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This article was co-authored by Ocean Van and by wikiHow staff writer, Devin McSween. Ocean Van is a Laundry & Dry Cleaning Expert based in Long Beach, California. He is the owner and operator of Coco Laundry, a full-service Laundromat and Wash & Fold service. Coco Laundry is a family-owned laundry service that offers top-rated wash, dry, fold, and convenient pickup/delivery options. He and his experienced team of laundry professionals offer commercial and residential laundry services, plus a self-serve laundry operation.
There are 11 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
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Whether you were caught in the rain while wearing a silk shirt or spilled a glass of water over your favorite silk tie, water can absorb into silk and leave unsightly marks. Luckily, there are several simple solutions to get rid of water stains. If the mark is fresh, simply blot it with a white cloth. If the mark is set in, treat it with steam, white silk, vinegar, or lemon juice. Keep reading to learn all the ways to remove water marks from silk!
Getting Water Stains Out of Silk
Dab fresh water marks with a white cloth. For set-in stains, hold a steamer over the spot for 1 minute. Or, rub the mark with a piece of white silk, moving with the grain. As another alternative, blot the mark with a mixture of white vinegar and water or lemon juice and water.
Steps
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![Step 1 Turn on your steamer or bring some water to a boil.]()
Turn on your steamer or bring some water to a boil. Set your steamer to its lowest heat setting and wait for it to heat up. If you don’t have a steamer, fill a pot with water and place it on your stovetop over high heat. Or, fill a kettle with water and bring it to a boil.[2]- Steam helps loosen and disperse the water mark, removing it from the silk.
- Reduce the heat to a simmer once the pot of water starts boiling.
- Alternatively, use the steam setting on your iron.
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![Step 2 Hold the water mark over the steam for 1 minute.]()
Hold the water mark over the steam for 1 minute. Move the steamer back and forth over the water stain, holding the steamer 1 to 2 inches (2.5-5 cm) from the silk.[3] If you’re using a pot of water or kettle, hold your garment 1 to 2 inches (2.5-5 cm) above the steam. Just keep the stained spot in the steam for 1 to 2 minutes.[4]- Test the steamer or iron a few times before using it to ensure it spits out steam, not droplets of water.
- Be careful when steaming your garment. Continually move the fabric back and forth to avoid burns.
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![Step 3 Blot the silk and place it on a clean towel to dry.]()
Blot the silk and place it on a clean towel to dry. Use a clean white cloth to dab and remove moisture from the silk.[5] Then, place a clean, white towel on a flat surface. Lay your garment on top and allow it to dry thoroughly.[6]- If the stain does not go away, steam the silk again. If that doesn’t work, try one of the other stain removal methods below.
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![Step 1 Fill a bowl with cold water and a few drops of gentle detergent.]()
Fill a bowl with cold water and a few drops of gentle detergent. Pour a few drops of a detergent designed for delicate garments or a gentle, fragrance-free detergent into a bowl of cold water. Then, mix the detergent thoroughly in the water.[8]- Read the care label on your silk item before hand washing it. If the label says “Dry Clean Only,” take it to a professional dry cleaner.
- If the care label says your item is machine washable, follow the instructions to safely wash it in your machine.
- Test your silk item for color fastness before washing it, too.
- Do not use heavy, harsh detergents or bleach on silk items. These cleaners can damage the silk fibers and cause the color to fade.
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![Step 2 Soak the garment in the soapy water for 3 to 5 minutes.]()
Soak the garment in the soapy water for 3 to 5 minutes. Laundry and dry cleaning expert Ocean Van says to submerge the silk in the soapy water and gently swirl it around. Then, leave it in the water for 3 to 5 minutes to help dissolve the water mark.[9]- If your fabric is a print or dark color, skip this step. Instead, dip the garment in the water and then take it out immediately. This helps keep the colors from fading or running.
- Do not soak silk for more than a few minutes. This can damage the structure of the fabric.
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![Step 3 Rinse the garment in cool water.]()
Rinse the garment in cool water. Empty the bowl of soapy water and rinse it out to get rid of any soap. Then, refill the bowl with cool water and insert the silk garment. Gently swirl the garment around to rinse out the soapy residue.[10]- Repeat this step as many times as needed until you feel all of the soap is rinsed from the silk.
