Pop your item in the washing machine – we recommend placing any silk items inside a mesh laundry bag or pillowcase to avoid snags or damage caused by the drum. Select a cool, delicate cycle (do not set the wash temperature to any higher than 30°C).
Despite what you've heard, you can wash silk in a washing machine. However, it's worth investing in a mesh bag to protect your delicate items from tangling or getting caught on other items during the wash. Follow the instructions for washing silk items in a washing machine.
Silk is a delicate fabric, and you'll want to make sure it stays beautiful even after you've cleaned it. Washing it at too high a heat can cause it to shrink and damage it. It may be worth getting your silk garment professionally dry cleaned to avoid damage if it's particularly precious to you.
Hand wash silk clothes in cold water
Fill a clean sink or small tub with lukewarm water and a small amount of delicate-friendly liquid detergent. Lightly agitate for three to five minutes and rinse well. If the care label advises machine washing, choose a gentle, cold-water cycle.
Don't put silk items in the dryer. Heat can damage delicate silk fibers. If the dryer is absolutely necessary to use only 'air' setting for 15 minutes or less with NO fabric sheets or dryer balls. Remove sheets before completely dry.
Silk also weakens when wet and can degrade in heat but this doesn't mean it is not washable. It just means that you need to wash it a certain (easy!) way to keep your silk garment as fresh as new for much longer. Better to be safe than sorry!
For many years, it was thought that dry cleaning was the only way to properly care for silk – but silk can actually be washed at home. While the care labels on many silk products may instruct that the item be dry cleaned, this is simply down to the manufacturers preference.
Most silk garments will say “dry clean only” on their care label. McCorkill says although sometimes you can handwash silk, dry cleaning “is the best way to retain the natural lustre and drape of the fabric.”
Silk. While silk is a very luxurious material, it is also very delicate and can easily shrink or become damaged in the wash without proper care. Because silk is a natural material made from protein fibers, heat will cause it to shrink.
Even if you are hand washing your silks are per the instructions, if you are using a detergent, they can become stiff. Using a castile soap like Dr Bronner's instead can help a lot. Even after air drying, though, your silk may still be a bit stiff. However, using castile soap will make the silk soften up a lot quicker.
You used the wrong drying method
Drying silk on high heat or in direct sunlight can cause the fibers to become stiff and lose their softness. It is best to air-dry silk by laying it flat on a clean, dry surface or hanging it up in a well-ventilated area.
Too much or the wrong detergent can make silk rough. Be sure to use a non-alkaline detergent. Adding ¼ cup of vinegar to the first rinse helps to work as a natural fabric softener.
What Kind of Silk is Washable? All silk is washable, it's just a matter of how your pieces can be washed.
Wash silk after every few wearings unless it needs freshening and stain removal. Remember that washing your silk clothes at home may put the garments at risk of color fading if cleaned too often. Dry cleaning usually doesn't fade the color of silk clothing as fast as home washing.
So when you see a delicate or 'dry clean only' garment made with wool, silk, cotton or cashmere, you can wash them at home so long as you perform a test on the garment first to ensure there's no color bleeding, shrinkage, warping, or other naughty garment behaviour.
Similarly, silk can be handwashed, but doing so may change the lustre and drape of the fabric. If you have a silk garment made from particularly delicate silk, like chiffon or georgette, it's best to take it to a dry-cleaner as these fabrics are more likely to be affected by water.
Silk is a very delicate material and you should generally never tumble-dry it in a dryer. Even on low heat, the warmth can make the fabric shrink, pucker or become otherwise damaged. Instead, air-dry your silk pieces. You can lay them flat or hang them to dry.
Silk wrinkles when you really smash it in your hands and you will find that some wrinkles have been left, whilst polyester generally reverts back to the same shape as before. All-natural materials wrinkle, but they look absolutely beautiful even if they are wrinkled and they are so much better to wear.
' The good news is that ironing silk without damaging it is possible. The trick is to understand how to iron silk gently to avoid any damage. Iron your silk while it's still damp after washing and remember to turn the garment inside out first.
Use an iron with a dedicated silk setting and a clean surface, preferably an ironing board. Iron your silk while it's still a bit damp. After the wash, hang your silk sheets until they are almost dry then iron. Don't wring out excess water, which can damage the silk.
White vinegar removes soap, restores shine and softens silk. Add 1/4 cup (50 ml) white vinegar to the basin of cold water. Gently move the garment around in the water to thoroughly rinse it. Empty the basin, then fill it one more time with cold water, and give the silk one last rinse.
Sun and Water Damage. Silk is highly susceptible to damage from the elements. Even a tiny bit of water can leave a visible stain that's impossible to get rid of. And sunlight weakens the fibers of silk, resulting in tearing and fading.
Generally, silk fabrics oxidize (yellow) more than most synthetic fabrics, such as polyester, rayon and acetate. However, even some synthetics fabrics (nylon), yellow more than other synthetic fabrics. Wedding gowns that can be wet cleaned can be safely whitened for future use if they do yellow.