Satin does shrink. Cotton satin will shrink the most if placed into a wash or dryer cycle at high heat. Silk satin will shrink slightly as well, while polyester satin will not shrink much.
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.
You can wash the satin upholstery or clothing by hand or in the washing machine. However, it would be best to use cold water since it's a delicate fabric, and warm water might harm its integrity.
Drying Satin
Lay out a clean and dry towel and place the garment on the towel. Gently roll up the towel to remove excess water from the item. Satin items should not be dried in the dryer as it may cause them to shrink or pill. Instead, most items should be laid flat in their original shape to dry.
If your polyester satin is available to be machine dried, be sure to use the air dry or tumble dry low settings and avoid using the tumble dry medium and tumble dry high settings, as the high temperatures used during these cycles will damage and possibly melt your polyester satin clothing.
Using the dryer on tumble dry high will cause unnecessary wear, tear, and shrinkage, to occur on satin clothing made from polyester. Once you've finished washing your satin clothing, take it to a cool, dim place out of contact with direct sunlight to dry.
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.
How do you wash satin or silk? Hand washing is the best way to wash silk and satin. Use lukewarm water with a few drops of detergent for delicates to wash your silk and satin garments. Some garments may also be machine washable, be sure to refer to the item's care label before administering any type of care.
Washing on the wrong cycle.
Hot water can also damage silk. Do this instead: Wash silk on a silk or delicate cycle and cool water. Here are some guidelines for washing silk sheets; you can machine wash in cool to lukewarm 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.
Overexposure to sunlight and heat can also cause damage to the texture and color of a silk garment, so avoid placing them near heat sources or windows that let in a lot of daylight.
Satin and silk are kind of the same way—satin is technically a type of weaving, rather than a type of fabric. At one point in time, satin was traditionally made from silk, but in the modern-day, it's not uncommon to find blended satin mixtures that include synthetic fibers like polyester, rayon, and cotton.
'Satin Silk' is rarely real Silk. That's right, products marketed as satin, silky satin, satin silk and derivatives of this are most commonly 100% polyester/nylon/rayon.
The Disadvantages of Satin
Satin can be difficult to sew and work with because of its shiny, slippery texture. Satin can also snag, this because of the way the threads interlace, creating those longer runs in one direction.
For satin items that are approved for machine washing, select the delicate cycle, lower final spin speed, and cool or cold water setting on your washer. If washing a satin blouse or tie with other items, place it in a mesh bag to prevent snags.
Fill a basin with cold water.
Most silk garments can be hand washed, even if the tag advises dry cleaning only. To begin washing the garment, fill a large basin or bowl with enough lukewarm or cold water to submerge the garment inside.
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.
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.
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).
The most basic way to get wrinkles out of satin is by hanging the garment, and then waiting a few days for it to flatten itself out. Hang your satin garment neatly on a hanger, and place it in a dark, cool place.
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.
Unlike other types of fabrics, satin has a soft texture and is easily damaged. For that, never wash them in the washing machine, let alone brush them tightly. Lastly, in order to make your satin clothes can be used long-term, never use the dryer or dry directly in the sun.