Dry-clean only silk-can I hand wash?

[PlumSykes]

Have got a navy silk dress, the type of silk that is peachy to touch-washed silk, perhaps.

Anyway, label says dry clean? Should I risk it?

Not sure, but to save you the stress maybe you should just get it dry cleaned? It prob wouldn't be that expensive and would be better than ruining your dress and having to buy a new one!

Nah, I wouldn't risk it, silk can go funny in water - you know how if you go out in the rain it can go all crinkly, that might happen to the whole thing.

[still in mourning for my favouritest going out top, thought 'oh stuff it I'll just hand wash it this time' and it shrank and one sleeve ended up twice as long as the other :(]

Every single time I have hand washed dry-clean-only silk, it has shrunk Not much but just enough.

I am a dry cleaner...can you link it and ill have a look.

Bishbosh, it is basically this, but last season's style and in navy. Same buttons etc though.

Thanks all!

I reckon silk is as tough as old boots, and personally I wash all my silk things in the washing machine on a 30 degrees wool wash. I haven't lost anything yet.

I can;t get a really close up of the material but I will tell you that we wash about 5 D/C only dresses a week which are ruined by customers for various reasons and I haven't ruined one yet . If you are going to wash use the hand wash setting on your washing machine and use a silk liquid detergent. Remove from the wash as soon as it has finished and hang smoothing the material out as it dries with your hands.

I doubt it will shrink but it will not have the smooth appearance that it has now and pressing could be a problem as domestic irons can burn and make material go shiny.

I am tending to agree with previous posters that if it was expensive then it is worth sending £10 to get it d/cleaned.

I only recommend risking washing to my customers that have ruined items and dry cleaning hasn't removed the marks ( i.e ....do or die..

If it were mine I may washing it but I am not sure if I was you I would risk it....hope that helps.

You can buy sheets like Bounce to put in your washer to clean dry clean only clothes but I am not sure if they are okay to use on silk.