How to Wash Silk in a Machine

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Things You'll Need

  • Mild detergent

  • Delicate/lingerie bag

Sort silk by color before washing.

Silk is delicate to wash and easy to ruin if the right steps are not taken. Normally, it is a good idea to hand wash silk, but after gathering a collection of such delicates, it can become a time-consuming process. Washing and drying silk by machine is possible and can be done easily, whether it is your lingerie, shirt or sheets. Be sure to adhere to garments' label directions when washing your silk. (See References 1)

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Step 1

Sort your silk laundry. Keep like colors together to prevent bleeding from ruining the cloth. Keep your silk separate from your other laundry (See References 2).

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Step 2

Place the fabric in a delicate/lingerie bag if you have a top-loading washing machine. The bag will help protect the delicate fabric. If you have a front-loading machine, the bag isn't essential but can still be used. (See References 1).

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Step 3

Set your machine to delicate cycle and the lowest spin cycle. You don't want your silk to get ripped apart while spinning. Use a cool water setting, never hot. (See References 1 and 2).

Step 4

Use a mild detergent to keep the fabric from falling apart. Any soap that is too strong may make it difficult for the silk to stay together. (See References 2)

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Step 5

Dry your silk by air drying, keeping it away from sunlight or heat sources. You can also try drying your silk in the dryer on air fluff or a no-heat setting. Any extra heat to the silk may shrink or break it.

Tip

For the first few washes, you may want to hand wash the silk to preserve its aesthetic quality.

Warning

Never use bleach on silk.

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references & resources