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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Dryers and silk do not go together.
Silk should never, under any circumstances, be placed in the dryer. Once you have washed your silk, simply hang or lay flat to air dry in a cool place that is out of contact with direct sunlight.
As with any cover, it's important to wash your silk pillowcases once a week to avoid bacteria buildup.
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.
Detergent can stiffen silk
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.
Hand wash silk clothes in cold water
Fill a clean sink or small tub with lukewarm water and a small amount of delicate-friendly liquid detergent. Lightly agitate for three to five minutes and rinse well. If the care label advises machine washing, choose a gentle, cold-water cycle.
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.
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).
Woolite Delicates Hypoallergenic Liquid Laundry Detergent
With Woolite Delicates, you can trust that your silk garments will be thoroughly cleaned, yet remain soft and luxurious to the touch. Give your delicate fabrics the care they deserve with the help of Woolite Delicates Hypoallergenic Liquid Laundry Detergent.
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.
Satin offers similar haircare benefits to silk, but it won't retain moisture as well as silk. "Satin absorbs a little bit more than silk since it's a mixture of numerous materials including cotton, but it's still way less than 100% cotton pillow cases," Onuoha says.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Silk should be washed in cold or lukewarm water not exceeding 75°F or 24°C. Silk will only shrink in hot water and the degree of shrinkage will depend on the type of silk fabric being used.
Machine Washing
In this case, always use the "Delicate" cycle and the quickest spin cycle offered. Do not use a detergent with brighteners or bleach, instead use a mild soap, like Woolite. The silk item may also be placed in a mesh bag for extra protection.