Proper Care For Silk Shirts
Posted: Sunday, February 13, 2011
by Robert Deans
http://www.boom-online.co.uk
No-one can deny that silk feels wonderful against your skin while also looking great. But unfortunately, silk clothing is often on the expensive side. That said, it is essential that you look after your silk shirts correctly to ensure they last the distance.
Although it’s a given that most of us would be cautious to not spill any food or drink onto a silk shirt, a lot of us don’t understand the damage that alcohol, and products comprising it can cause. Products like aftershave, perfume and hairspray all feature alcohol heavily on their list of ingredients. Therefore if using any of these items, always apply them prior to getting dressed, as well as waiting until your skin is completely dry.
However, with silk (and all other pricey fabrics), you must never guess at the best cleaning method. Always read the label very carefully. The label may state that anything aside from dry cleaning will result in the shirts colour bleeding. In this case, your best bet would be to line your local dry cleaners pockets. Having said that, you can test out the shirt should you be uncertain that it'll bleed - just clean the shirt in a small inconspicuous spot, like the back of the cuff. Conversely, the shirts label might say that machine washing is okay. If this is the case, always, always, use a gentle wash as well as a low temperature.
If you cannot machine wash your shirt, and yet you simultaneously aren't convinced that you need to shell out for a dry clean, then you have to travel back in time to the good old days and hand wash it. When hand washing silk shirts, ensure that the water is only ever warm in temperature. You should also use a very gentle liquid detergent that is free from bleaches and brighteners. Any stains should be massaged lightly and cautiously and the shirt will need to be rinsed in cold water. If you wish, it is also safe to use a modest amount of vinegar as a natural stain remover.
Whenever you get round to drying your silk shirts, make sure to treat the material using the greatest care and never twist them to remove water. In an effort to take out any surplus water you should, very carefully, roll the shirt into a towel and then hang the shirt on a clothes hanger to dry naturally.
When ironing silk shirts, always iron on the reverse side of the fabric, and employ a tea towel as a barrier between the iron and the shirt. A sizzling iron can easily result in marking on fabrics of such a fragile nature as silk, so let the tea towel don iron marks instead.
Lastly, never let your silk shirts spend too much time in direct sunlight. Although the the urge for a fast solution might lure you to dry your shirt quickly in the sun, the Ultra Violet rays may cause the shirts colour to fade, and may even lead to unsightly yellow staining.
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