How to Remove Sweat Stains From Silk

Silk fabrics have a luxurious, expensive and delicate feel, but they are stronger than you think. In most cases, you can remove sweat stains from silk without damaging it as long as you do it the right way. The other option is to take the garments to a dry cleaner every time you see stains, but this involves more time and money. To stay on the safe side, always read the garment label before cleaning.

While silk is a washable fabric, it may have finishes that are not stable enough for you to wash them. When this happens, that smooth sheen on the silk can become pebbled. Besides that, the dyes used in silk might not be washable and could bleed. This is why it is essential to test your silk garments before removing stains or washing them.

Choose an inconspicuous spot in the garment, like a hem, and dunk it into warm water for a few minutes. When you take it out, check for any wrinkles, stretching, shrinking, warping or tightening. These could take a day or so to appear. Look again after 24 hours and if you see any of these indicators, the silk item should be dry cleaned.

You can do the same thing to test for color bleeding. If you don't want to submerge the garment into the water, you can try using a lint-free white cloth instead. Dampen that and blot the garment in a hidden area. Is there any color transfer onto the cloth? If so, take it to the cleaners.

Suppose your silk garment passes the water and color-bleeding tests. In that case, you can try the remedy recommended by experts that uses equal ratios of diluted white vinegar and water in a container. Soak a clean white cloth in it for a few minutes, wring it out, apply the cloth to the stain and wipe gently.

For stubborn perspiration stains, you can mix two or three crushed aspirin, 1 tablespoon of cream of tartar and 1 to 2 tablespoons of warm water until it forms a paste. Using your fingers, apply this to the stain and let it sit for 20 minutes. Use another clean, dampened white cloth to blot the stain and rinse the silk in warm water.

It is always best to hand wash silk instead of putting it in your washing machine. To do this, add a delicate laundry detergent or mild shampoo to a sink or washtub filled with cool water. Place the silk item in the water and move it around with your hands to distribute the detergent or shampoo. Let the silk soak for half an hour and rinse well with cool water.

You should never put silk garments in a dryer. Many experts suggest placing a washed silk garment on a clean white cotton towel. Then, you can fold the towel over it and press down gently to remove the excess water. To prevent fading, hang it on a padded hanger out of the sun where it can drip dry. Silk dries fast; this should take only about an hour.