As it can be time consuming and expensive to get your silk pillowcase dry cleaned frequently, consider taking it to the dry cleaners just once or twice a year to revive the silk fibres. You can hand wash or machine wash your silk pillowcase at home and use vinegar baths to restore some shine inbetween dry cleans.
To restore some of the shine and softness that's been lost, you can give your silk pillowcase a mild white vinegar bath. White vinegar helps to remove any residual soap in the fibres, and also restores lustre and softness to silk.
To help your silks regain their lustre, in lukewarm or room temperature water, add some distilled vinegar and mix well. Soak the silk pieces in this water and for a maximum of 10 minutes and then remove from vinegar water. Rinse this with normal water and then air dry.
Softening Rough Silk After Washing
Air drying can make silk a bit crispy. Use these tips to soften it up. Gently run an iron over it on the "silk" setting while still slightly damp to soften it up.
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.
Flatten the edges of the tear, placing a cloth over your silk and pressing the iron over it. Remove the cloth and place the fusible fabric over the tear with the adhesive side touching the silk. Spray the cloth with water and place in it over the silk and fusible fabric.
Extreme humidity conditions, both at high and low levels, are known to have negative effects on silk by aiding deterioration.
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.
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.
How to Wash Silk. Wash white and colorfast silks in tepid water—no warmer than your skin—with a mild detergent. Add 1/4 cup of white vinegar in the first rinse to remove soap residue and restore luster to the fabric. Then rinse thoroughly with water one final time.
DO immerse the silk in cold water tonight (or as soon after painting as possible) and hang to dry, then iron after at least 48 hours, as shown above. After that, if you desire to soften it more, just put some liquid fabric softener and cold water in a bowl or sink, add your silk and swish a few times.
Rinse with cold running water. You may want to soften the shirt by soaking it in water and white vinegar (1/2 glass per 2 litres/67.6Oz of cold water) for 10 minutes and rinse it with cold running water.
Silk is too delicate
And while you should take care to protect your silk from snags and tears (for example, by using a mesh laundry bag when washing as we recommend above), good high quality silk sheets and silk pillowcases should last as long as their cotton counterparts.
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. Some detergents are simply too harsh for silk and will leave it feeling rough and scratchy.
Sheen: It's normal for silk to lose a little of its original luster after repeated washing. If your silk looks absolutely dull, you may have used too much detergent which has left a coating. (Of course, double-check to make sure your pillowcase isn't inside out!).
What is the life of a silk pillowcase? We have tested the durability and we guarantee that when taken care of, our pillowcases and sleeping masks will serve you for good nine to twelve months. Maybe longer, if you follow the wash care instructions properly.
Some silk items may lose color or get damaged in the machine. Don't wash silk and delicate fabric with heavy pieces of clothing like jeans. Using a delicates wash bag will protect your silks from any abrasive damage.
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.
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.
Signs of degradation appear in silk after about four years. That is long enough that it is rarely advertised as biodegradable, but the process can be sped up, and all of the material can go in just 12 to 24 months.
The deterioration of silk causes embrittlement of the textile leading to splits and tears, and eventually a powdery and very friable fabric. Interventive conservation treatments, to consolidate silks, may radically alter their appearance, dramatically affecting the way in which visitors see and interpret the objects.
In our previous studies, it was found that silk I crystal degraded at around 250°C and silk II degraded at around 260°C [26]. The SD-SF samples showed a main degradation peak at 251°C and a minor degradation peak at 258°C, indicating the formation of the stable silk I structure.