Washing Silk
with Success
Here are a few suggestions about washing silk which one should
find helpful--so few people know how to do it successfully.
Soft silks such as China, India, foulard, surah, and soft
satin, may be washed to look almost like new, but there are some heavy corded silks which
do not take kindly to the operation. I need scarcely tell you not to wash white and
colored silks together; wash white alone, each color alone, and of course, black alone.
Never rub soap onto the silk. In the beginning have prepared a tub of tepid, soapy
water--use some good, pure, white soap. Never wash silk in hot water, for hot water will
turn white silk yellow and will fade colored silks. For black and white silks a few drops
of ammonia may be added to the water, but omit the ammonia in washing colored silks.
Always wash your silk until it is clean--you may need to wash
it in several soapy waters before you accomplish this. Rinse thoroughly in tepid
water---be sure to rinse out every bit of soap---and then rinse in plenty of cold water. A
ittle vinegar, added to the last rinsing water, tends to brighten bright-colored silks,
and it is well to add a little ammonia to the last rinsing water for black silk.
Never handle silk harshly in the washing; move it about in the
water, squeezing it very gently between the hands; shake it out and snap well but never
wring it; it may be folded smoothly between cloths and put through the clothes wringer. It
is well to lay dark and bright colored silks in salt and water for an hour before washing;
this helps to "set" the color, for dark and bright colors are very likely to
"run". It is well too, to put such silkes through the entire process, piece by
piece, not allowing them to lie around wet.
To "gloss" silk is a very simple matter; it is done
by giving the silk a final bath in water to which alcohol has been added in the proportion
of two teaspoonfuls of alcohol to half a pint of water. Never hang silk in the air to
dry--it will dry unevenly and it is quite impossible to sprinkle it without spotting it;
fold it smoothly and wrap it in a cloth until almost dry; then spread it out evenly on an
ironing board, cover with a cloth and press with a moderately hot iron. If the silk
stiffens in the least under the iron shake it out again and pull it gently on the bias in
both directions; then press again.
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