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Care of Silk Fabrics

silk fabric

• Silk is a natural protein fiber. Do not use chlorine bleach to clean silk; chlorine will damage the silk fabric.
• Avoid drying silk in direct sunlight as sunlight for a prolonged period will damage the silk fabric.
• Substances containing alcohol will damage silk fabric. So let your perfume and hairspray dry before dressing.

Hand Washing Silk

• Hand washing silk is our recommended mode of cleaning silk. Almost all silk can be hand washed (and would not shrink if the silk fabric were pre-shrunk before sewing).
• If you have hard water, you may wish to first add a spoonful of borax to the washing water.
• Use lukewarm water and mild, non-alkaline soap or baby shampoo.
• While rinsing, you can add a few tablespoonfuls of distilled white vinegar to the rinse water to neutralize alkali traces and to dissolve soap residue Or, add a few drops of hair conditioner to the final rinse water for extra silky feel.
• Soaking silk for any more than a few minutes should be avoided.
• Do not use harsh detergents that contain bleaches or brighteners.
• Do not wring or twist; roll in towel to extract water.

Machine Washing Silk

• We recommend hand washing silk, even those garments labeled safe for machine washing.
• If, however, you do wish to machine wash silk, please use Delicate Cycle and mild detergent.
• Do not use detergents that contain enzymes and brighteners.
• Use the shortest spin cycle.
• In a top-loading machine, we strongly recommend using a mesh bag for extra protection (this step would not be necessary in a front-loading machine).
• Always separate your colors.

Silk Care: Drying Tips

• Hang silk garments to dry. The silk garment will hold its shape.
• As with any fine fabric, never use direct sunlight to dry silk clothing. Doing so can damage the silk fiber and fade the color. Wet silk may yellow in direct sunlight or on a radiator.
• Don’t use a wooden drying rack, as the dyes & finishes can leave stains.
• We do not recommend drying silk in a clothes dryer since it can damage silk in two ways: (1) excessive temperature and heat dulls the silk fabric and may also shrink it; (2) friction with the dryer drum might cause yarn breaks or white streaks.

Silk Care: Green Organic Dry Cleaning

• Perchloroethylene (commonly known in the trade as “perc”) is the most commonly used solvent in the dry cleaning business. It is highly toxic and carcinogenic. Any garments dry cleaned from such chemicals should be left in an outdoor airy environment for some time so the fumes fully leave the garment
• Better yet, we recommend that our customers look into green dry cleaners or organic dry cleaning services that use safer and non-toxic methods such as liquid CO2 or silicone based solvents
• Some Dry Clean Only fabrics (rayon, lace etc. etc.) are delicate and cannot withstand the agitation of a washing machine. Other Dry Clean Only fabrics (wool, for example) would shrink drastically if washed in water. Machine washable wool is now readily available.
• Occasionally, however, the Dry Clean Only label may mean that the manufacturer was cutting corners and did not bother to preshrink the fabric, or chose dyed fabrics that were not colorfast.
• The silk fabric used in our garments is guaranteed to be pre-shrunk. After hand painting, every garment goes through an elaborate process to ensure color fastness.

Silk Care: Ironing Silk

• If necessary, press the silk garment inside out while damp using cool iron setting (“Silk” setting on the iron).
• Do not wet locally as this may cause rings.
• Too much heat can dull, pucker, or burn silk fabric.
• Most wrinkles in silk can be removed by hanging the garment in the bathroom during a shower. Let humidity do the ironing for you!

Cleaning Silk: Wrinkle Removal Tips

• Minor silk wrinkles should disappear if the garment is hung overnight.
• Stubborn wrinkles can be removed with a cool iron set on “silk”.
• Better yet, hang your silk garment in the bathroom during a shower. Humidity will remove the wrinkles for you.

Cleaning Silk: Silk Stain Removal

• Please consult with your dry cleaner, it helps to be able to identify the stain and the sooner it is treated the better. Old stains will rarely come out.
• As with all fine fabrics, NEVER use chlorine bleach on silk, as it will erode the fiber (not to mention the fabric discoloration).
• If all else fails consider over dyeing your favorite garment.

Cosmopolit Cleaning has extensive experience in the cleaning, repair and restoration of fine silk rugs, wallpapers and upholstered furniture. Let us set up an appointment for a free consultation to determine your silk needs. We are available to meet at your property and your convenience.