Silk blouse. Machine gentle wash or dry clean??

[FANTINE2]

Max mara 93% silk, 7% elastane blouse.
Label states dry clean. Would you chance washing on silk cycle.??
Don't know whether to chance it ir not

I would, cool wash low or no spin

It is not the machine, it is the detergent that does the damage: hidden bleach and enzymes. Dry clean given the price.

Dry clean

Eventually the silk will fall apart going around in the machine (I have a jersey top with a silk trim. The silk trim looks awful now but thankfully it's just a 'lounge wear' top so can still wear it at home)

I hand wash the (very few) silk items I have. They turn out OK.

I would handwash in cool water with shampoo. Silk is a protein as hair is - I read somewhere that shampoo works well with protein based fibres. If I didn't think it came out clean enough with the shampoo, I would handwash again with a delicate laundry detergent.

I have been washing my Hermes silks and cashmere/silks in the washing machine on the gentle cycle with gentle detergent for the past 20 years without incident.

I don't like the chemicals used in dry cleaning and prefer hand washing my silks and cashmeres.

I wash a similar Hobbs silk blouse in a cool machine cycle, no spin. Needs an iron when still damp (but not too damp).

I can't answer the question but apparently the best thing is to freeze silk before ironing.

I don't dry clean anything unless I absolutely have to (coats & jackets).

I have several blouses that stipulate dry cleaning only and I always put them in the washing machine. I do buy special washing liquid for them and they've always come out just fine.

I put my silk tops (max mara and hobbs) in a wash bag on a gentle machine wash with a very small amount of woolite. I use the 20degree 15 minute wash with 400 spin. They always come out fine.

I wash all my silk and cashmere in Brora cashmere shampoo, it's a really mild hand wash that doesn't damage the delicate fibres. Easy peasy - two capfuls in lukewarm water, swoosh around and add the garment. Leave for 5 mins (go and have a cuppa) and when you return, lift the garment out, squeeze gently and rinse. I roll my silk shirts/sweaters in a towel and leave in a warm place overnight before laying them flat to dry out properly.

I put my silk blouses (stories 100% silk) in a net bag and then into the machine on a handwash setting. I recently got a silk/wool detergent for this purpose (which can be used for handwash or machine). I treat cashmere the same way.

In the washing machine on silk programme, with silk/wool liquid, no problem.

hand wash in warm water with specialist wool/silk detergent, wring gently and dry flat away from heat. I have silk blouses that are 5 years old and use this method.

I wash mine in the machine in a net bag on the silk programme and use baby shampoo in a dosing ball instead of detergent.

I hand wash with Woolite.

*Whinesalot

I can't answer the question but apparently the best thing is to freeze silk before ironing.

I’ll second the freezer trick with v slightly damp clothing. Just don’t do what I did and completely forget that I’d put a blouse in a bag in the freezer. Months (or years, who knows) later DH decides to clean freezer, finds solid frozen item of clothing, thinks I’ve lost my marbles.

Dry clean.

If it is white/cream you could probably get away with a cool handwash.

The problem with bright silks is that any kind of wash no matter how cold will leach the colour. In an emergence you may be able to get away with one or two washes for a coloured silk garment during its life if on cold - but hand wash only. It will make the colour less vibrant.

Eiter dry clean if unsure or wash by hand.

Cool, lukewarm water at most, with a bit of delicates detergent. Leave to soak for a few minutes, don't rub at it excessively then rinse in water with white vingegar added to it (removes traces of detergent and makes it shiny again). Don't wring it out, lay on a towel and roll up like a swiss roll using not too much pressure then dry flat you may move it to a hanger and steam when still slightly damp.