How to Clean Faux Silk Taffeta

Taffeta comes in many different styles and textures, so it's hard to know how to clean the garment.

Taffeta is a type of fabric that uses nylon with durable water repellent (DWR). This fabric can take many different textures and colors. The faux silk taffeta is taffeta that feels like silk, but still retains the durable water repellent to make it a sturdy fabric. Cleaning this fabric is always up in the air because you don't really know what will be safe to do and what will be damaging to the fabric. Sometimes it's hard to tell if a piece of taffeta fabric really is taffeta because it can take so many forms. There is one way that you can wash taffeta without worrying about the side-effects.

Things You'll Need

• Washing machine
• Dryer
• Clothes hanger
• Mild detergent
• Stain remover
• Old toothbrush

Instructions

1. Spray stain remover on any stains you find on the faux silk taffeta. Wait for 10 minutes and scrub the spots with a toothbrush.

2. Put the garment into the washing machine by itself.

3. Pour on top of the garment ½ of a capful of detergent.

4. Wash on gentle cycle using cold water.

5. Put in the dryer on low heat and fluff dry for 15 minutes.

6. Place the garment on a clothes hanger and hang up to dry.

7. Iron on cool to low heat, no steam.

Tips & Warnings

• Add a color enhancer to the wash if desired. Shower rods, tops of doors and spacious closets are great places to hang dry articles of clothing. Even if the tag states "lay flat to dry," putting the garment on a hanger and hanging it up will do the same thing. Place a protective layer in between the taffeta, like a pillow case, before ironing to further protect the garment.

References

• Outdoor Wilderness Fabrics Inc.: Taffeta Care