Although we recommend that our pure silk products be dry cleaned, cleaning and washing silk at home is surprisingly easy if certain precautions are observed.
DO |
DON'T |
* Professional dry cleaning recommended. * In lukewarm water (<=30°C/86°F). * Minimize spin time. * Wash dark and light colors separately. * Use neutral or special detergent for silk. * Hang dry or lay flat to dry. * Cold iron as needed. |
* Do not use bleaches. * Do not trumble dry. * Do not over soak. * Avoid direct sunlight exposure. * Keep out of touch of pets or sharp objects.
|
Handwashing is always the best and safest method for washing particularly delicate items like silk.
Hand Wash At 30℃
Use lukewarm water: 30°C/86F is the ideal temperature for silk to be hand-washed. Heat ruins the fabric structure of silk
Mild Cleaning Agents
Add a few drops of special detergent for the silk delicates. Woolite and other mild detergents can also be used but not recommended. Let the garment soak for three minutes.
Rinse with a few drops of vinegar
A few drops of distilled vinegar can help dissolve the chemical traces (e.g. sweat/soap residue) on the silk. Rinse quickly and don’t over soak.
Do Not Use Bleaches
Avoid detergents with enzymes, bleaches, and brighteners at all cost.
Hang the garment to dry
Hang dry if possible; however, avoid direct sunlight exposure.
Cold Iron As Needed
Irons should be set on the lowest possible heat setting, and if the iron has a particular silk setting, that is even better. Moving the iron back and forth can stretch and pull the silk out of shape. The iron should never rest on any spot for too long, in case of burning silk fabric structure.
For those without the time, patience or just physically unable to hand-wash silk, our products can withstand machine washing as well. Of course, there is more risk involved, and certain precautions must be taken to minimize them.
Machine wash in lukewarm water (30°C) on most gentle cycle available
Most washing machines should have a "delicate" setting. Some machines even have a silk setting specifically for cleaning silk.
Sort the laundry
Wash dark and light colors and different fabric separately.
Minimize spin time
Spinning can be very dangerous for silk fabric as the forces involved can shear weaker silk fibers.
Use protective casing
To best avoid shearing and tearing of silk fibers, it is recommended that you use some cloth casing that could let water through and yet keeps the silk fabric in one piece.
Do Not Tumble Dry
Never tumble dry silk. Hang dry if possible, however, avoid direct sunlight exposure.
Machine-wash tends to be the most practical way to clean silk as it is fast and requires little attention, but in fact, you should be even more careful than when you hand-wash, as there are many ways the machine can tear your silk to pieces if you do not treat the wash cautiously.
Prep the Fabric.
The fabric must always be damp when ironing. Keep a spray bottle handy and consider ironing the garment immediately after it’s been hand-washed. Turn the garment inside out while ironing.
Focus on Steam, Not Heat.
It’s crucial that you use the lowest heat setting on your iron. Many irons have an actual silk setting, in which case this is the best way to go. Simply lay the garment flat on the ironing board, place the press cloth on top, and then iron. You can also use a handkerchief, pillowcase, or hand towel instead of a press cloth.
Pressing vs.Ironing.
Minimize ironing back and forth. When ironing silk, focus on key areas of wrinkling. Gently press downward through the press cloth. Lift the iron, allow the area to briefly cool, and then repeat on another section of fabric. Minimizing the length of time the iron is in contact with the fabric (even with the press cloth) will prevent the silk from burning.
Avoid Further Wrinkling.
During ironing, make sure that each section of fabric is laid perfectly flat. Also, ensure that the garment is taut to avoid creating new wrinkles. Before taking your clothing off the board, make sure that it’s cool and dry. This will help your hard work pay off in smooth, wrinkle-free silk.
Correct care will help your silk products will last for years without losing their quality. Learning how to wash and iron silk is simple - just observe these considerations and you will enjoy your silk products for a very long time.