Do I need to dry clean a garment that is 52% silk, 25% nylon, and 23% viscose?
By Sandy Artz from Wisconsin Rapids
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Washing Silk Items
Gently hand wash silk items using very cold water.
Apply a very mild detergent such as Woolite or Dr. Bronner's Baby Soap (this soap will help preserve the garment's natural oils).
Rinse the item in cold water until all soap residue has been removed.
Add a few drops of hair conditioner to the rinse water to keep the silk soft and flexible.
Press the water out of the fabric by rolling it in a towel. Do not twist or wring, as this will damage the fabric.
Hang the wet garment and allow it to air dry completely.
Additional Tips and Advice
Unless the tag on your silk fabric recommends dry cleaning, it should be avoided as dry cleaning will shrink certain types of silk.
Use lemon juice or vinegar to spot clean, but test an inconspicuous area first to test for colorfastness.
Be gentle - it's the agitation from washing that causes this material to shrink. Even the gentle cycle on the washer is too rough for this delicate fabric.
To keep silk from yellowing, add &frac; cup of vinegar to the rinse water.
Since silk is a natural fiber, do not use bleach as it will damage the fibers.
Be careful not to let hairspray and perfume get on silk as the alcohol will damage the fabric.
The info from kffrmw88 is excellent. You could also buy Dryell from the stores. WalMart is the cheapest place to purchase. It works well. Dry cleaning is so expensive and most of the dry cleaning chemicals are too dangerous for me.
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