How to Wash Silk: 5 Steps to Make Your Silk Dress Last 5+ Years

A silk dress is luxurious, breathable, and beautifully drapey — but it is also **high-maintenance**. Wash it wrong once and the whole dress can be ruined.

Today, Aphratti shares the **5 steps to wash silk correctly**, so your silk dress still looks brand new after 5 years of regular wear.

1. Read the Care Label First (Most Important Step!)

Before anything else, **read the care label**. Every Aphratti silk dress has a label that specifies:

• **Hand-wash symbol + 30°C**: Cold water (30°C or below), hand-wash only.

• **Do not bleach**: No chlorine bleach, no oxygen bleach.

• **Line dry in shade**: No direct sunlight.

• **Iron at low temperature**: 110°C maximum.

**The care label is the manufacturer's legal contract with you.** If the dress is damaged and you ignored the label, the brand is not responsible. Follow the label — always.

2. Use a Detergent Made for Silk (Not Regular Laundry Soap)

Silk is a **protein fiber**, very similar in structure to human hair. Regular laundry detergent and hand soap are alkaline, and alkalinity breaks down protein — leaving silk brittle, yellowed, and shrunken.

**Use a neutral-pH detergent specifically made for silk or delicates.** Aphratti recommends **pH 6-7 detergents**, or — in a pinch — **a small amount of gentle shampoo** (because hair is also a protein fiber).

**Dosage**: about one capful (≈5ml) for a single dress.

3. Cold Water, Hand-Wash Only (Never the Machine)

Silk must **never** go in a washing machine. One spin cycle will damage the fibers permanently.

**Step-by-step hand-wash**:

1. **Fill a basin with cold water** (30°C or below). 2. **Dissolve the detergent in the water first** — never pour detergent directly onto the dress (it can cause spotting or color loss). 3. **Turn the dress inside out** to protect the outer surface. 4. **Soak for no more than 5 minutes** — longer soaks can cause color loss. 5. **Press gently through the water** — do not rub, twist, or wring. 6. **Rinse in clean cold water 2-3 times** until the water runs clear.

**Total time should not exceed 15 minutes.**

4. Dry Flat, in Shade (No Sun, No Wringing)

Silk must **never** be wrung out (twisting deforms the fiber) and must **never** be dried in direct sunlight (UV breaks down the protein).

**Correct drying process**:

1. Lay the dress **flat on a clean dry towel**. 2. **Roll the towel up and press gently** to absorb ~80% of the water. Do not wring. 3. **Repeat with a second dry towel** for the remaining moisture. 4. **Lay flat on a fresh dry towel in a shaded, ventilated area** — or hang on a padded hanger in the shade. 5. **Air-dry for 6-8 hours**. If you're in a rush, use a hair dryer on the **cool setting** at 30cm distance.

**Never**:

• Direct sunlight (fades and weakens the fabric).

• Tumble dryer (shrinks and wrinkles permanently).

• Wire hangers (can stretch the shoulders — use padded hangers or lay flat).

5. Iron on Low Heat (110°C Maximum)

Silk **will** wrinkle. Ironing is part of owning silk — but on the wrong setting, ironing can scorch or shine the fabric.

**Ironing steps**:

1. Iron the dress while it is **still slightly damp** (about 80% dry). 2. Set the iron to the **silk / low temperature** setting (110°C maximum). 3. **Place a clean white cotton cloth** between the iron and the silk (prevents shine and scorching). 4. **Iron gently, with light pressure**. Do not press down hard. 5. **Hang for 10 minutes** to release any remaining moisture and let the shape settle.

**No iron?** Hang the dress in the bathroom while you run a hot shower. The steam will release most wrinkles in about 30 minutes.

Final Thought

Silk is not delicate — it is **specific**. Follow the 5 steps and silk will outlive every synthetic in your closet.

Aphratti includes a **silk-care sample** with every silk dress order, so the first time you wash, you already have the right product in your hand.

**Shop the collection** → https://aphratti.com