Care for your Mulberry silk
Why Is Mulberry Silk Special?
Silk is a luxurious fabric known for its shine, lustre, durability and strength. Mulberry silk is used for its higher quality than standard silk. And at Morton Mulberry Silk, we use 22 Momme Silk, which is the ideal density and quality for pillowcases, sleep masks and our other products. Here are two questions we’re often asked: How do I care for Mulberry Silk? Is it easy?
The answer is ‘Yes!’ It is very easy – if you follow some simple guidelines which we’ll show you below.
Mulberry silk is very strong but to enable it last as long as possible, like other luxury materials, it should be treated with respect. It’s not a fabric that can be carelessly thrown into a washing machine with a bunch of old towels and hope for the best!
In this article, we’ll cover the basics of caring for your mulberry silk:
- How often should you wash mulberry silk?
- What sort of detergents to use and avoid.
- How to wash your mulberry silk – by hand and by machine.
- How to dry your precious mulberry silk.
- The dos and don’ts of ironing your silk.
- How to wash a silk pillowcase.
Silk is a luxurious fabric known for its shine, lustre, durability and strength. Mulberry silk is used for its higher quality than standard silk. And at Morton Mulberry Silk, we use 22 Momme, which is the ideal density and quality for pillowcases, sleep masks and our other products. Here’s two questions we’re often asked: How do I care for Mulberry Silk? Is it easy?
The answer is ‘Yes!’ It is very easy – if you follow some simple guidelines which we’ll show you below.
Mulberry silk is very strong but to enable it last as long as possible, like other luxury materials, it should be treated with respect. It’s not a fabric that can be carelessly thrown into a washing machine with a bunch of old towels and hope for the best!
In this article, we’ll cover the basics of caring for your mulberry silk:
- How often should you wash mulberry silk?
- What sort of detergents to use and avoid.
- How to wash your mulberry silk – by hand and by machine.
- How to dry your precious mulberry silk.
- The dos and don’ts of ironing your silk.
How often should you wash Mulberry silk?
Before you even consider washing any silk item, whether it’s silk sleep mask, bedding, facemasks or scrunchies you should look for and read any silk care instructions labels that are on the item or came with it.
How often you wash mulberry silk is much like other fabrics. You may wash your bed sheets and pillowcases weekly or thereabouts. The same would be true of your silk pillowcases.
While you sleep, it’s inevitable that oils, perhaps even sweat and other grime, will be deposited from your face and hair onto the pillowcase. Although silk is naturally hypoallergenic, it still needs cleaning.
If you’re prone to oily skin, allergies or acne, you may want to wash the pillowcase more frequently. The same would be true for silk face masks and silk sleep masks.
Always take off your makeup and mascara before you go to bed.
Choose Washing Detergents wisely
Silk is a natural protein-based fibre produced by silkworms when it makes its cocoon.
This makes it very strong and hypoallergenic and gives it that wonderful ‘silky’ look and feel. But it also means, to care for mulberry silk, you should be careful what cleaning agents or detergents you use.
Biological detergents, those with laundry enzymes, are designed to break down stains. In everyday life, many of those stains might include sweat, body fluids, blood, dairy items and eggs. All of these are protein-based, which is what laundry enzymes are designed to break down. As already mentioned, silk is also protein-based. The same laundry enzymes will damage the silk fibres. Not immediately or on the first wash but over time it will incur significant damage. (There is a rare exception when you may need to use an enzyme detergent – see below.)
The same is true if you use other washing detergents or powders that are either too acidic or alkaline. Bleach can even turn your silk yellow.
Fabric softeners should be avoided. They can leave a residue on the silk fibres which affects its lustrous feel.
When choosing a detergent for your silk, look for a mild one with a neutral pH. It should be non-biological and free from enzymes. There are several good detergents specifically designed for silk products.
How to remove blood stains from silk
If the blood hasn’t dried, first try to blot as much as you can with a cloth or absorbent clean towel. Don’t rub as you blot or you could spread the stain.
Carefully place the affected area in a bowl of cold water. Only use cold water, warm water will harden the blood. Gently rub the blood to see if it will come off.
