handwashing a dry clean only printed silk top?

P

polarisfire

Member
Nov 14, 2009
58
0
#1
So I bought this silk top:
http://piperlime.gap.com/browse/product.do?searchCID=4016&vid=1&pid=773867&scid=773867002

I searched for other's experiences with washing silk by hand, and I've actually been fine washing this other 100% silk shirt. BUT that shirt isn't tiered and it's white. With this shirt, I'm afraid the colors might bleed... though neither of the colors are very bright so maybe they won't?

I read that adding vinegar to wash water helps prevent bleeding?

People also keep saying that drying things that have linings are bad... this does have a lining but it's more like a thinner connecting layer of silk that all the tiers of fabric are sewed onto.

What do you guys think? I really don't want to take it to the dry cleaner :[

Thanks!!
 
#2
linings are troublesome if they're made of a different fabric than the shell, because different fabrics have different shrinkage rates. if the lining is also 100% silk you shouldn't have a problem (^(oo)^)

use cold water and don't let the thing soak in the water for ages - just wash, rinse, squeeze gently, and lay flat to dry, and you should be fine
 
#3
PS - for future reference, if the label says "Dry Clean" like this one apparently does (according to the website) the item can usually be safely washed by hand in cold water. If it says "Dry Clean Only," it's safer to send it off to the dry cleaner (^(oo)^)
 
#4
o really! =DD

So you don't think the print will be ruined as long as I don't soak forever =DD
I was just gonna spot treat some grease spots (>_> tacos at 3 AM...) and then rinse a couple times, maybe add a bit of vinegar with the rinse etc... no soaking

Thanks! I lurrrrvvve this top
 
#5
I hand wash my silk tops, and they're ok.

However, I have a silk skirt that the bottom layer was a shiny satiny silk layer and the top was a chiffon-like silk layer, and the top layer REALLY shrunk and the bottom layer didn't. Fortunately, it shrunk evenly and it just looks like it was made tiered... but it wasn't. So be careful! :Push:
 
#7
polaris - even if you are only spot cleaning, do make sure to get the entire garment wet, otherwise you may end up with a water stain - this is not due to bleeding of the colours/dyes, it's just the nature of the silk (even white silk can get water spots)

again, check to make sure the lining is not made of something other than silk, otherwise you risk uneven shrinkage (^(oo)^)v
 
#9
You can also use those dye catcher cloths when you wash it. The last ones I bought are made by Carbona and are called color grabber cloths, I found it in my supermarket. You also have to keep the fabric moving to prevent dye bleeding and settling. I use vinegar for a rinse, it's supposed to brighten the colors again, I think. The only silk I handwash though are my Hermes scarves. Blouses go into the washer in cold water. But I dry clean lined garments.
 
#10
I know vinegar works when dying fabrics. I used to dye wool soakers and play silks for my DD. I used the vinegar to set the dye. I'm not sure if it works to prevent bleeding after the fact though. I would imagine the dye in that top would be set already, but I'm not 100% sure.
 
#11
I have a 100% silk multi coloured top that I have hand washed in cold water. I bought it at a second hand store for $19 and the label said dry clean only, but I figured no harm in trying hand wash since I got it so cheap and it turned out fine.
 
#13
I do it to all of mine and nothing's been ruined yet. I started after the dry cleaners wrecked a couple of my tops and I decided I could ruin them myself for free :smile: Now I just don't bother taking them to the cleaners.
 
#14
I'm not a fan of dry cleaning silk, I feel that dry cleaning really dulls the colors and makes whites go grey. Those chemicals do a number on fabric. The only things I dry clean these days are lined stuff.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top
Back