Silk Pillowcases and Sheets: A Complete Guide to Washing and Care Freq

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by Kendra Cosenza
March 04, 2024
3 min read

Inside this Article:

Guide to machine washing your silk pillowcases and silk sheets

How you dry your silk sheets is just as important as how you wash them!

The way you dry your silk pillowcases and silk bed sheets can affect how long they last
Ironing Silk- Never or A Must?

How Often Should I be Washing My Silk Sheets and Pillowcases?

We get this question a lot and we always say: You should wash your silk pillowcases and sheets just as often as you would any other sheets, or, whenever they need it! One of the great things about a mulberry silk pillowcase and bed sheet is that silk bedding is naturally hypoallergenic and dust mite resistant. Even better news: you can hand or machine wash your silk pillowcase and sheets!

Guide to machine washing your silk pillowcases and silk sheets

Washing silk bedding in your washing machine is easy to do, just keep these simple guidelines in mind:

Wash silk in a separate, silk-only, load
Turn silk pillowcases inside out before laundering
Place all silk items in a fine mesh laundry bag to help keep the silk from tearing or pilling
Wash silk in the delicate or gentle cycle in cool water. Temperatures above 80 degrees Fahrenheit can damage your silk bedding
Never use bleach. Bleach will harm silks delicate fabric and cause it to yellow.
Don't use fabric softener, it can leave residue on the silk fabric

The natural thread fibers of silk and our specialized charmeuse weaving technique create the softest silk available.

How often should you wash your silk sheets?

Hand washing your silk bedding

You can also hand wash your silk pillowcases and bed sheets. Wash your silk items by themselves in cold water. Submerge items and gently agitate with your hand; don't rub or scrub. Thoroughly rinse out all soap.

If you don't use the right detergent you could ruin your expensive silk sheets and pillowcases

Whether you choose to hand wash or use a washing machine, choosing a gentle detergent is an absolute necessity. Remember that silk is a natural fiber (this is part of what makes it so great for sensitive skin!). Washing it in detergents that are either too acidic or too alkaline will cause silk fiber to harden. Never use a detergent who's ingredients include cleaning enzymes. Enzymes will break down the integrity of natural fibers like silk or wool over time.

That's why we recommend a laundry detergent with neutral pH that is specially formulated for silk, like those from Heritage Park Laundry Essentials. This will help maintain the integrity of your fabric with every wash.

Download (PDF) our guide to washing your silk pillowcase, silk sheets, and silk comforter/duvet cover

How you dry your silk sheets is just as important as how you wash them!

The way you dry your silk pillowcases and silk bed sheets can affect how long they last

Never wring out your silk sheets or silk pillowcases. Roll them in white towels to blot, or lay white towels out on the bed and blot sheets on top of them. Hang dry your silk pillowcases and sheets. Take special care to keep your silk items out of direct sunlight. Don't put your silk items in the dryer unless absolutely necessary. If you do use a dryer, use the "no heat" or "air only" setting.

Ironing Silk- Never or A Must?

Ironing is not always necessary. All silk products wrinkle after washing, but the threads will start to relax and straighten after a few nights' uses. If you prefer to iron, we recommend ironing just your pillowcases (since they are really all that you see) on the lowest setting available.

Always iron sparingly, only on the coolest setting with pillowcases turned inside out. We recommend that you place a cloth or towel between the iron and your silk item. A light steam will enable the iron to glide smoothly over the fabric.

Ironing not always necessary
Consider just ironing your pillowcases
Iron sparingly, use the coolest setting, turn pillowcases inside out

Mulberry Park: Accessible and Affordable Luxury Silk

We founded Mulberry Park with one simple mission: to design the highest quality silk items in the market and offer them at an affordable price. And we've done just that, with a full range of silk products made from 100% pure mulberry long strand silk fabric. The silk fabric used for our silk sheets and silk pillowcases has also been OEKO-TEX® Certified (Standard 100) to be free of chemicals.

Visit us online or call us at (800) 860-1924 to learn more about our silk sheets, silk pillowcases, duvet covers and shams, and real silk accessories including sleep masks, travel pillows, and silk hair scrunchies.

Silk Pillowcases and Sheets: A Complete Guide to Washing and Care Frequency