Short answer: wash a silk pillowcase in cold water with a pH-neutral silk detergent, by hand or on a gentle machine cycle inside a mesh bag. Don't wring it, don't use bleach or fabric softener, and don't tumble dry. Roll it in a towel to remove water, then dry it flat in the shade. Always check the care label on your pillowcase first.
What do you need?
- A pH-neutral detergent made for silk or delicates
- Cold water
- A mesh laundry bag (for machine washing)
- A clean towel
How do you hand wash a silk pillowcase?
- Turn the pillowcase inside out and close the zipper.
- Fill a basin with cold water and add a small amount of silk detergent.
- Submerge and swish gently for a few minutes. Don't scrub or twist.
- Rinse in clean cold water until no suds remain.
- Press out water gently; don't wring.
Can you machine wash a silk pillowcase?
Yes, if the care label allows it. Turn it inside out, close the zipper, place it in a mesh bag, and use a cold, delicate or silk cycle with a pH-neutral detergent. Wash with similar light items, not with heavy towels or jeans, and skip fabric softener.
How do you dry a silk pillowcase?
- Lay it on a clean towel and roll the towel up to absorb water.
- Unroll and lay the pillowcase flat, or hang it, away from direct sun and heat.
- Don't tumble dry. If it needs smoothing, iron on the lowest silk setting while slightly damp, inside out.
How often should you wash a silk pillowcase?
Like any pillowcase you sleep on, wash it regularly. Many people wash pillowcases weekly. Having two pillowcases makes it easy to rotate while one dries.
What should you avoid?
- Bleach, including oxygen bleach
- Hot water and high-heat drying
- Regular "bio" detergents with enzymes, which can break down protein fibres like silk
- Wringing, twisting or scrubbing
- Long periods in direct sunlight, which can fade colors
Quick care card for Momiel silk
Hand wash cold, or machine wash cold in a mesh bag on a gentle cycle, with a pH-neutral silk detergent. Do not bleach or tumble dry. Dry flat in the shade. This is the care for the 22 momme silk pillowcase. The silk sleep mask is hand wash only: cold water, pH-neutral silk detergent, no wringing, dry flat in the shade.