Can you wash silk at home?
Silk is a beautiful fabric that is luxurious to wear, but the delicate fibres require special attention when it comes to washing. The truth is that most silk items are in fact better cared for at home, as long as your item is free from tailoring, padding, embellishments, or pleating.
With the right method, a delicate detergent, and a little knowledge, you can safely wash silk at home. We promise that once you hand wash silk, you'll never look back!
We're here to give you our top 6 reasons why we love hand washing silk - read on to find out more:
1) Super quick and easy
Hand washing silk at home can be super quick and easy with the right technique. Simply fill a basin with cool or cold water, add 2-3 caps of our Silk Wash, turn your garments inside out and gently submerge. Agitate the water slightly to distribute the soap and water and soak for up to 30 minutes, then dry flat. It's as simple as that!
2) Leaves silk wonderfully scented
Washing silk by hand will leave garments smelling wonderfully refreshed, especially when using No. 4 Wash for Silk, which is lightly scented with natural fragrances including patchouli and bergamot. A heavenly combination for silk!
3) Reduces toxins on our clothes & skin, and in the home
Our clothes are our second skin, so any laundry products we use will inevitably be transferred onto and absorbed by our skin. Our products are non-toxic and very gentle on the skin, so are an easy way to eliminate toxins from our laundry routine.
4) Leaves silk seriously soft
We love silk or its luxurious and lustrous natural quality, which makes silk garments wonderful to wear. But repeatedly washing without the product or dry cleaning silk can cause it to lose its lustre and softness. No. 4 contains an all-natural formula, which nourishes and restores silk.
5) Saves you money
Taking your silk garments to the dry cleaners every time they need a refresh can be really costly, not to mention it's time consuming.
Investing in a delicate silk wash can save you money in the long run - for example, our 250ml bottle of Eco Wash for Silk is suitable for up to 16 washes, which works out at less than £1 per wash.
On top of that, hand washing at a cool temperature can save on your water and electricity bills too. Hint - you don't need much water or product!
6) Better for the environment & reduces plastic use
You'll probably find that many silk items are labelled as dry clean only, especially your favourite silk dress. Despite this, dry cleaning is highly toxic and can be damaging to our clothes, skin, health, and the environment. The process can make silk look dull and lifeless. Not to mention that most dry cleaned garments are often handed back in single-use plastic sleeves.
Using a delicate hand wash and an eco-friendly product such as our Eco Wash for Silk is much better for the environment than standard detergents, which typically contain artificial ingredients. Our Eco Wash is also packaged in 100% aluminium which can be re-used without loss of quality, unlike single-use plastic.
We hope you are inspired to wash your silk at home and will love it just as much as we do, and you can enjoy wearing your party favourites for longer this season!
Clothes Doctor Eco Wash for Silk
Disclaimer: Our recommendations for washing 'dry clean only' items are intended solely for use with Clothes Doctor Silk Wash. Remember to always test the product on a hidden part of the fabric before washing. And whilst we are happy to provide advice, any attempts to wash 'dry clean only' items are done so at the risk of the reader. Read our blog on What Can and Can't be Washed at Home to find out more.
If you are unsure, its best to seek specialist advice. Feel free to contact us on workshop@clothes-doctor.com for more information or help.
