Nov
Now that you own a luxurious Meab Silk Pillowcase you will want to look after it with the best possible care. Silk pillowcases, Eye Masks and Scarves can look as good as the day you acquired them by following some careful steps.
How often to wash your silk pillowcase?
As with any item of clothing or sleep wear, it will get grubby over time and a silk pillowcase will gradually accumulate the skin care products you use along with dead skin and bacteria. It is recommended that you wash your silk pillowcase weekly. It may be necessary to wash your pillowcase more often if you suffer from skin conditions such as acne or if you have a cough or cold.
Hand washing silk or machine wash?
We would recommend that you hand wash your silk pillowcase but it is also fine to use a washing machine. Make sure that you use the most delicate wash setting at no higher than 30 degrees C on your machine and with the shortest spin cycle. Place your silk item into a mesh wash bag as this will protect it from snagging on the drum or from getting caught on zippers or clasps.
When hand washing, place your silk pillowcase into a basin or sink of cold or lukewarm water. Add a small amount of gentle detergent. Chose a detergent that is specialized for silk with a neutral pH. Strong detergents will harm the natural silk fibres and cause the silk to look old and feel hard. Allow to soak for about five minutes before gently agitating the water. Then rinse your silk pillowcase in cold water but be careful not to wring or twist the silk as this will distort the fibres and cause the item to lose its shape.
Tip: When rinsing your silk add some distilled white vinegar to the water. This will help remove all the detergent and maintain the silks sheen. Then repeat the rinse in clean cool water again.
How to dry a silk pillowcase?
The kindest and most careful way to dry silk is to firstly lay the item down flat on a clean white towel. The towel will soak up most of the excess water. As mentioned above, never wring or twist silk as this will damage the fibres causing it to wrinkle and lose its shape.
Hang your silk to air dry on a line or drying rack. Never hang your silk in direct sunlight or close to any heat source. The direct sunlight can cause colours to fade. Try to avoid tumble dryers but if you are really in a hurry then use on the lowest heat cycle and remove the silk while it is still damp and finish the drying process on a line or rack.
It is important to be aware of the risk to your silk from using wooden drying racks or wooden clothes pegs. The dye from wood can be absorbed causing discolouration and clothes pegs can mark and compress your silk.
Can I iron silk?
Yes you absolutely can iron silk. There are a couple of simple precautions that you should be aware of. Turn the item inside out. Always use the lowest heat setting on your iron. A lot of irons will have a silk setting for you to choose. You must place a clean white cotton cloth between the iron and the silk to prevent scorching. Be careful when using steam as this can cause water marks to appear on some silk fabrics.
How to store silk pillowcases?
Rolling a pillow case is the best way to avoid sharp creases forming. Otherwise try creating soft folds thereby protecting the silk fibres and place gently on the shelf. Avoid crushing by other items and store your silk away from direct sunlight.