Tips on Caring for Silk Garments – Does owning a lovely but fragile silk outfit make you nervous? We understand your suffering, but it doesn’t have to be so difficult. Learning how to care for a silk shirt will help you get the most wear out of your higher-quality clothing, even though it requires a little more effort than running the washing machine or a laundry pickup service.
Using our ten suggestions, you may quickly learn how to care for silk clothing!
Care Label
If the care label for your silk clothes specifies “dry clean only,” it would be best to leave it to the professionals to prevent harm to your apparel.
Not all silk, though, needs to be dry cleaned. If you handle silk properly, you can still wash expensive clothes at home. If not, take it to your trusted laundry delivery service; they will know what to do. More specific instructions for washing silk clothing can be found below.
Colorfastness
It can be challenging to properly care for a silk shirt with designs because many silk garments have vivid colors and striking patterns. Before washing them for the first time, we advise testing for colorfastness.
Place a little section of the cloth where it won’t be seen if the color is changed in a small area of cold water. Then, lightly push the wet material with a cotton swab to check for any color residue. If so, dry cleaning is the best option. However, you can hand wash your silk if the swab is clean, as is described below.
Pre-Treatment
Stains on your clothing could become permanent if you don’t treat them before washing. A 1:1 solution of lukewarm water and silk detergent works best to remove stains from silk. Until the stain is removed, use a cotton Q-tip to gently rub the solution into the affected area on the front and back of the clothing.
Machine Wash Care
A washing machine’s silk or delicate cycle is softer than hand-washing silk. One major benefit of using a washing machine is that the spin cycle removes extra water, leaving you only needing to air-dry your clothes afterward.
To protect your silk clothing while it is in the washing machine, place it in a laundry bag. Colors should always be washed separately to avoid bleeding and damaging your silks.
Wash Separately
Even the gentle cycle on your washing machine won’t keep your silks from tangling with other fabrics, zippers, buttons, and objects. To prevent damage, wash silk separately from other fabrics, regardless of your chosen technique.
Store Carefully
You must properly store your silk clothing after gently washing and drying it. The general rule is to store silk garments in an area that is cool, dry, and dark with some airflow. Avoid direct sunlight to keep your silks’ colors vibrant. Silk-eating moths won’t be as drawn to the chilly, dry, and gloomy surroundings, which can prevent them from leaving unsightly holes that damage your clothing.
Don’t pack your silk clothing in tightly packed plastic bags because silk is a natural fiber; to avoid creases and wrinkling, hang them inside breathable cotton garment bags so they are ready to wear.
