Use cold water for hand-washing and machine-washing. Never use bleach (oxygen- or chlorine-based), as it can dissolve the fabric. Never use a machine dryer. Always air-dry silk flat or on a drying rack away from sunlight.
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).
Do wash silk in cool water. Hot water will damage and shrink the natural fibres.
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.
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.
Once heat is applied to the garment after soaking it for a long time, the silk will shrink. To avoid this, either hand wash your silk in cold water or use the delicate cycle on your washing machine then hang to dry.
Silk Satin and Silk Broadcloth will have little or no shrinkage, while Silk Chiffon or Crepe de Chine may shrink to a greater degree because it is made from a looser weave. Always wash silk in lukewarm or cold water to avoid shrinking your garment.
Silk is so durable that it was the preferred material of parachutes. This natural material's strong fibers make it unable to completely absorb the dyes applied to color the silk fabric. Dry cleaning is the safest way to make sure you can retain the deep colors of your favorite silk garments.
If you find that the sheen of your silk clothing has lost its luster or shimmer and appears to have a white film or looks dull, the silk fibers may have become damaged due to improper cleaning or exposure to too much light or heat.
“To increase the longevity of your silk garments, we recommend handwashing them in cold water with a quarter teaspoon of gentle organic detergent and fabric softener for no more than five minutes,” offers Kes. There is also a number of cleaning products specially made for washing silk at home (see below).
Silk reacts to alkaline detergents. These can cause the silk to become rough and even cause the fabric to break down. So, when washing silk, even by hand, ensure that you use a mild detergent. Some people even make their own detergents just for silk.
Don't forget that silk loses much of its strength when it's wet and wringing it out will damage it. Lay out each wet piece on a clean, dry towel and roll it up. The excess water will soak into the towel. To finish drying, lay the garment flat.
Silk is strong when dry, but Silk is Weaker when fibers are wet.
Silk is one of the strongest natural fibers, but it loses up to 20% of its strength when wet. It has a good moisture regain of 11%. Its elasticity is moderate to poor: if elongated even a small amount, it remains stretched. It can be weakened if exposed to too much sunlight.
White vinegar helps to remove any residual soap in the fibres, and also restores lustre and softness to silk. The instructions below are written for silk pillowcases, but they also apply to silk crib sleeves, silk sheets etc… as well.
Loosely woven silk can shrink as much as 15 percent if washed vigorously in hot water and then subjected to dryer heat.
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.”
Depending on the age of the fabric, you should wash silk dresses after two to three wears. Silk is know for its hypoallergenic qualities, so washing your silk dress regularly will help to remove dust and bacteria that settles into the fabric – and these may lead to skin problems.
Silk pillowcases, like your other bed linens, come into direct contact with your skin every night, so it's important to wash them regularly — typically about every seven to ten days. To learn more about washing bed linens, check out this guide to washing and properly caring for bedding.