkali suit, heavy | ₹780 | ₹205 |
| Sherwani | ₹319 | ₹102 |
| Silk kurta | ₹215 | ₹24 |
| Silk dhoti, double | ₹266 | ₹41 |
Roll polishing for a silk saree is ₹135. Express (next day) is twice the standard price and semi-express (day after) is one and a half times, which is why a silk saree at ₹319 becomes ₹638 on express. Booking a week earlier is the cheapest way to make sure it's ready.
Before you hand it over
A few minutes of checking at home makes a real difference to how outfits come back.
- Keep sets together. Put the blouse with its saree, and the dupatta with the lehenga or suit. Mention every piece at pickup so it's counted on the order.
- Point out marks. Show the person collecting your order any stain, and say what it is if you know: oil, turmeric, wax, wine. Different stains need different treatment.
- Check embellishments. If a bead, sequin or thread is already loose, point it out at pickup so it's noted.
- Empty pockets. Sherwanis and kurtas often hide a forgotten safety pin or a receipt.
- Check the label. If a garment has a care label, it helps us choose the right process.
Then book a pickup and choose your slot.
After Diwali: clean before you store
The other half of festive care happens after the festival. Ghee, oil, sweets, diya wax and the smoke from sparklers all end up on festive clothes, and they do more damage the longer they sit.
- Don't rub oil or ghee. Blot gently with a tissue and leave the rest for cleaning. Rubbing pushes oil deeper into silk.
- Let wax harden. Don't scrape soft wax. Point it out at pickup.
- Don't store it worn. Even if an outfit looks fine, send it for cleaning within a week or two rather than folding it away until the next wedding.
- Store it loosely. Fold silk in a cotton cloth or muslin bag, not plastic, and refold it along different lines every few months so creases don't set.
Be realistic about old stains. Marks that have sat for months may lighten but not fully disappear. The sooner an outfit is cleaned after it's worn, the better it comes back.
Frequently asked questions
When should I book dry cleaning for Diwali?
Aim for a pickup between 24 October and 1 November. Standard delivery is about 4–5 days, so that leaves time to try everything on before 8 November.
Can I get festive clothes back faster?
Yes. Express is next-day delivery at twice the standard price, and semi-express is day-after delivery at one and a half times. Both are useful in an emergency, but booking a week earlier costs less.
Does my saree need dry cleaning or just a steam press?
If it was cleaned before it was put away and only has creases, a steam press or roll polishing is usually enough. If it was worn and stored without cleaning, or has a mark, it needs dry cleaning.
Is it worth cleaning an outfit after Diwali if it looks clean?
Yes. Sweat, perfume and food residue aren't always visible, but left in silk for months they can mark the fabric. Cleaning before storing is what keeps an outfit ready for next year.
