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How you wash a razai depends on what is inside it. A polyester or microfibre-filled razai can usually be machine washed on a gentle, cold cycle with mild liquid detergent, an extra rinse and a low spin, then dried flat or over two lines until the filling is completely dry. A light Jaipuri razai can be hand washed gently in cold water if its label allows. A traditional cotton-filled razai should not be soaked at all: wash only its cover, sun the razai, and have the filling carded or professionally cleaned.
Most damaged razais are ruined by one mistake: soaking a heavy cotton-filled quilt, which clumps the cotton into hard lumps that never dry properly. This guide shows how to identify your razai, the right washing method for each type, how to dry it in winter without a musty smell, and how to store it for summer.
Can You Wash a Razai at Home?
Yes, many razais can be washed at home, but not all of them, so the answer to how to wash razai at home starts with the filling. Polyester, microfibre and many light Jaipuri razais handle a careful wash. Traditional razais filled with loose cotton wool do not, because wet cotton filling packs together, becomes very heavy and takes days to dry. Check the label and the filling first.
What Is Inside Your Razai? Check the Filling First
A razai is a quilt made of a cover stuffed with filling. Traditionally the filling is cotton wool, and the warmth comes from the air trapped in it. Today you will also find polyester, microfibre, wool and down-filled quilts sold as razais. Each one needs different care.
Type of razai | How to recognise it | Can you wash it at home? |
|---|---|---|
Polyester or microfibre filled | Light, springy, label says polyester, hollow fibre or microfibre | Yes, machine or hand wash, gentle and cold |
Jaipuri razai | Very light (often called a 100 gram razai), thin cotton filling inside voile or muslin, hand-block printed | Hand wash gently in cold water if the label allows; dry clean if unsure |
Traditional cotton-filled (rui) razai | Thick and heavy, lumpy feel, filling moves when pressed | No soaking; wash the cover, sun the razai, card or professionally clean it |
Woollen or wool-filled razai | Label says wool, feels dense and warm | Dry clean, or wash only if the label allows a wool cycle |
Silk or velvet covered razai | Shiny silk or plush velvet outer fabric | Dry clean only |
Down or feather quilt | Very light and puffy, may shed small feathers | Follow the label; most need a large machine and careful drying |
For down and feather quilts, follow the steps in this guide on washing and maintaining a down comforter, since they need different drying from cotton and polyester razais.
Read the Razai Care Label
Most factory-made razais and quilts carry a sewn-in care label. If it shows a washtub symbol, the razai can be washed in water at the temperature shown. A crossed-out tub means do not wash, and a circle means dry clean. Handmade cotton razais often have no label at all; treat those as not machine washable.
Wash the Razai Cover Instead of the Razai
The easiest way to keep a razai clean is not to wash the razai at all, but its cover. A removable razai cover, called a khol or gilaf, takes the sweat, oil and dust that would otherwise reach the filling. Wash the cover like a bedsheet, and the razai inside needs a full wash only rarely.
Take the cover off, close any zips or buttons, and wash it with similar colours on a normal cotton cycle or by hand. Dry it fully in the sun before putting it back on. Keeping two covers per razai means one is always clean during winter.
If your razai does not have a cover, it is worth getting one made. It is far cheaper than replacing a razai, and it protects block-printed Jaipuri razais in particular from regular washing.
How to Wash a Polyester or Microfibre Razai in a Washing Machine
Polyester and microfibre razais are the most washable kind. Use a gentle or delicate cycle with cold water, a small amount of mild liquid detergent, an extra rinse and a low spin speed. Make sure the razai fits loosely in the drum. If it has to be forced in, it will not wash or rinse properly and can strain the machine.
Step 1: Check That the Razai Fits Your Machine
Check your machine’s maximum load in its manual. A razai needs space to move: if you have to push it in, it is too big. Single polyester razais often fit large front-load machines; many double razais do not fit home machines at all and should be hand washed in a bathtub or sent to a laundry.
Top-load machines with a central agitator can twist and tear a razai. If your machine has one, hand washing is safer.
Step 2: Shake Out Dust and Treat Stains First
Shake the razai outdoors to remove loose dust. Look for stains and treat them first: dab a little mild liquid detergent on the mark with a damp cloth and leave it for 10 to 15 minutes. Do not scrub, because scrubbing can pull the filling through the stitching.
