Tips on Silk (Animal Fiber)

Source:

Silk worm

Benefits:

Beautiful, brilliant colors
Luxurious fabrics

Precautions:

Due to bright colors, dye fading may occur when cleaned
Bright colors fade readily to sunlight
Discoloration and staining from perspiration

General Care:

Usually drycleanable in any solvent
If hand washing, do not twist or wring to remove moisture
Use a mild detergent when washing

Partial tumble dry to soften, followed by air drying

Tips:

Blot That Spot - to remove stains, blot the area, do not rub. Rubbing silk while damp breaks the surface fibers, and creates a chalky, chafed appearance.

Don't spray perfume or hair spray directly on fabric. Dyes on silk discolor readily when contacted by alcohol-based solutions. Also, alkaline and acid products discolor silk, which includes toothpaste, deodorant, facial cleansers and moisturizers and other skin care preparations. So, finish your morning prep routine for the day before getting dressed to minimize damage.

 

Rayon (Man-Made Cellulose)

Other Common Names:

Viscose, Lyocell, Tencel,

Source:

Wood pulp

Benefits:

Beautiful, brilliant colors
Luxurious silk-like fabric

Precautions:

Due to bright colors, dye fading may occur when cleaned
Bright colors fade readily to sunlight
Water spots or rings develop readily due to sizings in fabric
If washed, fabric may feel limp

General Care:

Usually drycleanable in any solvent
If hand washing, do not twist or wring to remove moisture

Partial tumble dry at low temperatures, followed by air-dry to minimize shrinkage.

Tips:

Even weak acids solutions can readily discolor the dyes on rayon fibers. This includes many skin care products, deodorants, and perspiration.

Wool (Animal Fibers)

Common Types:

Cashmere, Merino, Mohair, Virgin Wool, Angora,

Source:

Animal hair, such as from a sheep, goat, alpaca, or rabbit

Benefits:

Very warm, great to wear in cooler temperatures
Lighter or tropical weight fabrics were developed so wool can be worn year-round.
Very durable fabric

Precautions:

Holds odors, so clean regularly.

General Care:

Usually drycleanable in any solvent
If hand washing, dunk the fabric, don't twist or wring
To minimize shrinkage, do not machine wash in regular cycles.
Do not tumble dry. Air dry only.

Tips:

Insects love wool fibers, and stains are like an added treat for them. Think of it as dessert after a great meal. So clean wool before storing when the season is over to minimize insect attack, and store properly.

 

Polyester & Nylon (Synthetic Fibers)

Source:

Man-made

Benefits:

Comfortable to wear
Dyes easily
Easy care, and dries quickly

Precautions:

Heat sensitive, can be damaged by hot irons and high drying temperatures
Bright colors fade readily to sunlight
Discoloration and staining from perspiration

General Care:

Usually drycleanable in any solvent

If washable, use permanent press cycles, which are shorter and gentler than cotton cycles.

If machine drying, use medium to low temperatures. Remove immediately and hang to minimize ironing.

Tips:

Synthetic fibers hold onto oily stains, and we all know that oil and water do not mix. So if you get an oil-based stain on a polyester blouse, it will not be removed in normal washing. This is a stain that is best handled by your professional cleaner.

Cotton, Linen, Ramie (Cellulose Fibers)

Source:

Plants

Benefits:

Comfortable to wear
Breathable fabrics

Precautions:

Wrinkles easily

General Care:

If drycleanable, these fabrics can be processed in any solvent.
If washable, follow normal home washing and drying methods.

These fabrics will require more ironing than most to achieve a wrinkle-free appearance.

Tips:

To get a crisper look when hand ironing, mist the fabric with water before ironing.

When washing, do not overload the machine to prevent dye crocking and streaking on darker fabrics.