Can You Dry Silk in The Dryer? (How To Dry Silk Sheets)
Laundry time is a fun time. That is when you get to put your knowledge of fabrics and their idiosyncrasies to the test. Knowing which fabric goes where is one of the important pieces of information you need when cleaning your clothes and bed sheets. Failing this test means losing favorite clothing items.
Can you dry silk in the dryer? Some people use the dryer to make sure the silk fabric has shrink before sewing. Other than that you should not put silk in a dryer. The direct heat ruins the material. The best way to dry silk is to hang it up and let the air do the drying.
To learn how to dry silk all you have to do is continue reading our article. It covers the territory of drying silk so you have all the information you need. Spend a few moments reading and get caught up to speed on drying silk.
Drying Silk 101
Will Water on Silk Dry?
Eventually it will dry. The key to getting the water to dry is to blot up any liquid spills and not rub them. Then when finished washing, don't wring it dry to get any excess water out. You should shake the garment then let it air dry.
Also, there is no quick way to dry silk. You can’t hang it in direct sunlight, you shouldn’t put it in the dryer and you can’t use a blow dryer to speed up the drying cycle.
All you can do is be patient and wait for the air to do its thing. Once that is done you can wear it again.
What Happens When You Dry Silk
For starters, silk does not like direct heat. Placing that fabric in the dryer is asking for trouble. The dryer‘s heat will cause the fabric to shrink but that is not all the dryer will do to it.
Then the drum will create enough friction to break the fibers or cause white streaks to appear on the clothes If you put the silk clothing items in the direct sunlight then the silk fabric can fade.
Not only that, but the sunlight can also damage the fibers, shortening the lifespan of your silk clothing. About the only way you can use the dryer is if the cleaning label says it is okay to use the dryer. Then you may only use the fluff cycle.
Does Silk Dry Quickly?
If you call one hour quickly, then yes silk does dry fairly fast. The best way to dry silk is to put them on a padded hanger after using a towel to absorb excess moisture. After that it is just a matter of time before your silk clothing gets dry.
One way that you are allowed to use your dryer when needing to get your silks dryer faster, is if they have been pre-washed and pre-dried before garment construction. If they haven’t experienced that treatment then it is never safe to put silk in a dryer.
Check the label to see if your silks have gone through this pre-treatment.
Does Silk Dry Faster Than Cotton?
Silk puts on a good show and tries hard to be competitive but it doesn't overtake cotton when it comes to drying speed. Cotton is one of the fastest fabrics when it comes to drying.
This fabric is fast but it just can’t beat cotton for top honors. Cotton has been clocked in at 2 hours and 26 minutes of average drying time. Silk’s average drying time registers in at 3 hours and 46 minutes.
Now that is just average drying time some silks may dry faster than that. Linen was about 43 minutes slower than silk.
Can I Dry Silk in The Dryer?
Only if you want to shrink your clothes down so your young children can wear them. It is best not to put silks in the dryer. Direct heat is not good for the material and the friction can also damage the fibers.
The one exception to this rule is if the silk fabric was preshrunk before it was turned into a pretty blouse, shirt, or dress. Then all the possible shrinking ability has been removed and your silk clothing items are safe from the heat.
They may not be safe from the friction though. That thought should inspire you to hang dry all of your silk clothing up where they can dip dry safely and be out of the direct sun.
Can You Tumble Dry Silk?
Not really. The tumble action may create white streaks where the fibers become damaged. Silk is very delicate and tumbling around in the dryer with other clothing only opens it up to ruin.
The experts say to roll the silk in a towel to get the excess moisture before hanging it up on a padded hanger. The padded hanger also protects the silk from any damage during the drying time.
Never wring silk to get the excess water out of it. The wringing can damage the fibers as well and leave you wit ha shirt, blouse, or dress you can’t wear. The less stress your silk belongings endure the better for the silk. That avoidance should help the shirt etc., to last longer.
How To Dry Silk in The Dryer
This method is not difficult at all and if you can trust your dryer then your silks should come out nice and dry as well as without wrinkles. Everything depends on your dryer and what type of settings it has.
I9f it has a cool, air fluff, or no heat setting, then that is the one you use. If it doesn’t have one of those 3 then you best avoid using the dryer. Select one of those settings and place your silk item inside.
