My son ruined my new Pashmina shawl that my father gave me on his visit here…
He spilled milk on the tiles and was trying to clean it up before I saw it. Alas, the first thing he saw at that moment was my precious shawl and now its all daagh-daar. 
What should I do, shall I send it for drycleaning, or put it in the machine or handwash it?
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DO NOT PUT IT IN THE WASHING MACHINE!!! i did that to mine and its ruined!@!!! :(
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get it dry cleaned or get thet dryel thing and do it yourself
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Hand wash it please. Do not take it anywhere near drycleaning solvents.
I have antique Shahtoosh shawls handed down from generations and I took them to a museum textile conservator in NYC for advice on restoration of the weave and cleaning. His advice... handwash in woolite in cold water, swirl it around in the suds, and then in clean water, do not rub and do not wring, have someone help you hold all four corners and without stretching the shape, gently flap the shawl until it dries (this helps the yarn bounce back into shape).
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Mogra you have a shahtoos- u are lucky!!!
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what's a shahtoosh?
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Sadaf: When i was visiting my sil in california in Dec. I was carrying her 1 year old while they went to take a ride at the universal studios. The son vomited all over me and my pashmina. I can't tell you how i was screaming standing in the waiting room coz i had no idea how to handle the kid or what to do with all the vomit that was in my hair and all over me.
Khair, I took the shawl to a drycleaner and he told me that it would be best if i handwashed it and i did exactly what mogra has described and thanks to Allah my shawl is as n ew.
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Thanks for the replies 
Okay I am going to hand wash it now
you people are a great help 
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if its milk wash in cold/ tepid water.. hot water will cook it onto the fibre with a special wool soap
and then make up a solution of hair conditioner and warm water.. soak it for a few mins and then rinse...
this makes it soft
and then dry as Mograkali said
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I agree Barfee. Shahtoosh is a prohibhited trade and export item in many countries and spells the end for the endangered Tibetan Antelope.
My shawls are very old.. one of them is over 175 years old, the others are about a century old… and have come down to me through the generations. It is upto me to take care of them and preserve thier beauty because they are a part of my cultural heritage.
I would never buy one today.
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WOW!!!
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We know that one is over 175 years old because we have a painted picture of my great (make that a whole bunch of greats) grandmother wearing the shawl. It was in her wedding dowry and the painted picture shows all her dowry and jewelley displayed around her. My great (multiplied n times)grandmothers name is at the bottom of the picture. She looks little more than 12-13 and looks somewhat lost. Also in the picture are some weird things like huge kitchen utensils and in the background are the figures of a woman and 2 children and a ghoda gadi. I wonder if the woman and kids were part of her dowry... sort of like a maid and helpers.. who knows. I guess in the days before photography this was a sort of record keeping!
The museum textile conservator also agreed with the age of the shawl based on the weave and dye and embroidery. The others are more recent... about 100 years old and the names of the owners (other great grandmothers in the family) had thier names embroidered on them, so it was easier to date them.
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this is a horrid thing to say
but I want one...
I aboslutly cringe at the idea of wearing fur...
but these pashminas look lovely
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I am just jealous and i hate to admit it 