Fill a basin with lukewarm water and mix in a few drops of pH neutral silk detergent. Submerge the silk in the water and let it soak for 3 minutes. Use your hands to gently agitate and wash the silk in the water until all the dirt and stains have been removed. Rinse the silk under cold water and roll it in an absorbent towel to remove excess water. Hang or lay flat on a drying rack to air dry.
This is: How to Wash Mulberry Silk
Our article How to Wash Mulberry Silk: Step-by-Step Guide will provide you with detailed instructions on how to wash mulberry by hand.
Contents:
Read our silk care guides, below, to ensure that you are using the proper methods when caring for your silk garments, fabrics, bedding, or upholstery.
How to Wash Mulberry Silk
Before attempting to wash clothing made from mulberry silk, it is important that you first check the garment's care label. Check the care label to see if the garment has special care requirements, if it is meant to be dry cleaned only, or if it is allowed to be hand washed at home.
Carefully follow the 7 steps below to learn how to hand wash mulberry silk properly.
Things You'll Need
- a basin, container, sink, or tub
- silk detergent or detergent for delicates
- an absorbent towel
- mulberry silk cloth
1. Fill a Basin With Lukewarm Water
Fill a basin with cool to lukewarm water. The water should be no hotter than 25°C/77°F. At this temperature if your put your hand in the water, it should feel slightly warmer than room temperature, since room temperature is typically 20°C to 23°C (68°F to 73.5°F)
2. Add pH Neutral Silk Laundry Detergent
Add a few drops of pH neutral silk laundry detergent or detergent for delicates.
3. Soak the Silk
Submerge the mulberry silk in the water and leave it to soak for 3 minutes.
4. Agitate the Silk
Use your hands to gently agitate the mulberry silk in the water. Continue washing until you feel the mulberry cloth has been adequately cleaned.
5. Rinse Under Cold Water
Once you have finished washing your mulberry silk garment in the water, remove it and rinse with cold water. Continue rinsing the silk until the water runs clear and all the soap has been removed.
6. Towel Roll
Lay your mulberry silk flat and evenly on a soft, absorbent towel. Proceed to gently roll the towel up (sushi roll style) and apply pressure to the top of the roll in order to remove excess water.
7. Air Dry
Hang or lay flat to air dry in a cool place out of contact with direct sunlight. Never dry your silk in the sun and never tumble dry silk in the dyer.
Watch our Step-by-Step Video Tutorial
Washing Mulberry Silk: Do's and Don'ts
The Do's
- Use pH neutral detergent made for silk or delicate clothing
- Use cold to lukewarm water
- Wash gently
- Turn your silk garment inside out
- Air Dry (hang dry or lay flat to dry)
- Wash together only with other silks and delicates
The Don'ts
- Do not tumble dry or use the dryer
- Do not wash silk together with heavy abrasive clothing containing zippers and ornaments
- Do not use bleach or powder detergent
- Do not twist, pull, or wring mulberry silk
- Do not wash mulberry silk with hot water
- Do not dry in direct sunlight
To learn how to properly wash other delicate silk and satin garments and fabrics, please review our step-by-step care guides below.
How to Wash Silk Mulberry Silk FAQ
Can mulberry silk be machine washed?
Yes, mulberry silk can be machine washed if the garment's care label allows for it. If the care label says "dry clean only" then do not attempt to machine wash your mulberry silk at home.
How often should you wash mulberry silk?
It depends on what the mulberry silk is being used for. If you have mulberry silk pillowcases you may want to wash them once every week or 10 days. If you have a mulberry silk scarf you may only need to wash it twice a year.
What detergent is safe for mulberry silk?
pH neutral liquid washing detergent for silk is safe to use when washing mulberry silk. Most detergents labeled silk detergent or detergent for delicates will be a pH neutral mixture.
How do you wash a mulberry silk pillowcase?
To wash a mulberry silk pillowcase first fill a basin with cool to lukewarm water and add in a few drops of silk detergent. Turn the pillowcase inside out and submerge it in the water for 3 minutes. After 3 minutes, use your hands to agitate the pillowcase in the water. Once finished, rinse the pillowcase under cold water and air dry in a cool place.
What does delicates mean?
Delicates refers to clothing items or fabrics that require special care. The delicate setting on your washing machine uses a more gentle wash cycle, which is perfect for natural fibers like silk and cotton.