Artwork by Trent Reese

How to Care for Unusual Fabrics: Silk, Leather, and Velvet

While your closet is likely full of easy-to-care-for clothing items made from common fabrics like cotton, you might have a few items made from unusual fabrics that you’re not quite sure how to clean. (Pro-tip: when in doubt, just send it to the cleaners!) If you’ve got something in your closet that you’re not sure about, read ahead to learn how to clean unusual fabrics like silk, leather, and velvet.

Silk

Silk is a delicate fabric that can be easily damaged if you accidentally wash it improperly. Knowing this might make you feel nervous to care for your silk items. If you follow a few simple steps, your item will come out of the wash clean, soft and ready to wear again.

1. Check your clothing tag for care instructions. If a tag indicates “dry clean only”, your best bet is to take it to a dry cleaner who can carefully care for it as they wash it. If it indicates only “dry clean” however, you can probably hand wash it at home without doing damage.
2. To hand-wash silk, first, fill a basin with cool water and drop your item in, fully submerging it.
3. Add a few drops of detergent and gently oscillate the water until the detergent is fully mixed and then let your item soak for just a few minutes.
4. Gently run your hands on the item up and down to slowly remove dirt and then rinse it thoroughly under running cold water.
5. Finally, remove the item from the sink, wrap it in a towel (microfiber towels typically work best) to absorb any excess water, and then hang it to dry somewhere out of the sun.

If your silk garment tag indicates that your item is machine washable you should still follow a few simple steps to ensure it comes out of the machine looking its best.

1. Make sure that your laundry is properly sorted and that you’re not mixing silk with any heavier or rougher fabrics like denim.
2. Place your item in a mesh bag and load it into the machine. Choose a gentle detergent and set your machine to a gentle cycle.
3. When it’s done you can use a towel to remove excess water before hanging your item to dry.

Leather

If you have leather items in your closet, you’ve likely wondered how you can get your item clean without damaging it. Leather, while a durable material, is not meant to go in the washing machine and should be hand-washed both to maintain its surface while still ensuring a deep clean.

1. To hand wash your leather items you’ll first need to make a soapy solution with water and just a bit of castile soap or special leather soap.
2. Dip a lint-free cleaning cloth in the solution and apply gentle pressure as you slowly wash away any stains or dirty spots.
3. After you wash away the dirt and clear off the soap by using a lint-free cleaning cloth dipped in just water, you’ll want to let your item air-dry by either laying it flat or hanging it to dry.

If your leather item is especially delicate or pricey, you may want to consider having it professionally cleaned instead of taking on the task yourself. Whatever you do, it’s important to recognize that while some items might come out looking okay if you choose to use the washing machine, you’re always risking damage when you don’t hand wash your leather or have it professionally cleaned.

Velvet

Velvet is a luxurious fabric that many people enjoy wearing during the cooler months and increasingly all year-round. If you’ve got a velvet item in your wardrobe that you’re curious about how to care for, read ahead!

Like all items, you’ll want to check your care tag before you make any decisions about how to wash your velvet clothing. While some items are machine washable, others are hand wash, dry clean, or spot clean only. If your clothing tag says that your item is machine-washable, you’ll want to select a gentle cycle with cold water and the spin setting on low.

1. Turn your item inside-out and place it in a mesh bag before putting it into the machine.
2. After washing, you can lay the item flat or hang it to dry and then put it in the dryer on the ‘fluff’ setting to ensure it looks it’s best.
3. Never iron velvet as ironing is sure to damage the fabric; if you need to get out wrinkles use a steamer instead.

If your velvet item says that it should only be hand-washed, you’ll need to fill a basin with cool water and just a bit of gentle detergent before gently oscillating it and rinsing it, and then following drying instructions.

No matter which fabric your favorite clothing is made of, you want to be sure that it comes out looking better than it did going in after cleaning it. Following simple rules like always checking the clothing tag before cleaning your item can save you a world of trouble down the road. Further, using the directions above with your clothing made of unusual fabrics will help keep them looking their best!