Yes, you can machine wash a silk pillowcase if its care label allows it. Put it in a mesh laundry bag and wash it on its own, away from other colors, on a cold delicate cycle with a small amount of pH-neutral detergent. Skip bleach and fabric softener, take it out as soon as the cycle ends, and air dry it. Never put it in the dryer.
Maybe you're standing at the washer right now, pillowcase in one hand, lid open, wondering if you're about to ruin something you paid good money for. That hesitation is reasonable. Silk has a "dry clean only" reputation, and a lot of care advice online contradicts itself. So here's what's actually safe, what isn't, and why.
Is it safe to machine wash a silk pillowcase?
Yes, with conditions. The machine isn't what damages silk. Heat, harsh detergent, rough company in the drum and the dryer are. Take those away and a delicate cycle is gentle enough for a plain silk pillowcase.
One rule comes before all the others: read the care label. If it says hand wash or dry clean only, follow it. The label knows the fabric, the dye and the construction better than any general guide can.
What settings should you use to machine wash silk?
| Setting | Use | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Cycle | Delicate, gentle or silk | Less agitation on the weave |
| Water | Cold | Heat is hard on protein fiber |
| Spin | Lowest | Less twisting and pulling |
| Detergent | A little pH-neutral, no enzymes | Enzymes in many stain fighters break down protein, and silk is protein |
| Bleach | None | Chlorine bleach degrades and yellows silk |
| Fabric softener | None | It coats the fiber |
| Mesh bag | Always | Keeps silk off the drum and away from hardware |
| Load | On its own | Other colors can bleed onto silk |
| Drying | Air dry flat or hanging, out of direct sun | Never the dryer |
For what to look for on the back of a detergent bottle, read how to choose a detergent for silk.
Do you need a mesh laundry bag for silk?
Yes. It's the cheapest protection you can buy for silk. The bag keeps the pillowcase from rubbing against the drum and from catching on zippers, hooks and buttons. Close the pillowcase's own zipper or flap and turn it inside out before it goes in, so there's nothing loose to catch.
Can you wash a silk pillowcase with other laundry?
Wash it on its own. Anything that bleeds color can stain silk, and towels and jeans are rough company even through a mesh bag. If it must share a load, share it only with other silk in the same color. We learned the color rule the memorable way, and that story is in the full washing routine, machine and hand wash.
Can you put a silk pillowcase in the dryer?
No. Not on low heat, not on air-fluff, not for a few minutes. Some older care advice, including an earlier version of this page, allowed a short low-heat tumble. We've settled on one rule for every care guide on this site: never the dryer.
Lay it flat on a clean towel or hang it, away from radiators and out of direct sun, which can yellow silk over time. It usually dries in a few hours.
Is hand washing better than machine washing silk?
Neither is wrong. Hand washing is gentlest, and it's the right choice if the care label asks for it or the piece has padding or a shape to protect, like a contoured eye mask (how to wash a silk sleep mask). Machine washing gives a steadier temperature and a more thorough rinse than most of us manage at a sink, which is why plenty of people prefer it for a plain pillowcase. Pick the one you'll actually do every week.
What mistakes ruin silk in a washing machine?
- The dryer. The most common one. Air dry only.
- Enzyme or "bio" detergent. In a 1998 study of fibers washed with protease, silk was the most damaged of the three fibers tested.
- Hot or warm water. Cold is enough.
- Skipping the mesh bag. One snag can pull a thread across the face of the pillowcase.
- Washing with other colors. Dye transfer doesn't always wash out.
- Leaving it wet in the drum. Take it out as soon as the cycle ends.
- Wringing it. Press the water out in a towel instead.
How often should you machine wash it?
Every 7 to 10 days for most people, sooner if you sleep in heavy skincare or hair products. The details are in how often to wash a silk pillowcase. For the habits that keep silk smooth for longer, read how to make a silk pillowcase last longer.
Can you machine wash a Wink pillowcase?
Every Wink piece ships with its own care instructions, and those come first. Our pillowcases are Performance Luxury Silk™: 25 momme, Grade 6A, 100% mulberry silk charmeuse, crafted by a GOTS & OEKO-TEX certified silk house. Here's what Performance Luxury Silk means. The pillowcase OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certificate is 22.HCN.30712, Product Class I, and it's on our certifications page so you can look it up yourself. Wink Silk is pursuing its own GOTS and OEKO-TEX certifications.
If you'd like to be there when we open, Join Wink Privé, our free membership. It opens November 2, three days before everyone else.
Wink. The brand that shows you the certificates.
Sleep beautifully.
Sources
- Song, Yang and Choe, An Influence of Protease on Damage of Fiber, Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles (1998)
- All About Silk: Caring for Silk, University of Idaho Cooperative Extension Service (PDF)
- OEKO-TEX Label Check
Douceur Doublure™ is two layers of 25 momme, Grade 6A mulberry silk: 330 hand-numbered founding pieces, never restocked.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you really machine wash a silk pillowcase?
Yes, if the care label allows it. Put it in a mesh laundry bag, wash it on its own on a cold delicate cycle with the lowest spin, and use a small amount of pH-neutral detergent with no enzymes. Skip bleach and fabric softener, take it out right away, and air dry it. Never use the dryer.
Will machine washing ruin a silk pillowcase?
Not on its own. The damage people blame on the machine usually comes from hot water, enzyme or bleach detergents, washing without a mesh bag, washing with other colors, or the dryer. Remove those and a cold delicate cycle is gentle enough for a plain silk pillowcase.
What cycle should I use for silk?
A delicate, gentle or silk cycle with cold water and the lowest spin your machine offers. Avoid normal and heavy-duty cycles, warm or hot water, and high spin speeds. Always use a mesh laundry bag and wash silk on its own.
Can I put silk in the dryer?
No. Not on low heat and not for a few minutes. Lay the pillowcase flat on a clean towel or hang it, away from heat and out of direct sun, which can yellow silk over time. A silk pillowcase usually air dries in a few hours.
Is hand washing better than machine washing silk?
Neither is wrong. Hand washing is gentlest and is the right choice when the label asks for it or the piece has padding or a shape to protect. A cold delicate cycle in a mesh bag gives a steady temperature and a thorough rinse, so many people prefer it for a plain pillowcase.