Step 3: Use Mild Liquid Detergent and a Gentle, Cold Cycle
Use liquid detergent rather than powder, because powder can leave white residue trapped in the thick filling. Use less than you would for a normal load. Select the gentle, delicate or bedding cycle with cold water. Cold water protects printed covers from fading and synthetic filling from heat damage.
Step 4: Add an Extra Rinse and Choose a Low Spin
A thick razai holds a lot of soap. Choose the extra rinse option, or run a second rinse-only cycle, so no detergent is left in the filling. Use a low spin speed. A high spin can bunch the filling into one corner and stress the stitching.
Step 5: Check the Filling Before Drying
When the cycle ends, take the razai out and feel it. If the filling has bunched up, spread it gently back across the quilt with your hands while it is still damp. It is much harder to fix once dry.
How to Hand Wash a Razai in a Bucket or Bathtub
If your razai does not fit the machine, or your machine has an agitator, wash it by hand in a bathtub, a large plastic tub or on a clean bathroom floor. Use cold water, a little mild liquid detergent, press the water through the razai with your hands or feet instead of rubbing, rinse until the water runs clear, and press out the water without wringing.
Soak and Press the Razai Gently
Fill the tub with enough cold water to cover the razai and dissolve a small amount of mild liquid detergent in it. Push the razai under water and press it down repeatedly with flat hands, or walk on it gently barefoot, to move the soapy water through the filling. Soak for about 15 to 20 minutes. Do not scrub with a brush.
Rinse Until No Soap Remains
Drain the soapy water and refill with clean cold water. Press the razai again, drain, and repeat until the water stays clear and no foam appears. Leftover detergent makes the filling stiff and attracts dust.
Remove Water Without Wringing
Do not twist or wring the razai. Press the water out by folding it and pressing down, then roll it up with a few large towels to absorb more. A wet razai is very heavy, so get someone to help you lift it, supporting it from underneath so the stitching does not tear.
How to Wash a Jaipuri Razai Safely
Jaipuri razais are hand-stitched quilts with a thin layer of carded cotton inside soft cotton voile or muslin, often hand-block printed. Making the filling takes time: roughly a kilogram of raw cotton is carded for about a week to produce around 100 grams of fine filling. That light, delicate structure is why they need gentle care.
Before washing, test the print for colour bleeding: dampen a corner with cold water and press it with a white cloth. Hand-block prints, especially reds and dark colours, often bleed. If colour comes off, or the label says dry clean, send it for professional cleaning.
If the print is colourfast and the label allows washing, hand wash it in cold water with a mild detergent made for delicates, press gently without scrubbing, rinse well and press the water out without wringing. Dry it flat or over two lines in shade, because strong sun fades block prints. Do not tumble dry.
How to Clean a Cotton-Filled Razai Without Washing It
A traditional cotton-filled razai should not be soaked. The cotton wool absorbs a lot of water, clumps into hard lumps and can stay damp inside for days, which leads to a musty smell and mildew. Instead, clean it in these ways.
Sun and Air the Razai Regularly
On a dry, sunny day, hang the razai over a clean line or lay it on a charpai or terrace for a few hours, turning it halfway. Sunlight and fresh air dry out absorbed moisture and help freshen the filling. Beat it gently with a stick or your hands to shake out dust, then bring it in before evening damp sets in.
Spot Clean Stains on the Razai Cover
For a small stain on a fixed cover, dab it with a cloth dipped in cold water and a little mild liquid detergent, then dab with a clean damp cloth to remove the soap. Use as little water as possible so it does not soak into the cotton. Dry the spot in the sun.
Get the Cotton Filling Carded (Dhunai) Before Winter
Over time, the cotton wool inside a razai packs into clumps, which makes it thin, lumpy and less warm. The traditional fix is carding, known as dhunai: a dhuniya removes the filling, beats it with a bow-like tool to separate the clumps, and refills the cover. Many families have their razais carded before winter, and a new, washed cover can be stitched at the same time.
Send It for Professional Cleaning
If a cotton-filled razai is dirty, stained or smells after storage, professional cleaning is the safest option. It is cleaned without soaking the filling the way a home wash would, and it comes back dry.