There is no real-time limit as you only keep your silks inside the dryer until they are dry and the wrinkles are gone. Since silk is quick-drying, that shouldn’t be too long.
Can You Dry Silk Sheets?
If you mean in a dryer, then that is something you will have to play by ear and see what the cleaning instructions say. Some silk items can be dried in the dryer but under special conditions.
It is best to line dry sheets keeping them out of the sunlight so they do not fade. The key is of course the cleaning label that comes with your sheets. Read it carefully and if it says dry clean only, then you dry clean only.
There is little leeway when drying silk. The friction in the dryer will cause some damage to the fibers so try to avoid the dryer as much as possible when cleaning silk. The do not wring instruction applies to sheets as well.
How To Dry Silk Sheets
To start you should break your sheets in and do hand washing the first few times. This option protects the colors while softening the fibers. Once the washing is over, you should line dry if you have space and keep them away from the sun.
If you do not have space, place them in the dryer on cool or air dry settings. Make sure to wash and dry them alone. This protects the sheets from any friction and keeps the fibers from breaking or getting damaged.
That is all there is to it. Remember, you like being treated gently so do your silk sheets. Treating them carefully means that they will last a long time.
How To Dry Silk Pillowcase
The same process you use for sheets you should use for pillowcases. They are made of the same material and need the same gentle treatment. The one exception to the treatment listed above is if the sheets and pillowcases have been made from silk fabric that has been pre-washed and dried before being made into those items.
If they have been then you should have no problem drying the pillowcases in the dryer. Make sure to look at all the labels on the pillowcases to make sure you know which way to go.
Like sheets, you should line dry as much as possible. Direct heat is not good for any silk items at the best of times.
Can You Dry Silk Pajamas?
Generally, silk pajamas are relegated to the dry cleaners only. That is the best way to handle them when it comes time to clean the pajamas. To wash silk pajamas or boxers you should use the slightest amount of agitation possible.
Then you use a detergent made for delicate things and cold water. Now the drying process is basically the same as it is for silk shirts, etc. Do not wring the pajamas but roll them up in a towel to get most of the moisture out.
Then hang dry them out of the direct sunlight until dry. Keep direct light and heat away from your silk pajamas and boxers. That is if you want them to last a long time.
How To Dry a Silk Shirt
One thing you will find out about clothes made from the same fabrics. They do not come with different washing or drying instructions. Being made out of different qualities of silk does not matter, those are different silks, and items made out of different qualities may have different washing and drying instructions.
For the most part you need to keep all qualities of silk away from direct heat, hot water, and direct sunlight. All of those elements can fade the shirt or damage the fibers. The friction in the dryer can damage the shirt’s fibers and ruin it if you are not careful.
Like most silks, it is best to hang dry a silk shirt even if it has been pre-washed and dried before being made into a shirt.
How To Dry a Silk Scarf
To dry a silk scarf you need a towel and a place to hang dry it. After washing you can gently squeeze the water out before rolling it up in a towel for a little while. The towel should absorb the excess moisture in no time.
After that you take the scarf out of the towel and hang it up where it is safe and won’t be knocked down to the ground. Keep the scarf away from sunlight areas and let the air handle the drying chores.
Like all other silk items you hang dry, you should have it in an area where it is safe to drip dry and won’t damage floors, concrete, etc.
How To Dry a Silk Comforter
Like any delicate fabric you should let the professionals do the cleaning and drying. They have the right equipment and the right chemicals to make sure your silk items come home nice and clean.
But if you can’t afford to do that with all your silk items, then you can use the sun with your silk comforter. Place the comforter n a cover and lay it in the sun for a couple of hours.
This will dry any moisture in the bedding. After that, place the comforter, cover and all, in your dryer and put it on air dry or fluff for 30 minutes. You can repeat this as long as you feel moisture inside the comforter.
Some Final words
Dryers can be your friend. They save you a lot of time and make sure your clothes do not get put away damp. Unfortunately, the dryer is not friendly to all fabrics. One of those is silk.
To dry silk properly you should hang dry it out of the sun and away from any hot heat. There are exceptions to this rule but err on the side of caution when it comes to silk.
