20 Oct How to Wash Silk Clothes

Silk clothes and home accessories may give off a more luxurious feeling, but you need to be extra careful when washing them. Some silks don’t have consistent color, so even a single stain can cause them to fade. A color fastness test will help determine whether your favorite silk fabric should be hand-washed, machine-washed, or dry-cleaned. This article will teach you many essential tips about protecting silk clothes.

Types of silk

 There are two main categories of silk clothes. Natural and artificial silk.

• Rayon is a type of artificial fiber made from regenerated cellulose fiber. It can be made to give the consumer the feel of different kinds of natural fibers, including silk, wool, cotton, and linen. Synthetic silk is also known as bamboo silk. 
• Natural silk mainly contains fibroin. Fibroin is a type of protein that certain types of insect larvae secrete to make cocoons. Although other insects also produce silk-like materials, most of the world’s silk is obtained through the larvae of Bombyx mori. These larvae are a worm that lives only on the mulberry tree.

Dry cleaning silk clothes

Since artificial silk only has the delicacy of silk, it can be dry-cleaned or washed with water, but clothes made of natural silk, made of natural threads whose main ingredient is protein, must be dry-cleaned only. Natural silk threads shrink with washing and can’t be returned to their original state. So, the best and safest way to wash and clean silk clothes are to visit a dry cleaner. 

Care and washing label

Read the label before washing silk by hand or in the washing machine. Some fabrics can be hand passed or dry cleaned, while others are specifically “dry clean only.” More durable silks, such as some bedding, can be machine washed using the delicates instructions.

Important points before washing silk clothes

It’s impossible always to keep your clothes clean; for thousands of reasons, your clothes may get dirty and stained and need to be washed. What will you do if your beautiful, expensive silk scarf is stained with lipstick? Do you know the right way to clean it? According to surveys, the most significant damage to clothes occurs during washing and drying because most people don’t know how to wash and care for their clothes. A delicate material like silk needs more care and attention when cleaning. Still, it isn’t so complicated and only requires compliance with several critical points:

• First, check if your silk clothes bleed or not. Moisten a clean white cloth and apply it to a small clothing area. If the fabric becomes colored, your silk clothes will bleed. So you have to dry clean it because washing your clothes may make them turn pale.
• Use mild detergents to wash your silk clothes. Use detergent powders and liquids that are suitable for delicate fabrics.
• Don’t use hot water to wash silk clothes because hot water causes silk clothes to melt and shrink.
• Washing silk clothes with solid detergents and cleaners such as bleach isn’t recommended. Because these substances damage the fabric fibers.

Removing stains from silk clothes

You might think that we would immediately wipe a stain off a silk garment with a damp cloth, but this damages the silk, removing some of its pigments and discoloring the silk permanently. This may also damage the silk fabric. Instead, gently dab the stain with a dry, white, lint-free cloth as soon as possible. A small amount of water can dilute colors, such as coffee, so the silk pigments are not washed away by wetting.

• Act quickly. The faster you remove the stain, the better the result. If the stain dries, it will be more challenging to remove.
• To make your stain remover, mix a tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice with lukewarm water.
• If you’re dealing with dried food or similar, use a plastic spoon to scrape off as much residue on the silk as possible.
• Remove as much of the stain as possible with a clean towel or tissue.
• Before removing the stain, test the color fastness of the silk. Once you’re sure that the silk pigments haven’t been released, use a white, lint-free cloth to dab (don’t rub) the diluted vinegar solution onto the stain.
• Wash the clothes like the previous methods, and pay attention to the label on the clothes before washing them. In this case, you will no longer worry about lipstick, coffee, pen, etc., stains on your silk clothes.
• Dry the area with a piece of white cloth.
• Repeat this process until the stain fades.
• If the silk isn’t colorfast, don’t do anything to remove the stain, as you will cause permanent discoloration. Instead, take the garment or silk fabric to the dry cleaners.

Washing silk clothes by hand

You can hand wash silk that has a stable color and doesn’t require washing. The best and safest way to wash and clean silk clothes is to wash them by hand unless the words “dry cleaning only” are written on the clothes. Follow the steps below to wash these clothes by hand:

• Fill a small pan with cold water and a small amount of washing powder for silk and delicate fabrics.
• Stir the water to mix the washing powder, then soak the silk for five minutes.
• Remove the silk cloth, empty the water and refill the pan with cold water. Soak the silk for a minute, then rinse it with cold water.
• Crumple the silk without wrinkling, then place it on a white towel. Wrinkling makes the shape of the clothes disappear.
• Fold the towel over the silk and squeeze as much as possible to get the water out.
• Dry the silk entirely by hanging it on a clothesline or laying it flat according to the care label. Don’t hang it in direct sunlight; otherwise, it will likely fade.
• Never use a dryer to dry silk. The amount of heat the fabric needs to get dry is susceptible, and a little mistake in determining the heat will ruin your clothes quickly. 

Washing silk with a washing machine

Due to the sensitivity of the silk fabric, it’s better to wash it by hand; But if necessary, you can also use the washing machine. If the label of your clothes says machine washable, you can also wash them in the machine. Just make sure to observe the following points so that the delicate texture of silk fabric doesn’t deteriorate quickly.

• First, ensure that the clothes don’t bleed and that the words “hand wash only” or “dry clean only” aren’t written on them. In this case, don’t wash the clothes with a washing machine.
• Put the silk clothes in the washing machine with the clothes of the same color. Don’t wash heavy clothes, especially dresses with rough textures or metal parts such as zippers and buttons with silk clothes in the machine.
• Pour a bit of mild detergent into the machine and follow the instructions written on it. Don’t use laundry detergents that contain enzymes, bleaches, or brighteners, as these materials will discolor the silk.
• Set the machine to a gentle cycle and wash it with cold water.
• After washing, spread the clothes on the towel to dry

Essential points.

• Another important thing you should know about silk fabrics is that silk, like wool, has a remarkable ability to absorb water and can absorb up to a third of its weight. So you should leave your silk clothes with the dry cleaners!
• Also, silk’s heat resistance is higher than wool fibers, and it can withstand the heat of 140 degrees Celsius for a long time. But at 175 degrees Celsius, it quickly disintegrates, and you can smell the protein burning from it.
• The effect of oxygen in the air on silk is very high; sunlight increases this effect and accelerates the deterioration of silk. So try not to expose your silk clothes to sunlight for more than 5 minutes, especially in summer.
• The last point about silk fabric and clothes is that silk is sensitive to oxidizing substances, so it shouldn’t be exposed to any bleach or strong detergent such as hydrogen peroxide because solid acids cause silk to disintegrate. In contrast, dilute acids don’t affect silk under normal conditions; They’re only quickly absorbed by silk, and it isn’t possible to remove them.

To wrap up

Silk is one of the most beautiful and best fibers for making fabric. Even though silk clothes have a high price, they’re one of the most popular clothes among men and women. Clothes made of silk are very light and elegant and are usually used as a dress. If silk clothes are well taken care of, they will last a long time. But most people don’t know the principles of silk care and how to wash and remove its stain correctly, and they easily damage their expensive silk clothes. If you don’t have the opportunity or patience to wash your clothes, you can count on the specialized NeatEx team. With the most advanced tools and the latest knowledge, we will deliver your clothes of the best quality as soon as possible. Don’t damage your valuable clothes with improper washing. NeatEx washes your clothes best and ensures you have clean and tidy clothes.