How to Dry a Razai Completely in Winter
A razai must be dried completely, right through the middle. A razai that is dry on the outside but damp inside will smell musty and can grow mildew within days. Dry it flat or spread over two parallel lines so air reaches both sides, turn it every few hours, and check the centre before using or storing it.
In winter sun this can take one to two days, longer in foggy or humid weather. Bring the razai in at night, because evening dew undoes a day’s drying. Keep a fan running on it indoors if the weather is damp. For more tips that work in cold weather, read this guide on how to dry clothes in winter.
Never hang a wet razai by one corner or fold it over a single line, because the weight of the water drags the filling down to one end. Do not dry polyester razais on a hot heater, which can melt synthetic fibres.
How to Remove a Musty Smell from a Razai
A razai that smells musty has absorbed moisture, usually from being stored damp, folded in plastic, or put back before it was fully dry. Sun and air it for a full day, turning it over halfway. For washable razais, wash and dry them completely. For cotton-filled razais, sun them over several days, change or wash the cover, and get them carded or professionally cleaned if the smell stays.
For musty smells in clothes and fabrics generally, Washmart’s guide on removing musty smell from clothes explains the causes and fixes.
How Often Should You Wash a Razai?
Wash the razai cover every two to four weeks during winter, about as often as bedsheets if you use the razai daily. The razai itself needs a full wash or professional clean only once or twice a season, usually before you store it for summer. Sun and air it every couple of weeks in between.
How to Store a Razai for Summer
Store a razai only when it is clean and bone dry. Sun it for a day before packing, so no moisture is trapped inside. Keep it in a breathable cotton bag or an old bedsheet, not a sealed plastic bag, in a dry cupboard or on a high shelf away from damp walls. Add neem leaves or a cedar block in a cloth pouch to deter insects.
Avoid vacuum compression bags for cotton-filled razais, because squashing the cotton for months makes it clump. Polyester razais tolerate them better. Take razais out on a sunny day once or twice during the monsoon and air them.
Mistakes That Ruin a Razai
Most razais that turn lumpy, smelly or torn were damaged by one of these mistakes.
Mistake | What it does | Do this instead |
|---|---|---|
Soaking a cotton-filled razai | Cotton clumps into hard lumps and stays damp inside | Wash only the cover; sun, card or professionally clean the razai |
Forcing a razai into a small machine | Poor washing and rinsing, strain on the machine | Hand wash or use a laundry service |
Washing in an agitator top-loader | Twists and tears the quilt | Front-load machine or hand wash |
Hot water | Fades prints, damages synthetic filling | Cold water only |
Too much detergent or powder | Residue trapped in the filling | A little liquid detergent and an extra rinse |
Wringing or twisting | Tears stitching, bunches filling | Press and roll in towels |
Hanging by one corner to dry | Filling slides to one end | Dry flat or over two lines |
Storing before it is fully dry | Musty smell and mildew | Dry completely and sun before storing |
Storing cotton razais in plastic | Traps moisture | Use a cotton bag or old bedsheet |
Wash at Home or Send Your Razai to Washmart?
Some razais are easy to manage at home. Others are too heavy, too delicate or too valuable to risk. Use this as a guide.
Razai | At home | Better with Washmart when |
|---|---|---|
Single polyester or microfibre razai | Machine or hand wash | It does not fit your machine, or you have no time to dry it |
Double polyester razai | Hand wash in a tub | Almost always, because it rarely fits home machines and takes days to dry |
Jaipuri razai | Hand wash if colourfast and the label allows | The print bleeds, the label says dry clean, or it is a gift you care about |
Cotton-filled razai | Cover wash, sunning, carding | It is stained or smells and needs a full clean |
Woollen, silk or velvet razai | Airing only | Always for cleaning |
Razai covers (khol) | Machine or hand wash | You want them washed and ironed with your bedsheets |
Professional Razai and Quilt Cleaning at Washmart
Washing a razai at home takes a big tub, a lot of effort and, in winter, two days of drying. For heavy double razais, Jaipuri and block-printed razais, woollen or velvet quilts, and cotton razais that have started to smell, Washmart is the easier and safer choice. Use Washmart’s dry cleaning service for delicate and dry clean only quilts, and its wash and fold laundry service for razai covers, bedsheets and everyday bedding.
