Silk pillowcases and sheets are famous for their ability to fight allergens and reduce friction on the hair. Yet, washing silk bedding isn’t as simple as throwing it into the washer and dryer. In this guide, I will teach you how to clean your silk pillowcases and sheets.

There are two primary ways to wash your silk bedding. You can either hand wash your silk items or use a gentle cycle on your washing machine.

It would help if you cared for your silk sheets to get the most out of them. The guide will walk you through the necessary steps.

First Wash

Even if you can wash silk on a delicate machine cycle, it is often best to hand wash before putting them on your bed. Many silk manufacturers recommend hand-washing your bedding the first several times.

Continue below for instructions on hand-washing silk bedding.

How to Hand Wash Silk Pillowcases and Sheets

To hand-wash your silk bedding, follow these six simple steps:

1. Put your silk items in cold water. You should not put any non-silk items in with your silk pillowcases and sheets.
2. Add laundry soap. Your laundry soap should be gentle and formulated for washing silk bedding. Harsh detergents and bleach can damage silk bedding.
3. Wash your items. To do this, you should gently use your hands to put your silk bedding under the water and soap mixture. Use your hands to agitate the items. It would help if you did not rub or scrub your bedding, as it could damage the silk material.
4. Rinse out all soap. Rinse your items until no soap or soap residue remains on your sheets.
5. Blot moisture from your bedding. It would be best if you never wrung out your silk bedding, as that could cause your bedding to rip. To soak up the moisture, Either roll your bedding into a towel to blot moisture or lay your wet bedding on top of towels,
6. Hang your silk pillowcases and sheets to dry. Hang your bedding on a clothesline or drying rack. Your bedding should stay out of direct sunlight, as the sunlight may cause damage to the silk’s colour. You should never use a dryer for silk bedding, as the heat can damage silk fibres.

How to Machine Wash Silk Pillowcases and Sheets

After your silk has been hand washed a few times, it can be machine washed. It’s essential to follow these steps to avoid damaging your silk bedding.

1. Place your silk pillowcases and sheets in a mesh laundry bag. When using a gentle cycle, your silk items should be in a mesh laundry bag for added protection. This way prevents your silk pillowcases and sheets from getting torn.
2. Put your silk items in the washer as a silk-only load. There should be no other items in your washer besides your silk bedding and the mesh bags. Zippers and buttons on other clothing items may cause damage to your silk bedding.
3. Add a silk-safe detergent if you have a detergent formulated for washing silk. It would help if you did not use bleach or fabric softener on your silk bedding. Bleach can damage your silk fabric softener and leave residue on your silk bedding.
4. Select a cold, delicate cycle for washing. Because warmer temperatures can damage the silk, it is important to wash it in cold water. The temperature should not exceed 80 degrees Fahrenheit (29 degrees Celsius). It would help if you chose a delicate cycle to ensure the safety of your bedding.
5. Blot excess moisture from washed bedding. Use a towel to blot the extra water from your silk pillowcases and sheets. Either wrap your silk bedding in a towel or place the bedding on top of towels to soak up excess moisture. It would be best if you never tried to wring water from silk, as doing so can damage the fibres.
6. Hang your pillowcases and sheets to dry. Hang your bedding on a clothesline or drying rack until dry. It’s essential to hang silk items out of direct sunlight, as the sunlight can damage the silk’s colour.

Conclusion

Once you know how to care for your fabric, it is easy to keep it clean and fresh. The first few times you wash your pillowcases and sheets, you should hand wash them. For subsequent washes, you may machine wash them on a cool, gentle cycle. You should always hang silk items to dry.