How to Wash Silk: Five Easy Steps for At-Home Cleaning

Silk is a fabric we love to wear, but choosing garments made from this irresistible fabric means committing to a very particular set of cleaning rules. We fear handwashing because we might ruin it, but equally we don’t want to cough up for drycleaning each time we wear it. As a result, sometimes we leave a would-be wardrobe hero on the rack. The good news, however, is that not all hope is lost – here’s what YouTuber Melissa Maker had to say about how to wash silk, and how to store it once you’re done.

How to wash/clean it: 1. Soak the garment in a bucket or basin filled with four litres of cold water and a teaspoon of gentle detergent (colour free, scent free). 2. Gently agitate it with your hands. Let it sit for a few moments. 3. Rinse in cool water and squeeze water out. Never wring. 4. Lay it flat on a towel and roll the towel up to absorb extra moisture. Then lay flat to dry. 5. If needed, iron on a very low setting (there might even be a ‘silk’ setting).

How to store it: Hang it up on a good quality hanger.