566Silk Pillows
posted on September 11th, 2009
Silk has always been associated with the imagery of wealth and luxury. The beautiful shine and gloss, along with the way it moves and drapes, makes it a sought-after choice for both clothing and bedding. Silk has always had a celebrated status in the household and one of the best ways to use silk in the home is in the use of pillows. Silk pillows are lavish, resilient, and with little care they preserve their beauty forever.
Even with regular washing, pillows tend to accumulate large amounts of dust and vast numbers of microbes among the fill. Since silk is made of natural protein fibers with built-in anti-bacterial and anti-mite characteristics, it does not require cleaning too often. Occasionally, just hang the pillow out in fresh air for a couple of hours. However, when cleaning is required, you should know that hot water and heat from a clothes dryer, an iron and even from direct sunlight, might affect the silk and its special features.
Hand washing is the suggested mode of cleaning silk. Unless specifically noted most silk can be hand washed in a sink or bath tub. Use lukewarm water and mild, non-alkaline soap or baby shampoo. Using lukewarm water to clean maintains its softness and novelty. As it is consists of natural protein fibers, use of alcohol will damage the material. Therefore do not spray perfumes on silk pillows. Same is the case with chlorine bleach.
Most of the silk manufacturers and vendors recommend green or organic dry cleaning. Always make sure that the dry cleaner understands that your pillow is made of 100% silk.
