Lay a silk pillowcase flat to air dry, preferably on a drying rack away from direct heat sources and sunlight. Laying it flat to dry will help the pillowcase retain its natural shape, and keeping it out of direct heat or sunlight helps prevent discoloration and fading.
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.
To dry your silk pillowcase even faster, lay down a soft, thick towel on a flat surface, and place the pillowcase on top. Then, begin to roll the towel, gently pressing down as you do so. After the excess water has been pressed out into the towel, it will now be much faster to air dry or flat dry your pillowcase.
You need to choose a gentle yet effective detergent; wash silk in cool water; protect your silk item in the washing machine with a mesh laundry bag; and avoid putting your silk pillowcase in the dryer. All of these measures will clean while protecting the silk fiber.
Once removed from the towel, lay the silk garment out flat on a drying rack without using any clothes pegs. The silk should be dried in the shade, as direct sunlight can cause its colours to fade. Silk tends to dry quite quickly, and you should fine that your garment is dry within around 30-60 minutes.
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.
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.
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.
Using too much detergent can leave residue on the fibers, making them feel rough and stiff. This is because detergents can strip the natural oils from the silk, which help to keep the fibers soft and smooth. To avoid this, use a gentle detergent and follow the recommended amount for the size of your load.
No, you cannot put your silk in the dryer.
Some people believe that silk can be dried in the dryer if you simply adjust the settings to air dry or tumble dry low. Although these settings use little or no heat, it is not only the heat in the dryer that can cause damage to your silk.
Drying Silk: The Good News
The good news is that silk can be dried safely, easily, and quickly, simply by hanging on a line indoors or outside, out of the sun. In our experience, our silk sheets air dry in around an hour's time.
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.
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.
Never wring out your silk items or toss them in the dryer, says Whitehurst. To remove excess water, place the wet garment on a white cotton towel. Fold the towel over and gently blot. Then, using a padded hanger, hang the blouse or dress over the bathtub to drip dry.
But in reality, silk pillowcases, like other silk items, can usually be washed at home. Unless the item's care label carries a "dry clean only" warning, it can be successfully washed at home if you use cold water, a gentle detergent made for delicate fabrics, and if you avoid using heat to dry the items.
While the benefits of silk pillowcases are sometimes overstated, it is true that they have a cool, luxurious feel. This can make them a good investment for hot sleepers, as well as those who have sensitive skin or frizzy hair.
If you have oily hair, a silk pillowcase may not be the best choice, since a cotton pillowcase will absorb oil better, according to Aguirre. Silk pillowcases will be more beneficial if you have dry hair, or are experiencing breakage.
Silk is your hair's best friend. "Silk pillowcases are an absolute game-changer as they don't pull and absorb moisture from your hair and your face," says Reslan. "Unlike regular pillowcases, the smooth silk fibers don't cause damage to your hair by creating friction and roughening up your hair's cuticles.
Hair is at its most fragile when wet, so if you go to bed with it damp and proceed to toss and turn against a pillow, you run a higher risk of breakage. But aside from being rough on your delicate strands, hitting the pillow with damp hair puts you at risk of developing skin infections, primarily on your scalp.
"Whilst sleeping on a silk pillowcase is great for your skin, it doesn't have the same overnight conditioning effect of a silk hair wrap," explains Sotiriou. "A wrap cocoons the hair, encasing your naturally forming oils rather than letting them transfer to your pillow.
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.
The recommended way to dry silk is by hanging it in a place with good air circulation. Air drying silk best allows the silk to retain its shape afterwards. Avoid contact with direct sunlight, as prolonged exposure to direct sunlight can damage silk fibers as well as cause colors to fade.
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.