The Silk program in the washing machine

Silk is an incredibly delicate fabric that requires special care. Due to the fabric's properties, not all silk garments will last for many years, especially if standard care instructions for such garments are not followed. While it's best to hand wash silk garments rather than machine wash them, this is sometimes simply not possible. However, washing machines almost always have a "Silk" cycle, giving users an excellent way to wash delicate items without unnecessary risk. We'll take a closer look at this cycle and explain how to use it correctly.

How the Silk algorithm works

Before washing your Indesit, be sure to find out what material your garment is made of. Detailed information can be found on the care label, usually located on the inside of the garment. If the garment is made of natural silk, you'll need to purchase a special detergent with a neutral pH to clean it. If the garment is made of synthetic fibers, you can wash it with regular soap or clear or white shampoo. Then, simply load the drum, add detergent, and select the "Silk" cycle.

The Silk cycle in your washing machine is usually indicated by a T-shirt icon.

This program was specially designed for the most delicate fabrics, such as tulle, silk, and viscose, as well as lace and lingerie. In Indesit machines, this cycle takes 60 minutes and runs at a temperature of 30 degrees Celsius. It does not spin to protect delicate garments. It is also worth considering that in this mode you cannot load more than 20% of the maximum drum volume. Thus, if the maximum capacity of the machine is fixed at 5 kilograms, then it is permissible to load no more than 1 kilogram of dirty silk items.

We'll wash it by hand.

Housewives often don't care how the "Silk" program works, as they're used to washing delicate items the traditional way—by hand. This habit is perfectly valid, as it cleans clothes much more gently than in a washing machine. All you need to do is fill a container with clean, boiled water, cool it to 30-40 degrees Celsius, dissolve soap or gel in the liquid, and then stir thoroughly.

Never use chemicals containing aggressive bleaching agents to wash silk items.

Once the detergent solution is ready, you can immerse the garment in the container and let it sit for 20 minutes to allow the detergent to penetrate the fabric and begin breaking down the dirt. This is partly because when hand washing, avoid using force, rubbing, wringing, or twisting delicate items, which means they need to undergo a different treatment.

Instead of wringing, you can brush off excess moisture or blot with a cotton sheet to remove as much water as possible. Silk items should be laid flat to dry. If you plan to wash colored silk, you can use the traditional method of washing it in potato broth. To do this, boil peeled potatoes, remove the vegetables from the pot, and let the water cool to 30-40 degrees Celsius. Then, place the garment in the broth and leave it there for several hours.

Once the time has passed, remove the items, add 2 tablespoons of rubbing alcohol to the pan, and then return the clothes to the pan. Once the wash is complete, rinse the items thoroughly to remove the potato broth and lay them out to dry. If you want to keep your clothes from losing their vibrant, saturated color, add a spoonful of table vinegar to the rinse cycle, which helps clothes retain their color.

How to wash silk items?

We've learned that you shouldn't use harsh detergents to wash silk, such as laundry detergent, which not only doesn't dissolve well in cold water but also doesn't rinse out 100% of the stain. Instead, use liquid detergents made with environmentally friendly ingredients. A special silk gel, free of chlorine and other harsh ingredients, is ideal for washing silk. For example, the following household chemicals are suitable:

• "Laska. Wool and Silk" is a gel specially designed for the care of the most delicate fabrics. Its special formula removes all types of stains from clothing, preserves its vibrant colors, and prevents deformation.
• This "Eared Nanny" gel is suitable for cleaning baby clothes, as well as the clothes of people with allergies. Plus, it doesn't harm clothes, while gently removing dirt.
• "Silk" prevents clothing from becoming deformed, makes fabric softer, and removes any stains. It works perfectly even in cool water and does not remain in the fibers.
• Prosept Crystal, a balm designed for silk and wool, has a high-quality, safe formula that cleans clothes perfectly without damaging them.

If you don't have special silk cleaning products at home, use regular clear soap or clear shampoo. Most importantly, make sure the product doesn't contain chlorine, alkali, or other harsh ingredients. Also, remember that bleach and stain removers should never be used on silk.

   

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