For the sake of hygiene, I rinsed this with detergent and cool water when it arrived. It bled profusely and dye covered my entire bathroom. My roommate was apoplectic and it was still dripping blue water as it hung dry after the 3rd wash, so I gave it a rest. However, all the dye came up off the porcelain and laminate surfaces with soap and water, and the scarf itself looks amazing (it wasn't compromised from the washing - colors still pop). It would buy more of these, and probably will at some point.