It is easy to care for silk when you know how. Silk is the finest fabric known to womankind and so good for our skin and hair that we should not hesitate to use it every day. Once you know what you can and cannot do, it is easy to incorporate silk into your daily life.

 

More detail is provided below but the basics are:

1. It is always better to wash silk by hand, rather than in the machine. 

2. Use a detergent suitable for silk.

3. Use a laundry mesh bag to stop damage by friction - this is because every contact with rougher surfaces will affect the smoothness of the silk.

4. Dry silk flat and away from direct sunlight. 

 

 

A Note on Detergents

 

Whilst Silk is easy to care for, the correct detergent must be used. Use a detergent which is specifically suitable for Silk.

 

Please be aware that detergents calling themselves 'Gentle, Sensitive' may be better for our skin, but that is not the same thing as being good for silk.

Detergents specially formulated for silk do not contain bleach or optical brighteners which will damage the Silk. 

 

 

Handwashing Do’s

Washing by hand will prolong the life of your silk.

Use a clean bowl, the kitchen sink or the bathtub and fill it with water that is cool or lukewarm to the touch. 

Take a capful of non-bio liquid detergent suitable for silk and swirl in the water. 

Submerge the silk and ensure that it isn’t left to soak for more than 30 minutes. Stirring the silk around gently will help the soap clean thoroughly. 

Rinse to remove the soap and squeeze the excess water out.

Silk dries quickly and is best left to air-dry flat and away from direct sunlight.

Your pillowcases can be ironed on a low heat to bring back their smooth lustre. If you iron on the reverse whilst they are still a little damp you will get the best results.

Handwashing Don’ts

Silk should never be wrung or rubbed to remove excess water as the harsh friction can damage fibres.

Don’t use whiteners, optical brighteners or bleach, as these all damage silk.

Don’t tumble dry silk.

Avoid exposing silk to high heat - whether by washing or ironing.

 

Washing Silk in the Washing Machine

Washing your silk in the washing machine according to the following instructions will help keep it looking desirable for years. 

Use a mesh laundry bag for the silk to go in as this stops friction and silk snagging or catching on anything in the machine. (Friction will lead to piling of the silk.)

Do ensure that you wash similar colours together, and always wash whites separately to other colours.

If you don’t have a specific cycle for delicates, use a low temperature (max 30 degrees) on a gentle cycle.

Silk dries quickly so air-dry your silk pillowcases flat, keeping them out of direct sunlight.

They can be ironed on the cool setting whilst still a little damp on the reverse to restore them to their gleaming glory.

Washing Machine Silk Don’ts

Don’t use any brighteners, whiteners or bleach as these destroy silk.

Don’t use fabric conditioners as they leave a thin coating on the silk.

Don’t use washing powder as the powder creates friction and can damage the fibres and remove colour.

 

Don’t tumble dry  - it’s not necessary (silk dries quickly) and creates friction, damaging the silk.

 

 

Re-Conditioning Silk

 

As with any protein fibres such as wool, cashmere, and our hair, silk will occasionally benefit from conditioning. This will bring back its natural lustre and drape. 

 

The way to do this is with distilled white vinegar.

Add half a mug of distilled white vinegar to a bucket of water (use a capful for a sink of water) and leave the silk to soak for an hour or so. Then wash or rinse as usual.