Our 8 Step Guide
Washing silk at home is much easier than you think, and takes less than 10 minutes! Watch our short video, and for detailed instructions, check out our 8-step detailed guide, here.
Washing silk at home, in a flash
Silk handwash in 8 easy steps
Step 1
Fill a basin with cool water
Most silk garments can be hand washed, even if the tag advises dry cleaning only. To begin washing the garment, take a basin or use the sink and fill it with lukewarm to cold water. Submerge the garment.
- Word of caution: do not use hot water, nothing over 30° C, and preferrably cooler water!
Step 2
Add a few drops of detergent for delicates
Mix in a few drops of gentle detergent. Try to use an all-natural or extra gentle brand to protect the gentle fibers of the silk. Then mix the water around with your hand to mix in the soap and stir things up.
- You can also use baby shampoo if you don’t have a fitting detergent.
Step 3
Soak the garment
Place the garment in the water of the basin and push it under the water once to get the whole garment wet. Then let the piece of clothing soak for about 3 minutes to let the soap interact with the garment.
- Some experts recommend solely spot treating silk garments if you must wash them yourself. That way you don’t risk lowering the quality of the whole clothing item
Step 4
Agitate the item in the water
Take the garment and use your hands to gently plunge it up and down in the water to move the water through the fabric and wash out any dirt or residue.
- This motion simulates the motion of a washing machine but is much more gentle!
Step 5
Rinse the garment in cold water
Remove the garment out of the water and pour the water down the sink. Then turn on the cold water and rinse the silk garment to wash out all the soap.
- Move the garment around under the jet of water to rinse the entire surface of the garment. Stop when you no longer see soap suds.
Step 6
Absorb the excess moisture with a towel
To begin the process of drying the silk garment, lay a clean towel out flat on a table or counter. Place the silk garment on top of the towel, then begin rolling the towel from one end to the other with the silk garment inside. Once you have rolled the towel all the way up, unroll the towel and take out the silk garment.
- Don’t wring or squeeze the rolled towel, as this can damage the silk material.
Step 7
Hang the garment to dry
Hang the piece of clothing up to dry on a drying rack, making sure not to place it in direct sunlight, as this could fade or damage the fibers of the silk.
- Note: often, our silk doesn’t need steaming given it’s high quality. Typically after 24 hours of hanging, your fabulous silk may be ready to wear!
- Remember, Never wring your silk items-and never toss them in the dryer!
Step 8
Gentle Steam
While steaming can be little tricky, we much prefer it over ironing silk, which we don’t recommend. You’ll also want to ensure your steamer is made for delicate fabrics. If you must press, turn your garment (it should always be slightly damp) inside out and choose a low setting. Use your steamer on a dry garment, being careful to not let the temperature get too hot.
- Pro Tip: if the steamer drips and leaves a water stain, dunk the item in cool water and allow it to dry. The spot should disappear.