How to Care for Raw Silk Quilts
Raw silk is a beautiful fabric that is often used in many items of clothing and home furnishings. It differs from other silk because the sericin, the natural gum that protects the fibers, hasn't been removed. This makes the fabric more likely to attract dirt and odors. Although raw silk has a reputation for being hard to care for, it is actually quite easy. Caring for raw silk products is no different from caring for other silk products. All it takes is a gentle hand and some simple supplies to keep your raw silk quilt looking clean and beautiful. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Fill a bathtub or large basin with lukewarm water. Add a small amount of gentle baby shampoo to the water to make it soapy.
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Wash the raw silk quilt in the basin by swishing it around in the water a few times. Continue to wash it until it is thoroughly wet and soapy.
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Drain the soapy water from the basin and replace it with clean cold water. Rinse the soapy quilt in the clean water until all of the soap has been removed from the fabric. Repeat this step if necessary.
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Remove the quilt from the basin. Fold the quilt and squeeze the water out of the fabric by pressing it between your hands. Do not twist or wring the fabric. Silk fibers are very delicate and can break if handled too roughly.
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Dry the quilt by rolling it in a towel and gently blotting the fabric to absorb the extra water. Do not hang the fabric while wet or lay it in direct sunlight to dry. The weight of the wet fabric can break the fibers and the sunlight can cause the fabric to fade. Lay it down on a couple of large beach towels to dry.
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Dry the quilt another way by putting it in a clothes dryer for a half an hour on the "no heat" cycle. Remove it promptly from the dryer to avoid wrinkling.
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Iron the quilt to remove any wrinkles that may occur. Set the iron to a low heat and test it on a small corner of the quilt in an inconspicuous spot before applying it to a more visible area. Store the quilt away from direct sunlight with some cedar blocks to prevent moths from damaging it.
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References
- Photo Credit pink silk image by Roslen Mack from Fotolia.com
