SILK CARE & MAINTENANCE

Certain precautions must be followed in cleaning and washing silk . It is quite easy contradicting notions that silk is a very delicate fabric.

Choose silk from labels that uses techniques preventing colors to run or fade under normal circumstances. Cleaning and washing silk fabric should be simple and convenient.
Most Silk garments are  hand washed unless the garment has indication of  'Dry Clean Only' instruction. Some types of silk like Dupioni silk requires dry cleaning due to its sensitivity. Washing it will affect its texture and sheen. Optimum silk care is required to enjoy your garment longer, so even for silks labeled machine washable handwash it.

Silk is a natural protein fiber. Things to Avoid are the following:

Do not chlorine bleach silk to clean it ;

Avoid direct and prolonged exposure to sunlight ;

Do not soaked Silk for more than a few minutes;

Do not use clothes dryer. It will cause yarn breaks and white streaks.
Any substance containing alcohol will damage silk fabric. Apply perfume and hairspray and let dry before wearing it.

Do not use harsh detergents that contain bleaches or brighteners


CARE GUIDELINES FOR YOUR SILK FABRIC:


Hand Washing Silk

Hand washing silk is the best way to clean silk. Almost all silk can be hand washed and would not shrink if the silk fabric were pre-shrunk before sewing. Some  "dry cleaning Only" fabrics were not preshrunk or used dyed fabrics that are not colorfast.

If you have hard water, you may wish to first add a spoonful of borax to the washing water

Water should be l lukewarm & mild, non-alkaline soap (such as Ivory Liquid) or baby shampoo must be used to clean it.

While rinsing, you can add a few tablespoonfuls of distilled white vinegar to the rinse water to neutralize alkali traces and to dissolve soap residue

Or you can add a few drops of hair conditioner to the final rinse water to add extra silky feel.

Do not wring or twist; extract water by rolling it into a towel to dry.

Machine Washing Silk

If you prefer machine wash for your silk if labeled for this mode of cleaning, use Delicate cycle and mild detergent such as the ones mentioned above. Use the shortest spin cycle. For added protection use a mesh bag for extra protection when using a top-loading machine.

Do not use detergents that contain enzymes and brighteners

Just like washing normal clothes, always wash separately.


Silk Drying Tips

Always hang dry your silk for it to hold its shape. To avoid color fading, avoid prolonged and direct sunlight when drying. Sunlight will damage the silk fiber and may turn it yellow. Excessive temperature and heat dulls and shrinks it. Do not use the dryer for it will break the yarn. If you wish to use it, choose the heatless setting.

Wooden drying racks can stain silks, the wood finish might permanently stain it.

Ironing your Silk

Set iron in the cool setting for Silk and press inside out while still damp. Careful not to over heat it, for silk
can be easily damaged and permanently wrinkled. To avoid rings do not wet locally. Humidity can remove the wrinkles in silk, so hanging it in the bathrooom while you shower can do the trick. When travelling, pack like a normal garmet and just hang overnight after unpacking.