How to wash silk clothes without changing the material

Washing silk clothes requires a lot of attention, because they need to be better maintained so as not to damage the properties of the silk fabric. When washing silk clothes, it is recommended to wash them by hand, not using a washing machine, and the rubbing technique should be as gentle as possible.

1. How to wash silk clothes

1) Hand washing precautions

Silk clothing is made of delicate protein-based health fiber. It is best to hand wash it. Please use special silk detergent or neutral soap solution. Stir the detergent in the water by hand before putting the clothes in. The water temperature should not be too high. The clothes should not be soaked in water for more than 15 minutes. Rub gently with your hands. Rinse with clean water after washing to remove the soap solution, and do not wring it dry. Colored silk clothing can be rinsed repeatedly in clean water.

When hanging clothes to dry, turn the reverse side of the clothes outwards and place them in a cool place, allowing them to drip dry. When they are 70% to 80% dry, iron or shake them flat.

When drying, the moisture content should be around 10%. Take it off, fill it with cloth and iron it to keep its gloss unchanged and durable. If you don't iron it, you can put it in a plastic bag and smooth it with your hands when the clothing is 70% dry. You can also dry it, fold it flat, put it in a plastic bag, seal it, and put it in the freezer for 12 hours to achieve a no-ironing effect.

2) Dry cleaning precautions

1. Do not rub with rough items or use a washing machine when washing. Hand washing is best.

2. Use special detergents for washing. Avoid using alkaline detergents, soap, laundry detergent or other detergents. Never use disinfectant.

3. Never wash directly with soap, because the fatty acid anions produced by soap in water will combine with calcium and magnesium ions in the water to form water-insoluble fatty acid calcium and fatty acid magnesium precipitates. This sediment is very sticky, and silk has a positive charge, so once it settles on silk clothing, it is difficult to rinse off.

4. The water temperature for washing should be at room temperature, about 30 degrees.

5. Silk clothing should not be dried in sunlight or fluorescent lights after washing, and should not be dried in a dryer. They should generally be placed in a cool and ventilated place to dry. Because the ultraviolet rays in the sun can easily cause silk fabrics to turn yellow, fade, and age.

6. Silk will wrinkle, so do not wring it when washing. Instead, shake it out gently and dry it with the reverse side facing out. Do not overlap or fold it when drying to avoid staining.

7. Silk clothes tend to become hard after a long time. They can be restored to softness by soaking in silk softener or diluted white vinegar.