Material file · Clothes
Silk: what it can take
Covers silk blouses, dresses, scarves and pillowcases. Silk can be wetted, but gently: dab, swish and press, never wring or scrub.
- Water
- Gently
- Max temperature
- 30 °C (86 °F)
- Rubbing
- Never
- Stain files
- 30
01 What it is
Silk is a protein fibre (fibroin, spun by silkworms), so it reacts to alkalis, oxidisers and protein-digesting enzymes much as hair does.
It is delicate: short contact times and gentle handling matter as much as the product.
The fibre loses much of its strength when wet, so rubbing or wringing damages it.
Silk water-spots easily: liquid left in one area dries to a ring.
02 House rules
- Silk can be wetted, but gently: dab, swish and press, never wring or scrub.
- No rubbing at all; every step is a press-and-lift.
- Soak only if the garment and fabric-specific detergent labels permit it, using their dilution and contact time. Ordinary enzyme detergent and alkaline oxygen-bleach powder are not substitutes for a wool- or silk-compatible wash.
- Water stays at or below 30 °C (86 °F) the whole way through.
03 Field notes
- Silk is a protein fibre, so it shares wool's weaknesses: no enzymes, no chlorine, no alkaline soaks and no hot water.
- Wet silk and its dyes require careful handling. Rubbing can cause chafing, colour loss or surface distortion; the exact strength change depends on the fabric.
- Water can leave rings or move dye on some silks. Wetting to a seam does not guarantee prevention; use only a label-approved method or professional cleaning.
04 Every cleaner, rated
| Cleaner | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Acetone | Test first | Wool and silk tolerate acetone, but dyes may not; test first. |
| Cornstarch | Test first | No material-specific permission is established by this general entry. Check the exact item and product labels and pretest; if compatibility is unknown, consult the manufacturer or a professional. |
| Dish soap | Test first | Use one drop in cool water and dab; silk can ring if one spot gets wetter than the rest. |
| Rubbing alcohol | Test first | It can lift silk dyes; test inside a seam. |
| White vinegar | Test first | Dilute it; silk tolerates a little acid well but can spot. |
| Baking soda | Avoid | Its grit and alkalinity can dull silk. |
| Borax | Avoid | Alkaline soaks harm wool and silk. |
| Citrus adhesive remover | Avoid | Oily solvents in silk need a dry cleaner. |
| Enzyme cleaner | Avoid | Protein-digesting enzymes can attack wool and silk; only use a product specifically labelled wool-safe. |
| Hydrogen peroxide 3% | Avoid | Professional peroxide spotting is not a universal home method for wool or silk. Use a product explicitly approved for the garment or consult a specialist. |
| Lemon juice | Avoid | Silk can water-spot and lose dye where acid sits. |
| Oxalic acid cleanser | Avoid | Too harsh for silk; take silk with rust to a cleaner. |
| WD-40 | Avoid | Oil in wool or silk is hard to shift without a dry cleaner. |
| Chlorine bleach | Never | Chlorine bleach dissolves wool and silk; it can eat holes in them. |
| Bio detergent | Never | Protease enzymes digest protein, and wool, cashmere and silk are protein. Use an enzyme-free wool wash. |
| Hot water | Never | Heat plus agitation shrinks and felts wool and cashmere, and weakens silk. |
| Household ammonia | Never | Alkalis damage wool and silk; ammonia yellows and weakens them. |
| Magic eraser | Never | It destroys delicate fibres. |
| Oxygen bleach | Never | Alkaline peroxide damages wool, cashmere and silk; the packs say so. |
| Steam cleaner | Never | Steam water-spots and weakens silk. |
05 Stains on silk
| Stain | Difficulty | Never |
|---|---|---|
| Chocolate | Specialist | Bio detergent, Oxygen bleach |
| Drool and yellow pillow stains | Specialist | Bio detergent, Oxygen bleach |
| Scorch marks | Specialist | Rubbing |
| Sweat and yellow underarm stains | Specialist | Bio detergent, Oxygen bleach |
| Turmeric and curry | Specialist | Oxygen bleach, Hot water |
| Ballpoint ink | Tough | Hairspray, Rubbing |
| Berries | Tough | Oxygen bleach, Bar soap |
| Coffee | Tough | Bio detergent, Oxygen bleach |
| Grease and cooking oil | Tough | The dryer, Rubbing |
| Lily pollen | Tough | Your bare hand, Water first |
| Lipstick | Tough | Oxygen bleach, Rubbing |
| Mascara and eyeliner | Tough | Rubbing, Hot water |
| Red wine | Tough | Oxygen bleach, Hot water |
| Salad dressing | Tough | The dryer, Rubbing |
| Soy sauce | Tough | Bio detergent, Oxygen bleach |
| Tomato sauce and ketchup | Tough | Oxygen bleach, Hot water |
| Blood | Stubborn | Bio detergent, Hot water |
| Breast milk | Stubborn | Bio detergent, Hot water |
| Butter | Stubborn | The dryer, Rubbing |
| Candle wax | Stubborn | Oxygen bleach, Hot water |
| Cola and soda | Stubborn | Oxygen bleach, Hot water |
| Foundation and concealer | Stubborn | Rubbing, Hot water |
| Gravy | Stubborn | Bio detergent, Hot water |
| Hair and body oil | Stubborn | The dryer, Rubbing |
| Matcha | Stubborn | Oxygen bleach, Hot water |
| Perfume | Stubborn | The dryer, Ironing |
| Tea | Stubborn | Oxygen bleach, Hot water |
| Water stains and rings | Stubborn | Spot-wetting |
| Bronzer, blush and eyeshadow | Manageable | Water first, Rubbing |
| Deodorant marks | Manageable | The dryer, Chlorine bleach |
06 The most common mistakes on silk
Counted across all 30 stain files for silk:
- The dryer before it is gone (25 files). Dryer heat locks in whatever is left. Air-dry and check first.
- Hot water (18 files). Heat helps tannins bond to the fibres, and any milk or other protein in it cooks on.
- Rubbing or scrubbing (17 files). Silk is weak when wet; rubbing breaks fibres and leaves a pale, fuzzy patch.
- Oxygen bleach (OxiClean-type powder) (14 files). Alkaline peroxide damages wool, cashmere and silk; the packs say so.
- Enzyme ("bio") detergent (8 files). Protease enzymes digest protein, and silk is protein. Use an enzyme-free wool wash.
- Bar soap or soap flakes (5 files). True soap is alkaline, and alkalis set tannin stains such as wine, coffee, tea and fruit.
07 What the silk files use most
These are the products the 30 stain files for silk rely on most. Enzyme-free wool wash leads because surfactants have a water-loving end and an oil-loving end.
08 When to call a professional
Anything valuable, structured or dry clean only, and every stain bigger than a coin on a special-occasion piece.
Specialist-rated stains on silk: chocolate, drool, scorch marks, sweat stains and turmeric.