Lay your silk pillowcase on a flat surface to dry. Do this on a drying rack if possible and ensure that it is away from direct sunlight or source of heat. This process of laying silk pillowcase flat will allow it to maintain natural shape. Since you want silk to remain smooth and free from wrinkle, drying it on a flat surface is recommended.
How to Dry Silk Pillowcase. The best way to dry a silk pillowcase is to lay it flat on a drying rack and let it air dry. Drying is best done under a shadow because direct sunlight will damage silk fabric. The purpose of laying it flat is to minimize wrinkles and keep silk in its original texture.
These steps will reduce possible fading and discoloration of the fabric.
Keeping silk pillowcase away from direct heat or sun when drying will help to reduce discoloration as well as fading in the future.
Fortunately, one can dry silk pillowcase safely, easily, and quickly by simply hanging it on a line indoors. If you dry outdoors, put the silk in a shade away from direct sunlight. To dry silk pillowcase, simply hang it on a thick bar line inside the house or outside, away from direct sun. Based on my experiences, silk pillowcases will typically air dry in about 1 to 2 hour.
Here are the few steps for drying silk pillowcases the proper way.
How to Dry Silk Pillowcase
- Wash and rinse your silk pillowcase as usual using a mild detergent.
- Do not wring out your silk pillowcase after it has been washed by hand or in a machine.
- If the pillowcase still has too much water, place a clean, white towel on a flat surface and place the pillowcase over it.
- Roll them slowly to allow the towel to blot the excess liquid for 10-15 minutes.
- Hang the silk pillowcase on a line away from direct sunlight.
- If you hang the pillowcase outside, do it in a shade to prevent fading. Silk is prone to fading when exposed to heat.
- Do not use clothes pins as they are not recommended, but if you must, choose a soft grip style pin since this will avoid marking your silk pillowcase.
- Do not hang the pillowcases on wooden drying racks since wood might transfer stain or color to silk fabric.
- Once it is dry, do not iron the silk pillowcase because the wrinkles often disappear on their own.
- DON’T put silk pillowcase in the dryer.
- Blotting the Pillowcase is an important step in drying process.
Should any extra water remain in the fabric, lay the pillowcase on a clean, dry towel and blot out any remaining liquid. Wringing silk pillowcase increases wrinkles and damages the fibers.
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Drying Silk Pillowcase in the Dryer
Bedding made from silk should not go in the dryer.
Heat has the potential to break or damage delicate natural silk fibers. If using the dryer is absolutely necessary, ensure that you use only the ‘air’ setting for no more than 15 minutes at a time. Do not dry silk pillowcases with bedding made from other fabrics at the same time in the machine.
Avoid using dryer balls in the dryer too.
You should not put silk in the dryer because silk pillowcases are made from delicate natural fibers. High temperatures in the dryer will make silk to shrink and get damaged.
Use a delicate detergent to clean your silk pillowcase.
Some silk garments may bleed when washed, so dab a damp area with a wet, white cloth as a test to find out if any color has leaked onto it before washing it as a whole.
Always wash your silk pillowcase on a regular basis, 3 to 4 times a month. Frequent washing is good because you will not accumulate too much dirt in the pillowcase. Therefore, washing process will be light thereby preventing damage to silk fibers.
It is important that you wash silk pillowcases on a regular basis, as they come into direct contact with your skin any time you go to bed, just as you should with your other bed linens.
Typically, you should wash silk pillowcase every 7 to 10 days.
Check out the manufacturers guide to washing if they provide any. Be mindful of other tips to properly care for silk bedding if you want them to last longer.
Cleaning your silk pillowcases on a regular basis gets rid of the dead skin cells, oils, and dirt that we shed and end up accumulating on the fabric and can eventually cause damage to the fibers.
Regular washing also prevents acne development.
Ironing Silk Pillowcase
Ironing silk is usually not recommended. However, silk pillowcase will often have some wrinkles and you might want a way to reduce them.
In case you notice that the fabric of the pillowcase wrinkles after it has been dried, gently steam it to get rid of the wrinkles and restore the usual luster of silk fabric.
If the wrinkles are too obvious, you may also iron a silk pillowcase but with caution. To iron silk pillowcase, turn it inside out. Add a layer of clean clothing on top of the pillowcase and press it on a flat surface. Ensure the heat setting is set to the lowest temperature setting.
Sandwiching silk pillowcase between other clothing and setting low temperature prevents burning of the fabric.
Silk pillowcase should dry in 1 to 2 hours depending on the drying conditions. Moderate temperatures and windy conditions will increase the speed of drying.
Can you Wash Silk Pillowcase every Week?
Up to this moment, I would recommend that silk pillowcases be cleaned as frequently as linens, if not more frequently, because they may be an important component of your face and hair management routine. Due to the lower absorption rate of silk’s protein fiber compared to linen or cotton pillowcases, using a silk pillowcase while sleeping will naturally result in pillowcase absorbing less of your beauty products.
Because those beauty products often pile up on the fabric and cause damage, you may want to wash silk pillowcases as frequently as once or twice a week to avoid this.
But will regular washing cause Silk to Wear Out?
Yes, excessive washing of silk will cause it to wear out faster than usual. Therefore, we recommend that you keep at least one extra set on hand to reduce the wear and tear by allowing you to use one while the other pillowcase is being washed and dried.
This will allow you to rotate them for use every night, reducing the amount of wear and tear.