How to Clean Silk Clothes
Silk clothing often strikes fear in the heart of anyone attempting to clean these garments, and many people resort to dry-cleaning all their silk clothing. However, you can rest assured that costly dry-cleaning is not your only option--there are several simple techniques using household items that will keep your silk clothes looking their best. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Water
- Mild detergent
- Vinegar
- Towel
- Measuring spoons
- Lemon juice (optional)
Instructions
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Cleaning Silk Clothes
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1
Purchase a low pH-balanced soap like Maison Belle Silk and Wool Laundry Detergent or LeBlanc Silk and Lingerie Wash. Any detergent that has a pH balance below 7 will work well for silk.
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2
Run cool or lukewarm water in a sink and dissolve detergent completely. It is very important that the temperature of the water does not change while you are washing the clothing. Slowly move your garment around in the water. Silk does not respond well to agitation or temperature changes and will shrink if you wring, or twist, the material.
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3
Rinse the garment completely and add two tablespoons of white vinegar. This will help the silk maintain its sheen and color. Wash with same temperature of water you used previously and lay the garment on a towel until almost completely dry.
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4
Hang the garment away from any sunlight or heat to prevent straining fibers or fading the color.
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5
If your schedule prevents you from hand washing, you may throw the garment into a mesh bag and set the washing machine to delicate. Do not put any other clothes in with bag.
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Tips & Warnings
Both lemon juice and vinegar can be use to treat stains. Never rub out a stain, just gently dab until the stain is gone.
Test a small spot of silk before applying any vinegar to garment. Certain silks react differently to chemicals.
