Wash your silk pillowcase every 7 to 10 days. If you have oily/acne-prone skin or use heavy nighttime hair and skincare products, wash it every 3 to 5 days. Since silk naturally repels dust mites and odors, a weekly wash is ideal to prevent the buildup of oils, sweat, and dead skin cells.
If your silk pillowcase feels stiff, dull, or crunchy after washing, it is usually due to soap residue, hard water, heat damage, or the loss of the silk's natural coating. Fortunately, the fabric is likely not ruined and can often be restored.
Still, night after night, your pillowcase picks up a mix of things—a bit of natural oil from your skin, maybe residue from your hair products, plus the usual dust floating around. Over time, that build-up can dull the fabric and make it feel less special. Washing silk is really about preserving the fabric.
The best pillowcases for chemo patients are high-grade 100% mulberry silk (such as 22-Momme). These provide a frictionless, hypoallergenic, and temperature-regulating surface that protects fragile new hair follicles, prevents tangles, and soothes scalps tender from treatment.
Yes, you can absolutely wash silk pillowcases in the washing machine. To prevent snags and shrinkage, always turn them inside out, place them in a mesh laundry bag, and use a cold-water delicate cycle with a pH-neutral, silk-safe detergent. Never use bleach or fabric softeners.
While silk pillowcases are celebrated for skin and hair health, they come with notable drawbacks. They carry a steep price tag, are highly delicate and prone to snagging, and demand high-maintenance washing routines (requiring air-drying and gentle detergents).
It is not recommended to wash a silk pillowcase with Dawn dish soap. Dawn is highly concentrated, degreases oils aggressively, and can be too alkaline or acidic for silk. Using it can strip the fabric of its natural luster, dry out the fibers, and leave a stiff residue.
Any sheets or clothes soiled with bodily fluids should be machine-washed twice in hot water with regular laundry detergent. Do not hand wash. If you cannot wash them right away, place them in a sealed plastic bag. Absorbable undergarments should be placed in sealed plastic bags for disposal.
Mulberry silk is one specific type of 100% silk, spun by Bombyx mori silkworms fed only mulberry leaves, while "100% silk" is a broader label that also covers wild silks like tussar and eri.
Silk's Texture
Silk is made of natural fibers. These fibers are slippery and non-porous, and this is why bed bugs can't find refuge in them. The moment they try invading, the fibers repel them away.
Washing frequency: Since your pillowcases directly touch your skin, washing them regularly is important. Consider washing your silk pillowcases every week or every other week.
Turn silk pillowcases inside out before laundering. Place all silk items in a fine mesh laundry bag to help keep the silk from tearing or pilling. Wash silk in the delicate or gentle cycle in cool water. Temperatures above 80 degrees Fahrenheit can damage your silk bedding.
Yes, silk pillowcases help prevent sleep wrinkles. While they won't reverse existing aging, dermatologists and experts note that a high-quality silk or satin surface allows your face to glide over the pillow. This significantly reduces the skin-pulling friction and compression that causes sleep creases and fine lines over time.
To fix silk that has been accidentally washed and has lost its softness, shine, or original size, you need to neutralize detergent residue, re-hydrate the fibers, and reshape it carefully while wet.
Air drying is a great way to keep your pillowcases in good condition, especially if they're made of natural fibres like silk. Hanging your pillowcase to air dry will also help to reduce any wrinkling and shrinkage that may occur when using a dryer.
Blissy is widely considered one of the best premium silk pillowcases, largely thanks to its high-grade (6A) 22-momme 100% mulberry silk and sturdy hidden zipper. However, whether it is the absolute "best" depends on your priorities and budget.
Bamboo is more breathable than silk.
With a bamboo pillowcase, you can keep that cool side of the pillow feeling all night long. Silk pillowcases have a tighter weave, which means they heat up more easily.
You want to look for a pillowcase with at least 19 momme for everyday use, but 25 momme is the gold standard, which will feel luxuriously smooth and yet super durable. Choosing 100% Mulberry silk is important too; Mulberry silk threads are smoother, stronger, and more uniformly coloured than any other type of silk.
While on chemotherapy, you must avoid things that can compromise your weakened immune system, strain your liver, or interfere with your medications. Key strict avoidances include alcohol, raw or undercooked foods, grapefruit, and live vaccines. Always speak to your oncology team before adding new supplements or making changes to your lifestyle.
Minoxidil (Rogaine) is a medicine used for hair loss. Applying minoxidil to your scalp before and during chemotherapy isn't likely to prevent hair loss. However, some research shows that it may speed up your hair regrowth.
Known scientifically as Synsepalum dulcificum, the fruit is commonly called the "miracle fruit" because of its remarkable effect on taste buds — particularly for patients undergoing chemotherapy. Julie Ascen has been battling MALT lymphoma for nearly a year. Even before starting chemotherapy, eating was a struggle.
To wash a real silk pillowcase, turn it inside out and place it inside a mesh laundry bag. Machine wash on the delicate cycle in cold water using a pH-neutral, silk-safe detergent. Never use bleach or fabric softeners. Air dry flat out of direct sunlight.
Yes, but you must use the correct formula. Because silk is a protein-based fiber, enzyme-heavy detergents will break down and damage the fabric over time.
Yes, you can often wash "dry clean only" silk at home. Many manufacturers use this label to avoid liability. However, structured items, items with pleats, or raw silk should still be dry-cleaned by a professional.