Top 5 Best Detergent for Silk

Silk is of course a very delicate material. It looks very nice, it’s as soft as can, and wearing it is definitely quite the status symbol too. That said, due to the delicate nature of this material, you can’t wash it with just any detergent. Luckily for you, today we are here to help you find the best detergent for silk. Let’s get to it and help you make the right choice.

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Silk Laundry Detergent Information & Buyers Guide

Before we get to talking about specific detergents for machine washing silk, as well as for handwashing silk, let’s go over some important facts that you need to be aware of.

How to Care for Silk

There are a few important silk care tips that you need to follow in order to preserve both the fabric and the colors for as long as possible.

• Don’t hang wet silk up vertically. The weight of the water may cause it to stretch. Instead, to dry silk, lay it down on a flat surface.
• When drying silk clothes, don’t use heat and try to keep them out of the sun. Silk and heat, and even UV rays, don’t mix well.
• If you plan on ironing silk, do so on the bad side, and when you do, spray a little bit of water on it, but that said, have your iron on a relatively low heat setting.
• If your silk is badly stained, you should have it dry cleaned.

How to Hand Wash Silk

In case you would rather avoid using a washing machine, follow the tips below to hand wash your silk garments and clothing.

1. Fill a basin or bucket with cool or slightly warm water.
2. Add a little bit of your delicate laundry detergent of choice, not too much!
3. Let it soak for a few minutes.
4. Agitate the item in the water. Give it a bit of a stir, but don’t be rough with it.
5. Rinse it out in cold water, making sure to rinse well. You don’t want any detergent residue left.
6. Use a towel to soak up the water from the garment. Don’t wring it out or put it in the dryer.
7. You may hang the silk if you wish, although if it is large and heavy, to avoid stretching, it’s best to lay it flat for drying.

Can You Machine Wash Silk?

What is interesting to note is that a lot of people will tell you that you cannot wash silk in a washing machine. Many garments are labelled as such, and many even claim that they need to be dry cleaned.

Now, this may be true in some cases. If your garments are labelled as being hand wash or dry clean only, then you do want to stick to that.

However, if there is no such designation, then there is no reason why you cannot put silk in the washing machine, but you do of course need to follow some specific tips and rules.

How to Wash Silk in the Washing Machine

So, as we have established, it is more than possible to wash silk in a washing machine, as long as you follow the right tips. Follow the tips below for the best results.

1. Get a microfiber bag or use a pillowcase. Putting your silks inside of something like this will help protect the colors, and it will help prevent stretching and disforming too.
2. Always choose laundry detergent that is specifically made for silk. Your detergent must be mild, as normal laundry detergents are too harsh and will damage silk.
3. Always use the most delicate cycle in your washing machine, and don’t use hot water either.
4. Never let your silks go through a full spin cycle, as that motion can cause silk to stretch and be damaged. Take the silk out of the washing machine after just a minute in the spin cycle, and then use a towel to soak up the rest of the water.
5. In case you have not figured it out, never ever put silk in the dryer.

Best Detergents for Silk: Reviews

Now it is time for the most important section of the day. Let’s get to it and take a look at the five best laundry detergents for silk that your money can buy.

The Verdict

Once again, if you are look for the best laundry detergent for silk, the absolute best product on the list today is Eucalan Lavender Fine Fabric Wash. It smells nice, it gets silk and other delicates clean, and it helps preserve their natural integrity too, not to mention that it works well for handwashing and HE machines alike. That said, all of the products we have reviewed today are all great silk laundry detergents in their own right.