Washing silk at home, by hand or in the washing machine? It is possible with the proper methods!
Luxurious and comfortable on the skin, silk is a delicate fabric that requires special care and attention, especially when being washed. Reading the washing/care label is particularly important, since even a simple error can ruin a silk garment.
Given this, does it mean that silk garments must only be dry cleaned? The answer is no, and we show you below how you can wash your silk garments at home.
Hand washing silk garments
If the care label of your silk garment does not specifically state it needs to be dry cleaned, we recommend that you hand wash it. However, if your garment is dyed, we recommend that you first run a test on a small, hidden area: wet a white cotton cloth with a little of the detergent and dab on the garment; if this causes the dye to run or fade, it is best to dry clean the garment (even if it is not specified on the care label).
Once you have ascertained that hand washing is feasible, proceed as follows:
- Fill a basin with cold or luke warm water and add a little neutral detergent (or a detergent specifically for delicate items) and avoiding products that contain whiteners and/or bleach;
- Immerse your garment in the basin after turning it inside out to protect the color;
- Agitate the fabric gently and avoid rubbing any stains: only dab the stains with a cloth soaked in a little neutral detergent;
- Rinse out thoroughly, using cold or luke warm water until all detergent is completely flushed away; at this stage you can add a bit of white vinegar to remove stubborn stains and any unpleasant odors;
- Once rinsed, very delicately remove excess water and without wringing or squeezing the fabric too vigorously;
- Place the garment on a clean, dry towel and wrap it in this towel to help remove any excess moisture;
- Allow the garment to air-dry on a hanger, away from sunlight or on a flat surface on top of a clean, dry towel.
Washing silk in the washing machine
So, is it possible to wash silk garments in a washing machine? Again, check the care label - if machine washing is allowed, proceed as follows:
- As with hand-washing described above, we recommend that you carry out a color-fastness test first;
- Pre-treat any stubborn stains by dabbing them with a cloth soaked in a little delicate or neutral detergent, and without any rubbing;
- Put your silk garments in the washing machine only with other delicate garments and separated by color; avoid mixing with any garments that have appliques, rhinestones, zippers, strings and buttons;
- To protect your silk garments, it is always best to put them in a special, net laundry bag (or a white, cotton pillowcase);
- Set the washing cycle program to silk (or a delicate wash) and on cold (or a maximum if 30 degrees C);
- Exclude the spin cycle or select a short spin cycle;
- Only use detergents specifically for delicate garments and avoid the use of fabric softeners (which could damage the silk fibers);
- To dry, avoid using a tumble dryer: use the drying method described above.
Follow these tips, and your silk garments will stay in pristine condition for ages!
