Caring instructions: How to wash silk?

This is your how to guide for washing silk pillowcases, silk bed sheets, silk sleep masks and silk gifts.

7 simple tips for washing your silk pillowcase and silk bed linen

Silk is an investment in your sleep, health and beauty. 

Follow these care instructions to ensure the silk's natural properties are maintained.  

1. DETERGENT: Please use a 'delicate' liquid detergent that's designed for silk/wool*. It's gentle, pH neutral, without enzymes and without optical brighteners.
   
   Tip: We're in the process of formulating and testing our own detergent. We should be ready for shipping in the next few months. 
   
   
2. WASHING: Turn inside out and machine-wash on a 'delicate / gentle' cycle in tepid water (< 30ºC / 86ºF). We recommend using a delicates laundry bag.
   
   Mayfairsilk can also be hand-washed, keep it moving in the water, don't leave to soak. 
   
   
3. DRYING: Gently squeeze some excess water out, don’t twist or wring. Place the silk flat between two clean cotton towels on the floor or bench, fold and press gently.  Repeat. Excess water will transfer into the cotton towels.
   
   Reshape and hang / line dry in the shade. Beware of hanging over sharp / rough objects (eg. hanging over a door is not recommended).
   
   
4. IRONING: The creases will naturally relax over a few days, but if you prefer, you can use a hand-held steamer to relax creases (using silk attachment - we recommend the Fridja F10 Handheld Steamer), or iron on low heat inside out whilst still slightly damp.
   
   
5. BED MAKING: Swift & gentle method for putting a silk pillowcase on a pillow without ‘tugging’, as that can cause tearing over time.
   
   Roll/scrunch the pillowcase into a ring (shaped like a doughnut).  Now pinch/fold the pillow lengthwise (like a bow-tie) and insert pillow into the pillowcase ring, aligning the corners of the pillow with the end corners of pillowcase and unroll gently using your other hand. Once fully unrolled, align pillow corners and close the envelope pocket. Hold pillow by two corners and give gentle a shake.
   
   Use this same method for duvet cover, using the duvet cover corner ties before unrolling (for duvets with corner ties/loops).
   
   
6. OPTIONAL: Dry clean if required (no trichloroethylene).
   
   
7. DO NOT:  Wring dry, tumble dry (this will damage the silk), use standard detergents, bleach, whiteners or fabric softeners (keep this for your cottons).
   
   

*A note on delicate detergents - based on community feedback we are placing an advisory not to use the 'Clothes Doctor No. 4' Silk & Delicates detergent, as it appears to leave a residue and streaks on dark coloured silk.  We will test this internally, but until further notice, please use another brand of delicates detergent that is designed for silk/wool.  

SILK SLEEP MASK

Your Mayfairsilk Sleep Mask will provide many years of use when you follow these simple care instructions:

• WASHING: We recommend hand washing your silk sleep mask in tepid water (< 30ºC / 86ºF) using only a delicate liquid detergent designed for silk. 
• DRYING: We recommend placing on a clean and dry cotton towel and pressing gently. This will remove most water. Then reshape, smoothing with your hand and hang dry in the shade.  The sleep mask will dry surprisingly quickly.
• DO NOT: Use a tumble dryer as this will damage the silk and the elastic in the bands. 

Q: "I tumble dried my mulberry silk pillowcase is it ruined?"

If you have tumble dried your silk by accident, and you're worried if you have damaged it, don't panic just yet, first measure for shrinkage by comparing the measurements of your silk pillowcase / sheet, with our size chart.  You see, tumble drying silk can cause it to shrink, so checking for this is the first thing to check for. The second thing to do is to inspect for damage caused by friction and the heat.  Does it still feel soft, are there any white streaks or spots? The heat and friction will have definitely had an impact on the silk's longevity, but if these two points inspect ok the damage might be less severe and you can continue using as before, but please don't tempt fate a second time.

Remember, pure silk is best dried using the instructions above and not with a tumble drier or heater. It dries quickly when air dried, so these other methods are unnecessary.

"Buy well, buy once. Quality lasts."