If not, take a teaspoon of salt and thoroughly mix it into a cup of cold water. It’s not always easy to dissolve salt into cold water – but never use warm! Gently apply the salty liquid to the stain using a clean sponge but don’t run hard. After the stain has disappeared, thoroughly rinse the item under cold water. If this hasn’t worked the first time, try it again.
If all else fails or if the blood has already dried hard, you may need to resort to using an enzyme-based detergent. The reason is that you need to break down the dried blood proteins that have resisted cold water and salt treatment. As previously mentioned, this is not something to do without caution and should be only done in exceptional situations. Make sure to rinse thoroughly with cold water after treatment.
Care for Mulberry Silk by Hand washing
When possible, hand washing mulberry silk is the preferred cleaning method. Compared to machine washing, you can clean the silk more gently. Remember to take off any rings and other objects like bracelets before you start the washing. Rings and other jewellery might have sharp points that could – a ring or a charm could easily catch on the delicate fibres.
Always use cold water, washing each item individually and using a gentle detergent as previously discussed. Submerge the item and agitate gently with your hands. It’s important not to scrub or heavily rub the silk. Rinse thoroughly using cold water.
Pillowcases are best washed inside out.
Machine Washing Mulberry Silk
Not everyone has the time to handwash their silk. Using a washing machine is a good alternative if the following points are borne in mind. Check the silk care label on your Mulberry silk item, whether it’s a pillowcase, scrunchy, facemask or even a silk garment.
Always wash silk separately from other fabrics. Some machines have a silk cycle but, if not, use a delicate or gentle cycle. You may use a handwash or wool cycle if provided. Always ensure the temperature is no higher than 30 degrees or even use a cold cycle.
Put your silk items in a mesh laundry bag to protect them. Some washing machine agitators have small rough edges caused by zips, buttons or other items previously washed. These can catch on your silk and ruin it.
As with a handwash, pillowcases are best washed inside out.
Reduce the spin time of the cycle, if possible, to avoid fibre damage. Never use a tumble dryer! The heat will cause damaging changes to the silk structure and may even cause shrinkage.
Drying is important
Caring for your Mulberry silk involves careful drying. Silk dries quickly, so using a dryer is unnecessary and the heat may damage the fibres. If the item is very wet, lay it on a clean towel with another on top to blot the excess water. Never wring the item.
Ideally, you hang your silk washing outside but always out of direct sunshine. If it’s hot, hang the silk items indoors to dry. Where possible, use a padded non-slip hanger or hanging rack. If you are using pegs, use soft pegs only.
Check it often to see if it has dried. You don’t want to forget it and let the sun get to it.
How to Iron Mulberry Silk the safe way
Silk is a delicate material but it can be ironed after washing, with due care. There is no need to remove all or any of the wrinkles as the threads in your pillowcase will naturally straighten after a few days.
First and foremost, it is crucial the lowest heat setting on the iron is used. Most irons have a silk setting. The silk ironing temperature should be about 110 to 150°C or around 300°F (don’t confuse Centigrade with Fahrenheit).
Some iron manufacturers will use a single dot to signify the low heat setting. Check your settings carefully before you begin ironing. Also, check your iron is not dirty or has small nicks in the metal foot, or you may damage the silk.
The silk item (silk pillowcase or silk garment) should be turned inside out while ironing. Always iron the matte side, not the shiny side.
Iron the silk while it is still damp from washing. If it has dried, then spray it with water. It should always be damp when ironed.
Always spot-test your iron settings in an area that won’t be noticed to ensure the iron is not too hot.
Now your iron is ready
Next, lay the item on top of the clean ironing board and place a press cloth on top. A cotton handkerchief, pillowcase or hand towel can be used in place of a press cloth.
The ironing action is different to normal fabrics. Instead of moving back and forth, aim for gentle brief presses down on the press cloth. Don’t leave the iron on the press cloth too long. Then lift it, so the area can cool slightly. Be careful not to leave the iron too long on the press cloth. Too much heat may damage the silk or even cause burning.
To remove wrinkles, ensure the silk is flat on the ironing board and keep it taut. After you’ve finished, leave the silk item on the ironing board until it has completely cooled.
And that’s it – caring for Mulberry silk is easy!Â