Account
Right

How to Remove Stains from Silk

How to Remove Stains from Silk

Step one -

Don’t freak out, it happens to the best of us and is only a sign that you are enjoying life. 

What to do

Dab the freshly stained spot with a dry, lint-free, white cloth as soon as possible.  It may seem instinctive to immediately rub a spill or stain with a damp cloth, but this could actually harm the silk, permanently discolouring the item by removing some of its pigment. It could also damage the silk fibres. 

Better to be safe than sorry..

Before washing or trying to remove stains, always test for colourfastness first. Its easy to do, just wet the corner of a white towel and dab an inconspicuous area of your silk garment, if colour runs onto the towel, better to dry clean.

What you need to stock up on

There are many ways to remove stains from silk but the ones I find reliable and more eco friendly are the silk safe wash and stain bar and the stain solution from the laundress. Other stain solutions are also available in the cleaning aisle of supermarkets but do test them before trying to remove the stain in an inconspicuous area to make sure they are ok on your fabric. 

 I love the laundress products because with them I can remove - 

Wash and Stain Bar -

Oil,  Dirt and Grime,  Perspiration, Powdered Based make up such as foundation and eye shadow

Stain Solution -

Make up (coloured and waxed based) such as lipsticks, mascaras, Blood (only ever use cold water for blood as hot water will set the stain), Juices (even coconut water!), Chocolate, Wine , Ink non permanent, Protein stains such as non oily food, vomit :(

Also, 

For some food stains, I apply the stain solution and then the wash and stain bar. 

For fresh oil stains, after dabbing with a white lint free cloth, and before trying any stain solution, I apply cornstarch or talcum powder first onto the stain and leave it for a few hours. It usually soaks up the oil stain.

What to do

Make a lather or gently dab the stain with the bar or solution

Lightly rub the fabric together in a tub of warm water (not more than 30 degrees). If the stain is bad, put the affected area under the tap and let the pressure of the cool to warm water help work the stain.

Repeat the steps until the stain is gone. 

Then hand wash according to our instructions - preferably with the vinegar solution. 

 

Our recommendations are a guide only and results can vary with different fabrics, cleaning solutions, water PH levels etc. We cannot always guarantee success but these methods are all tried and tested by us. We never recommend using chlorine bleach or fabric softener. Do not iron or apply heat to stained items.