How to Clean Raw Silk

Raw silk is a beautiful fabric with a unique luster. Cleaning raw silk can be challenging because it often shrinks, and the residue from soap or other cleansers can dull the sheen of the fabric. However, silk responds better to handwashing than dry cleaning, and with a few basic household ingredients, you can successfully clean your silk without sacrificing the natural luster of the material.

Things You'll Need

• Bowl or basin
• Mild liquid soap
• Lukewarm water
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• Cool water

Instructions

1. Soak the silk garment in a basin filled with lukewarm water and several drops of mild liquid soap.

2. Rinse the garment in cool, clear water until all the soap has been flushed out of the garment.

3. Add 1/4 cup of white vinegar to cool, clear water in the basin and rinse the silk in the vinegar-water solution, neutralizing any residual soap.

4. Rinse the silk again in clear water.

5. Lay flat to dry.

Tips & Warnings

• Washing raw silk in the washing machine can damage the luster of the garment, so try to handwash whenever possible.

• Never put raw silk in the dryer, as it can cause the material to shrink.

References

• Silk Road Fabrics: Handwashing Silks
• Simo Silk: How to Clean Silk