The first thing you need to know about how to dry silk pillowcases is that you should never put them in the dryer. The high heat of a dryer — even on a low setting — will destroy the silk's fiber.
DON'T dry a silk pillowcase in direct sunlight or in a heated dryer cycle. If you absolutely must use the dryer, use it on the air/no-heat cycle. DO steam silk bedding if you'd like to eliminate wrinkles.
Exposing your garment to long bursts of sunlight can cause the colors to fade or even damage your silk fabrics. Do not tumble dry. Silk is very delicate and the high temperatures of the tumble dryer can shrink or damage your silks. Use a detergent for delicates.
Prepare to Wash
Silk can either be washed by hand or in the washer. If you decide on using the washer, set the machine to the gentle cycle, and place the silk pillowcase in a mesh laundry bag. This will protect it from snags or rough spots in the machine.
Never wring or twist your satin pillowcase, especially if you're washing it by hand. Water makes the fibers more elastic, and the twisting movement will make your pillowcase warp. Don't put it in the dryer. Even on a gentle, no-heat cycle, a dryer isn't a great idea for a satin pillowcase.
Silk satin clothing should never be placed into the dryer.
Any garment made from silk fibers should always be air dried by hanging or laying flat. Garments made from polyester satin may have the ability to be put in the dryer.
Never wash your satin garments in hot water, as they will shrink. As we said, if you want them to keep their shine, do not use the dryer for your satin-finish garments.
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.
The first thing you need to know about how to dry silk pillowcases is that you should never put them in the dryer. The high heat of a dryer — even on a low setting — will destroy the silk's fiber.
Detergent can stiffen silk
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.
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.
Your silk should dry in about 45 minutes depending on temperature and conditions. DO iron sparingly, only on the coolest setting with sheets and turn your pillowcases inside out. A light steam will enable the iron to glide smoothly over the fabric.
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!
Yes you can. However, whether your pillowcase is silk or cotton, going to bed with wet hair can attract bacteria. If your silk pillowcase absorbs some of your hair product, you can wash this out as easily as a cotton pillow case in most cases, but keeping in mind that silk is more delicate than cotton.
If you frequently sleep with wet hair, we suggest investing in a silk pillowcase. Silk doesn't retain moisture well, thereby allowing your hair to dry faster. More importantly, it's slick and produces less friction when compared with a cotton or flannel pillowcase.
Silk will shrink in the dryer if the dryer is set to tumble dry medium or tumble dry high, however, silk should never be put into the dryer and should flat dry or be placed on a drying rack to dry.
One reason experts warn against putting silk in a dryer is that heat can damage silk. If your dryer has a no-heat, low-heat, cool or air-fluff setting, you can try dewrinkling silk using that setting without the risk of heat damage.
Instead, silk should be air dried for the best results. Firstly, you want to absorb any excess moisture by laying it out flat on top of a clean towel. Roll the towel up with the silk inside, and gently press down. Repeat the process with another clean towel until the silk is no longer soaking.
Activewear, loosely woven garments, silk, and items embellished with beads or embroidery are best dried on the delicate or gentle cycle. The low heat helps keep your clothes safe during the drying process, as these garments are prone to melting or stretching under high heat.
To restore some of the shine and softness that's been lost, you can give your silk pieces a mild white vinegar bath. White vinegar helps to remove any residual soap in the fibres, and also restores lustre and softness to silk.
Silk threads allow for a 33% to a 38% space in between them in their structure, being able to keep humidity and air. When it is hot, silk absorbs and transfers the heat and humidity excess and therefore it keeps you comfortable while sleeping.
Silk cannot be tumble dried - True
You should dry silk away from heat sources - including the sun as well as radiators - for the same reason. Silk is best dried flat on the type of airer designed for this purpose.
Avoid contact with direct sunlight, as prolonged exposure to direct sunlight can damage silk fibers as well as cause colors to fade. Drying machines and hair dryers can also be used, however these are not recommended as they may cause permanent damage to the silk.
Shrinking Silk
Silk can shrink if it is pre-washed for more than approximately five minutes. Letting a silk garment sit in water for a long time before washing causes its fibers to tighten and twist, thus producing a shrinking effect. Silk that is washed in hot water will also shrink.