Air-dry in the shade
Lay it flat or hang it out of direct sun (Slip, Quince, Tide). Sunlight can yellow silk, the University of Idaho Extension notes.
Washing a Silk Pillowcase Without Ruining It: Hand‑Wash and Machine Steps
How to wash a silk pillowcase by hand or in a machine, with every step credited to the care page it comes from.
On this page
The short answer
How to wash silk pillowcases, in one line: hand-wash cool with a gentle detergent, roll in a towel, dry in the shade.
- 30 °C / 86 °F at mostThe warmest water, per Slip and LilySilk
- pH-neutral detergentOr a silk wash: Slip, Brooklinen, Mulberry Park
- Delicate cycleIf the label allows: cold or 30 °C, mesh bag
- Dry in the shadeFlat or hung; most makers say no dryer
Before you start: check the label and test the color
Two minutes here saves a pillowcase: the label says if a machine is allowed, the test says if the dye runs.
Have these ready
- A clean basin or sink
- pH-neutral or silk detergent
- Mesh bag (machine only)
- A clean, dry towel
- A white cloth for the test
- Pressing cloth, if you iron
Read the care label first
It wins over any general advice, this guide included (LilySilk, Sleep Foundation, Tide). No label: hand-wash cool and skip the dryer.
Test the color on a hidden spot
Dab an inside seam with a damp white cloth. Dye on the cloth: wash it alone or have it professionally cleaned (Mulberry Park, Tide).
How to hand-wash a silk pillowcase (step by step)
The method most silk makers prefer, and the one to use when there is no label.
- Fill a basin with cool water30 °C / 86 °F at most, per Slip and LilySilk.
- Add a little gentle detergentpH-neutral liquid, or one made for silk.
- Soak it a few minutesTide says about 3; Mulberry Park 3 to 5, never over 30.
- Swish, then rinse until clearMove it through the water; don't scrub.
- Roll it in a towel, never wringPress the water out, then dry it.
From Slip, LilySilk, Brooklinen, Mulberry Park, Tide and Quince; the towel roll also from Sleep Foundation and the University of Idaho Extension.
How to machine-wash a silk pillowcase
Can you wash silk pillowcases in a machine? Many makers say yes, if the label allows it and the cycle is gentle.
- Inside out, in a mesh bagThe makers that allow a machine ask for both.
- Delicates onlySilk or other delicates; never heavy items such as jeans.
- A cold or 30 °C delicate cycleWith a little pH-neutral detergent, as by hand.
- Shortest spin, out promptlyDon't leave it damp in the drum; towel-roll, then air-dry.
Machine steps from Slip, Brooklinen, Quince, Blissy, Mulberry Park, Tide and Sleep Foundation. Your label overrides all of them.
How to dry and iron a silk pillowcase
The care pages are strictest here: no heat, no direct sun, no wringing.
Iron or steam on low
Inside out, slightly damp, through a pressing cloth (Slip, Quince, Mulberry Park, Tide). Sleep Foundation says steam it, don't iron.
Dryer: most makers say no. Slip, Quince and Tide rule it out; two makers allow a short, cool cycle.
- BlissyNo heat or the lowest heat, up to 20 minutes, in a mesh bag.
- Mulberry ParkThe air setting, 15 minutes at most, only if a dryer can't be avoided.
What never to use on silk, and how to treat a stain
Four things care pages warn against again and again, and the gentle way to lift a spill.
Keep away from silk
- Chlorine bleach: it degrades and yellows silk (University of Idaho Extension). Brooklinen and Quince: do not bleach.
- Enzyme detergents, harsh powders: enzymes break down silk's protein fibers (Mulberry Park, Sleep Foundation).
- Optical brighteners: on Mulberry Park's keep-away list.
- Heat and twisting: hot water, wringing, direct sun, a hot dryer (Slip, Quince, Tide, Idaho Extension).
Treating a stain
- Blot, never rub: press a clean cloth on the spot and lift.
- Act quickly: deal with a spill as soon as you see it.
- Let deodorant and perfume dry first: sweat salts, body oils and alcohol can stain or weaken silk over time.
Stain tips: University of Idaho Extension, Mulberry Park, Tide, Sleep Foundation.
How often to wash a silk pillowcase
Their guidance, not a rule: a label that says otherwise comes first.
- Every 1 to 2 weeksSleep Foundation and Mulberry Park
- WeeklyBlissy, or at least every other week
Where the silk makers disagree
Where care pages split, we name each side and leave the call to your label.
-
Fabric softener
Follow your labelAn optionSlip lists it for hand-washing.
Skip itMulberry Park and Blissy: residue can dull the sheen.
-
Everyday detergent
pH-neutral is the safe choiceToo harshLilySilk and the University of Idaho Extension.
A delicates formulaTide recommends its own.
-
Oxygen bleach
Follow your labelAcceptable for whiteningA 1984 University of Idaho Extension bulletin, for hydrogen-peroxide bleach.
No bleachThe makers' care pages.
The dryer and the iron split them too: see drying and ironing.
Washing satin pillowcases and silk eye masks
Satin is a weave, not a fiber, and most satin pillowcases are polyester; silk satin washes like any silk.
Satin (polyester) pillowcases
Usually machine-washable: Tide says warm water and lower heat to dry; Blissy's satin guide says cold, no dryer.
Silk eye masks
Slip: hand-wash cold, never in a machine. Brooklinen allows a cold delicate cycle. Unsure? Wash it by hand.
The item's own label decides. Our silk vs satin comparison explains the fibers.
Silk pillowcase care: questions readers ask
How do you wash a silk pillowcase?
Hand-wash it in cool water, 30 °C / 86 °F at most, with a little pH-neutral or silk detergent. Soak it for a few minutes, swish it gently, rinse until the water runs clear, roll it in a towel and air-dry it out of direct sun. Use a machine only if the label allows it: see the hand-wash and machine steps.
Sources: Slip, LilySilk, Mulberry Park, Tide, Sleep FoundationHow often should you wash a silk pillowcase?
Sleep Foundation and Mulberry Park say every one to two weeks; Blissy says weekly, or at least every other week. The care label comes first.
Sources: Sleep Foundation, Mulberry Park, BlissyCan you wash a silk pillowcase in the washing machine?
Yes, if the label allows it. Makers who allow a machine ask for a cold or 30 °C delicate cycle, the pillowcase inside out in a mesh bag, delicates only and the shortest spin. See the machine steps.
Can you put a silk pillowcase in the dryer?
Most makers say no. Two allow a narrow exception: Blissy says no heat or the lowest heat for up to 20 minutes in a mesh bag, and Mulberry Park says the air setting for 15 minutes at most, only if a dryer cannot be avoided.
Sources: Slip, Quince, Tide, Blissy, Mulberry ParkHow do you dry a silk pillowcase?
Roll it in a clean towel to press the water out, never wring it, then lay it flat or hang it to dry out of direct sun.
How do you wash a satin pillowcase?
Check the fiber on the label. Polyester satin is usually machine-washable: Tide says warm water is fine for polyester with lower heat to dry, while Blissy's satin guide asks for cold water and no dryer. Follow the item's own label.
How do you wash a silk eye mask?
Hand-wash it in cold water and air-dry it in the shade unless its label allows a machine. Slip says never machine-wash its silk masks; Brooklinen allows a cold delicate cycle.
Can you use fabric softener on silk?
Makers disagree. Slip lists it as an option when hand-washing; Mulberry Park and Blissy say skip it, because residue can dull the sheen.
By RestfulPicks
We compare what silk makers, laundry brands and Sleep Foundation publish and credit each step. We don't run wash trials of our own.