Silk Care

Caring for your silk items

Silk, considered to be one of the world’s most natural and durable fibres, yet very delicate. The adage “to whom much is given, much is expected” applies to silk. In return for the privilege of enjoying this beautiful, naturally luxurious and beneficial fabric, you must take care to clean, dry and store it properly to keep it in great condition.

Machine-wash: Silk can be machine-washed with a special silk-friendly, wool or neutral detergent. Keep the water temperature cool and place your silk items in a delicate bag.

Hand-wash: Silk can also be hand-washed. According to Martha Stewart, the best way to hand wash silk is to 'Fill your basin with cool or cold water to help keep the colour, then add a gentle detergent. This point is important: Silk is a protein that's a lot like your hair, so treat the fabric like you would your locks, meaning no harsh detergents. Swirl the silk item around in the detergent for 4-5 minutes, do not wring! To rinse, change the soapy water for clean cool water, submerge the silk item and swirl till water runs clear. Absorb any excess moisture by laying it out flat on top of a clean towel. Roll the towel up with the silk inside, and gently press down. Repeat the process with another clean towel until the silk is no longer soaking wet, then hang your silk item to dry out of direct sunlight. Silk dries pretty quickly.

Stain treatment: The best way to remove stains from silk is with a 50/50 mixture of silk detergent and water. Soak a cotton bud with the solution, and gently rub it onto the stained area – don’t rub too vigorously as you can lift the dye and fray the silk so always handle silk with care! Repeat the same process on the backside of the stained silk, and you’ve completed the pre-treatment.

Iron: Most new irons have a silk setting which would be ideal for your silk item. You can also use a garment steamer to get rid of creases.