Silk is a delicate and luxurious fabric, so needs some extra care to keep it looking and feeling amazing. We’ve put together some handy tips on how to keep your silk garments full of lustre and as smooth as the day you bought them.
Check the label
Before you jump to any drastic cleaning measures, check the clothing label. Most silk clothing will have a ‘Dry Clean Only’ label, so if this is the case with yours, take it to a professional dry cleaner to avoid damaging it.
Test if the colour is fast
If the silk isn’t ‘Dry Clean Only’, you can hand wash. Before you do this, you need to test the colour fastness of the item. Wet a small piece of the fabric with cold water and then lay it on some white material. Press with a warm iron (keep the iron setting as low as it can go, not hot!) and check to see if any colour has come off on the white material below it. If it leaves little to no colour marks, you can safely hand wash your silk.
Hand wash in cold water
Fill a plastic container (big enough to fit the article) with cold water and add a small amount of mild detergent. Submerge the item and move around the water gently for about 5 minutes. Rinse thoroughly with clean, cold water.
Air dry slowly
Gently squeeze out any excess water (avoid wringing or twisting) and then lay flat on a dry towel. Roll it up loosely in the towel, pat gently, and then unroll. Repeat using a second dry towel until the excess water has been absorbed. The damp silk can then be laid on a drying rack, or on another towel, to air dry naturally.
Avoid heat
Don’t put silk in a clothes dryer! The high heat can damage the delicate fibres and ruin your beautiful silk items beyond repair. Dry naturally as above or take to a professional dry cleaner. If the label says it can be ironed, use the lowest setting on your iron and iron the garment while it is still slightly damp.
