SILK Silk is a natural protein fibres and should be treated and handled much the same as you would your hair. Washing : Hand washing is the recommended mode of cleaning. Almost all silks can be hand washed if done carefully.
Wash your silk by hand in a basin using a mild shampoo (baby shampoo is great) and lukewarm water (place a cap ful of shampoo in running warm water and allow suds to form).
Place the silk into the sudsy water and gently move the fabric around in the water.
Empty the soapy water out of the basin and run clean cold water back into it.
Rinse the silk garment by swishing it around in the cool water. You may also add 1/4 cup of white vinegar to the rinse water. The vinegar loosens any soap residue left on the fabric. If you add the white vinegar to the rinse water, rinse the fabric again in fresh water afterward.
Squeeze the water gently out of the silk fabric. Do not wring the garment to get the water out.
Lay open a towel and place the silk garment onto it. Roll or fold the towel with the silk garment inside. The towel absorbs the excess water.
Drying & Pressing: Avoid drying silk in direct sunlight as sunlight for a prolonged period will damage the silk fabric. One of the greatest threats to textiles is light. Both natural and artificial light can fade color and contribute to the degradation and permanent damage of many textile fibers. We do not recommend drying silk in a clothes dryer. Silk should be pressed when damp never when completely dry and the item should be turned inside out and iron on the reverse side of the fabric. Always use a low setting and don’t use steam as it will leave watermarks. Storing: If you are not displaying a prized textile the best location in your home for textile storage is a cool, dry room. Whenever possible, store textiles flat. This works well for small pieces such as lace or fragments. These can be layered between sheets of acid-free tissue and placed in archival storage boxes. Rolling a textile for storage is also an option, particularly for larger pieces, such as quilts and rugs and if possible storing the piece in an archival tube is the best protection for a rolled textile. Is a great idea is to store silks in a cotton pillowcase or other material that can breathe and avoid plastic which traps moisture and can cause yellowing and mildew.