- Add a little bit of distilled white vinegar to the fresh water to help neutralize the soapy residue and prevent alkali damage.
- For extra soft silk, add 1 to 2 drops of hair conditioner to the rinsing water.
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![Step 4 Roll the garment between a towel and then allow it to air dry.]()
Roll the garment between a towel and then allow it to air dry. Place your silk garment on top of a white towel and gently roll it up to remove excess moisture.[11] Then, professional dry cleaner Safir Ali recommends hanging the garment up on a padded or velvet hanger to dry. Or, lay the garment flat on the towel.- Check to see if the water mark is gone once the silk is dry. It typically takes 1 hour for silk to dry.[12]
- Laundry and dry cleaning expert Jeimy Flournoy says not to wring the silk garment dry, as this can damage the fibers and cause the garment to lose its shape.
- Never dry your silk in the sunlight. Sunlight can damage the silk and cause it to decompose or fade.
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![Step 5 Rinse the silk with white vinegar and detergent if the stain remains.]()
Rinse the silk with white vinegar and detergent if the stain remains. If the water mark isn’t gone after the garment dries, fill a bowl with cool water, a few drops of gentle detergent, and a splash of white vinegar. Let the silk soak in the water for 3 minutes. Then, let the garment dry.[13]- The vinegar helps evaporate the water stain on your garment.
Expert Q&A
Tips
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If none of the above methods remove the water mark, take your silk item to a professional dry cleaner. The dry cleaner will clean the item for you, or give you advice on a special cleaning solution to use. It is important to explain what you have already tried to do to remove the stain, as this can impact the ability to fix the mark.Thanks
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Prevent silk from developing water marks by letting it dry fully after washing. Do not dry it in windy conditions, as this can create water marks and white lines. When storing silk items for a long period, wrap them in cotton garment bags and place them in an airtight storage container.Thanks
References
- ↑ https://cleaning.tips.net/T006570_Removing_Water_Stains_from_Silk.html
- ↑ https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/cleaning/tips/a17314/stains-water-spots-may07/
- ↑ https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/uk/house-and-home/household-advice/a46421548/how-to-use-a-clothes-steamer/
- ↑ https://www.today.com/home/how-remove-water-spots-your-clothing-carpet-t107546
- ↑ https://www.today.com/home/how-remove-water-spots-your-clothing-carpet-t107546
- ↑ https://research.qut.edu.au/textiler/knowledge-base/silk/
- ↑ https://www.housedigest.com/902671/the-best-way-to-clean-silk-furniture/
- ↑ https://www.cleanipedia.com/gb/laundry/wash-silk.html
- ↑ https://www.cleanipedia.com/gb/laundry/wash-silk.html
- ↑ https://www.cleanipedia.com/gb/laundry/wash-silk.html
- ↑ https://research.qut.edu.au/textiler/knowledge-base/silk/
- ↑ http://www.thaisilks.com/images/sales/WashSilk.pdf
- ↑ https://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/cleaning/how-to-clean-water-stains
- ↑ https://howtocleanthings.com/how-to-clean-silk/#gsc.tab=0
About This Article
While most silk needs to be dry cleaned, you can also remove watermarks at home. To remove the stain, try using a steam bath. Bring a large pot of water to boil on the stove, then hold your garment over the steam for about a minute. When you're done, lay it flat on a clean towel to dry. You can also remove watermarks with a scrap piece of silk. Just rub the watermark with a piece of white silk in the direction of the grain, which should transfer the stain. If you don't have extra silk, you can wash your garment in lukewarm water with a tiny bit of laundry detergent. Let it soak for 3-5 minutes to loosen the stain. Then, rinse the silk with clean, warm water. To learn how to soften your silk with hair conditioner, read on!
Reader Success Stories
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"Thanks for this info. I used liquid detergent with vinegar to remove five water stains from a solid medium-pink-colored silk blazer. I rinsed it in cold water with a little vinegar. It dried and looks good as new!"..." more
