Can you actually wash silk yourself? And if so, how? Here you will find the best care tips plus no-gos for your silk clothing! Whether on warm spring or summer days or on elegant occasions: Delicate dresses and skirts made of silk and shiny silk tops not only look extremely stylish, but also feel nice and light on the skin. But: As noble as the fabric is, clothes made from the natural material have one catch: They are quite sensitive when it comes to care. Because silk is made from the cocoons of silkworms and consists mainly of protein.
Similar to human hair, the natural substance does not tolerate heat, aggressive chemicals and strong friction. We will therefore show you what you should absolutely pay attention to when washing silk and give you further practical care tips for drying and ironing silk.Whether on warm spring or summer days or on elegant occasions: Delicate dresses and skirts made of silk and shiny silk tops not only look extremely stylish, but also feel very stylish skinalso nice and light and comfortable.
But: As noble as the fabric is, clothes made from the natural material have one catch: They are quite sensitive when it comes to care .
Care instructions provide information!
You can usually find out whether your silk clothing can only be hand washed or whether it can be put in the washing machine on the care label on the respective item of clothing. If there is a crossed-out bowl symbol on the label, you are not allowed to wash the clothes yourself. Certain silk fabrics are so sensitive that they cannot withstand wet cleaning and should be sent to a professional cleaning company.
By the way: silk has the ability to partially clean itself. If there are no stains on the textile, it is often sufficient to ventilate it in the fresh air in the shade. Warning: never hang silk in the sun. The direct UV radiation can damage the sensitive natural fibers.
Can i wash silk in the washing machine?
Some items of clothing made of silk can be washed in the washing machine. However, this should be noted on the label. The best wash program is “Delicates”. Newer machines even have an extra silk washing program. The temperature must not be higher than 30 degrees.
Important: You should completely avoid spinning when washing silk in order to protect the fabric from damage.
Also pack the textiles in a laundry bag. This protects the sensitive fibers from too much friction. Since silk should not lie in the water for too long, you should also make sure that the water from the last rinse is pumped out quickly.And: Like other materials, silk should only be washed with textiles of the same color to avoid staining.
Washing silk: which detergent is suitable?
It is not only the temperature that is decisive when washing silk, but also the right detergent. It is best to use a special silk detergent ( available here on Amazon *) . This has a neutral pH value and thus protects the sensitive fibers.
Heavy-duty
detergents , wool detergents and fabric softeners are taboo. Conventional detergents, on the other hand, contain alkaline solutions, which make the protein fibers of the silk rough and brittle. You should also refrain from using wool detergent and hair shampoo when cleaning silk. Because: Both wool detergents and most shampoos contain lipid-replenishing substances that make silk greasy.
Also applies: fabric softener is taboo when washing silk! The fabric softener usually contains bleach additives and can damage the delicate fabric and make it look pale and greasy.
Tip: If you don’t have any silk detergent on hand, you can use a mild, pH-neutral shampoo without additives such as perfume, emollients and lipid replenishing substances to wash silk. Just put it in the washing chamber of the washing machine like liquid detergent.If you don’t have any silk detergent on hand, you can use a mild, pH-neutral shampoo without additives such as Perfume, Use softeners and lipid replenishing substances to wash silk Just put it in the washing chamber of the washing machine like liquid detergent.
Drying silk: not in the dryer!
Clothes made of pure silk should never go in the dryer. Silk cannot be treated with heat – even low dryer temperatures can damage the fabric. Better: roll your clothes in a large, dry towel after washing. The towel soaks up the excess water in the laundry. But: Please do not wring it out to avoid breaking the fibers. Then you can spread your silk clothing lying on the towel or a clothes horse and let it dry in the fresh air.
To ensure that the silk pieces stay in shape, they should never be dried hanging. And: do not lay on the heater or in the blazing sun.
Can you iron clothes made of silk?
The great thing about silk: it usually doesn’t need to be ironed after washing and drying . If so, then: please not too hot! Means: Selects the lowest temperature level for the iron (some irons even have a special silk setting).
Also important: Always iron clothes made of silk inside out and when they are still damp. If the fabric is already dry, you can place a damp cotton cloth between your clothes and the iron.
Under no circumstances should silk fabric be sprayed with water. This creates unsightly stains and water marks that are often difficult or impossible to remove. The use of a steam iron is therefore not recommended.
By the way: If the wrinkles are only minimal, it is usually sufficient to hang up the silk garment in the bathroom when you shower. Due to the humidity, the fabric smooths itself out by itself.
How do you remove stains from silk?
Stains on silk fabrics are annoying as silk must never be treated with stain removers or harsh chemicals. For example, many stain removers contain bleaches that attack the fibers of the silk, making them rough and dull. In the worst case, holes can even appear in the fabric. Lemon juice and petroleum ether are
effective home remedies for combating stains. White spirit is said to work particularly well on grease stains on silk fabrics: Simply put a few drops on the stain and carefully dab with a soft, dry (!) Cloth. Never try to wash or rub the stain with water.
Good to know: silk should never be mixed with perfume or deodorant spray. This creates stains that you can hardly get out of the natural material.
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