Most people assume silk bedding is fussy. They picture dry-cleaning bills and delicate hand-washing rituals, and they file the whole idea under too hard. The truth is a lot simpler, especially with ours. Our silk duvets and pillows are box-quilted, which means the silk is stitched in place and cannot bunch up in the wash, so you can clean them at home in your own machine.
Can you machine wash a silk duvet?
Yes, you can machine wash ours. Because the fill is stitched into channels, it holds its shape through a gentle cycle instead of collapsing into one soggy lump at the bottom. That is the difference between silk bedding that survives a wash and silk bedding that does not, so always check that a duvet is quilted before you try this with any brand.
How to wash a silk duvet, step by step
- Use a gentle or delicates cycle with cold or lukewarm water, no warmer than 30 degrees.
- Choose a mild, pH-neutral detergent. Skip anything with bleach, brighteners or enzymes.
- Run a low spin or no spin. A hard spin stresses the fibres.
- Dry it flat or on a line in the shade. Never tumble dry on high heat, and keep it out of direct sun.
- Give it a gentle shake while it dries to keep the fill even.
How to wash silk pillows
Silk pillows follow the same rules as the duvet: a gentle cold cycle, mild detergent, low spin, and dry flat in the shade. If a pillow is only lightly marked, spot-clean that spot rather than washing the whole thing, and let a pillowcase take the daily wear.
How to wash a silk pillowcase
- Hand wash in cool water, or machine wash on a delicate cycle inside a mesh laundry bag.
- Use a silk-safe or gentle detergent, and never leave silk to soak for long.
- Do not wring. Press the water out gently with a towel.
- Air dry in the shade, and iron on low from the reverse if you want it perfectly smooth.
Cool water, a mild detergent, a low spin and shade drying. Keep silk away from bleach, high heat and direct sun and it will reward you with years of use.
Shop machine-washable silk bedding
What to avoid
Silk is a natural protein fibre, closer to your own hair than to cotton, so treat it the way you would treat anything delicate.
- Bleach and harsh detergents. They break down the fibre and dull the sheen.
- High heat. Hot water, hot dryers and hot irons are the fastest way to ruin silk.
- Direct sun. A shady line or an airing rack is kinder than a sunny one.
- Long soaks and hard spins. Quick and gentle wins every time.
Build your silk sleep set
Everything you need for the full silk difference, made from 100% Mulberry silk.
Frequently asked questions
Can you tumble dry silk? Only on a cool, air-dry setting, and even then line drying is better. High heat is the thing to avoid.
Do you have to dry-clean silk bedding? Not ours. The quilting means a gentle home wash does the job. Dry cleaning is an option, not a requirement.
How often should I wash it? Pillowcases every week or two, duvets and pillows once or twice a year, with regular airing in between.
Bedding that is actually easy to live with
Machine washable, all-seasons and approved by the British Allergy Foundation.
Shop silk duvetsWant the bigger picture on why silk is worth it? Read our guide to why silk bedding.