One pickup can cover the razais, blankets, comforters, covers and winter clothes together, at the start of winter or before you pack everything away. Washmart has 400+ stores across 125+ cities in 28 states and 2 countries, and has washed 25.1 lakh+ garments for 10 lakh+ customers.
Book a pickup on the Washmart website or app, with free home pickup and delivery on orders above ₹349 in serviceable areas, or carry your razai to the nearest Washmart store.
Verdict: Know Your Razai, Then Wash It the Right Way
The right way to wash a razai starts with what is inside it. Polyester and microfibre razais can go in a large machine on a gentle, cold cycle with an extra rinse and low spin. Light Jaipuri razais can be hand washed in cold water if the print does not bleed. Traditional cotton-filled razais should never be soaked: wash the khol, sun the razai, and get the cotton carded before winter. Whatever the type, dry it completely before you sleep under it or pack it away.
For everything else, choose Washmart. Heavy double razais that will not fit your machine, block-printed Jaipuri quilts, woollen, silk or velvet razais, and cotton razais that smell after storage are exactly what a professional service is for. You avoid two days of drying on the terrace, and the razai comes back clean, dry and ready for the cold. Book a pickup on the Washmart app (free on orders above ₹349 in serviceable areas), walk into any of 400+ stores, or call 1800 8913 588.
Frequently Asked Questions
Got questions? Here are common queries and expert answers about this guide.
Can I wash a razai in a washing machine?
You can machine wash polyester and microfibre razais if they fit loosely in the drum. Use a gentle, cold cycle, mild liquid detergent, an extra rinse and low spin. Do not machine wash traditional cotton-filled razais, and avoid agitator top-loaders, which can twist and tear a quilt.
Which washing machine setting is best for a razai?
Use the bedding, gentle or delicate cycle with cold water, the extra rinse option and a low spin speed. If your machine has a duvet or quilt programme, use that, as long as the razai fits loosely.
Can a cotton razai be washed?
The cover of a cotton razai can be washed, but the cotton-filled razai itself should not be soaked. Wet cotton wool clumps and takes days to dry, which leads to lumps and a musty smell. Sun it regularly, have the filling carded before winter, and use professional cleaning when it gets dirty.
How do I wash a Jaipuri razai?
Test the print for colour bleeding first. If it is colourfast and the label allows washing, hand wash it in cold water with a mild detergent for delicates, press gently without scrubbing, rinse well and dry it flat in shade. If the colour runs or the label says dry clean, send it for professional cleaning.
How long does a razai take to dry?
A washed razai can take one to two days to dry fully in winter sun, and longer in fog or humid weather. Dry it flat or over two lines, turn it every few hours, bring it in at night and press the centre to check it is dry before using or storing it.
Why did my razai filling become lumpy after washing?
The filling bunched up during washing or spinning, or a cotton filling clumped when it got wet. Spread polyester filling back out by hand while it is still damp. Lumpy cotton filling needs carding (dhunai) by a dhuniya to separate it again.
How do I remove the smell from a stored razai?
Sun and air it for a full day, turning it halfway, and wash or change the cover. Washable razais can be washed and dried completely. If a cotton razai still smells after a few days of sunning, get it carded or professionally cleaned.
How often should a razai cover be washed?
Wash the cover every two to four weeks in winter, or more often if someone in the house is unwell or children use the razai. The razai itself needs a full clean only once or twice a season.
Should I use a vacuum bag to store a razai?
Not for cotton-filled razais, because months of compression clump the cotton. Store them loosely in a cotton bag or old bedsheet. Polyester razais can go in vacuum bags, but make sure they are completely dry first.
What is razai dhunai?
Dhunai is the traditional carding of a cotton razai’s filling. A dhuniya opens the razai, beats the compacted cotton with a bow-like tool until it is fluffy again, and refills the cover. It restores the warmth of an old, flat razai and is usually done before winter.
Does Washmart clean razais and quilts?
Yes. You can give razais, quilts, blankets, comforters and razai covers to Washmart for cleaning. Book a pickup on the Washmart app or website, visit a store, or call the toll-free number 1800 8913 588.
