Congratulations on buying a set of silk bed sheets! You've just leveled up your sleep experience big time in terms of comfort, beauty and wellness. And we know you can't wait to slip into the smooth softness of your new luxury sheets. But you're (understandably) nervous about caring for your silk sheets. After all, they're a big investment. Can you machine wash? How do you wash? How do you protect your silk sheets in the washing machine? Should you use a special detergent? Can you put them in the dryer?

So. Many. Questions.

At Heritage Park Laundry Essentials, we've got the answers. We are big fans of silk bed linenof all kinds, be it silk sheets or a pillowcase, duvet cover, or sham. And we're happy to share our expertise and care tips. Although silk sheets don't need much more care than cotton sheets or bamboo sheets, there are a few special considerations to keep in mind.

Follow these five simple guidelines* to get your silk sheets clean while protecting them from damage:

1. Silk sheets are machine washable

Can we get an “amen?!” This is a HUGE convenience. Silk sheets can be washed right in your machine at home; run a silk-only load on a delicate wash cycle in cool water. But even on a gentle cycle, the inside of your washing machine can be rough on a delicate fabric like silk, so use a fine mesh laundry bag to prevent tears and snags. You will need at least two bags, one each for the fitted sheet and flat sheet (a silk pillowcase is small enough to go in with either sheet). Learn more about mesh laundry bags here.

2. Silk sheets can also be washed by hand

This is, of course, a bit more work, but your silk sheets can be washed in a clean utility sink, oversized bucket, or even your bathtub. Use cool water, add detergent and swish around gently with your hand, and rinse thoroughly.

3. Use the right detergent/skip fabric softener and bleach

Most silk bedding is made from mulberry silk. Silk fiber is also protein based, which is the source of all its wonderful moisturizing, hypoallergenic, and antimicrobial properties). You should wash silk with a gentle detergent specially formulated for natural fiber and made WITHOUT enzymes such as Luxury Silk and Wool Detergent from Heritage Park. (Enzymes are wonderful at targeting stains, many of which are protein based. Over time, an enzyme-based detergent can degrade your silk sheets, which are made from a protein based fiber. Learn more about laundry enzymes here). You should avoid using fabric softener or bleach of any kind.

4. Hang Your Silk Sheets to Dry

In general, we do not recommend putting your silk sheets in the dryer. It goes back to silk fiber being protein-based and susceptible to damage from heat. Hang your silk sheets to dry indoors or outside, away from direct sunlight (yes, even indoor sunlight can cause your silk sheets to fade).

5. Don't Iron Your Silk Sheets

Remember, heat is just not good for silk fabric. We've learned to live with a bit of wrinkles on our silk sheets and duvet cover. Our pro tip is to put your sheets on the mattress while just a tiny bit damp and smooth them out by hand. In almost all cases, the wrinkles in a silk bed sheet will release on their own after a day or two of use. If you MUST iron (and we really wish you wouldn't!) stick to just the pillowcases (they're all that show) and iron them inside out on the lowest setting with a towel or cloth in between the iron and silk fabric.

How Often Should You Wash Silk Bedding?

As often as necessary. In general, your silk sheets should be washed at the same interval as any other sheet set would be. Similarly, your silk comforter cover can be washed when needed; if you're skipping a flat sheet and sleeping directly under a silk duvet cover, you may need to wash it more often. The important point is this: with a gentle, enzyme-free detergent, and following proper care guidelines, you will get maximum beauty and performance from your silk sheets.

Why Choose Heritage Park Luxury Silk and Wool Detergent?

Heritage Park has created the ultimate luxury laundry detergent to gently, yet effectively, clean without causing damage to your silk sheets. As we said, we love sleeping on silk, so we made our Luxury Silk and Wool detergent to our own exacting specifications with thoughtfully sourced ingredients.

• CONCENTRATED formula for high efficiency, front load, and traditional top-loading washing machines. Wash more loads of laundry with every bottle.
• EFFECTIVE STAIN REMOVER Perfectly balanced powerful cleaning ingredients are capable of removing tough odors and set-in stains while remaining gentle on your favorite linens.
• ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY, No Dyes, Sulfates, Phosphates (optical brighteners), Chlorine Bleach, or Caustic chemicals. Heritage Park liquid laundry detergent is Biodegradable making wash water acceptable for even grey-water systems. A Neutral PH means our detergent is safer on delicate fabrics. Only necessary ingredients are used, with no fillers or excess water.
• SCENT FREE liquid detergent is lab tested to be Hypoallergenic and Dermatologist & Pediatrician tested. A perfect detergent for sensitive skin or those prone to an allergic reaction or skin irritation from harsh chemicals in other laundry products. (note: Lavender Mistscent is available)
• ENZYME FREE.Using enzyme detergents on silk sheets will break down the integrity of their natural fibers over time. Heritage Park Luxury Silk and Wool Detergent is made to clean without these damaging enzymes.
• ETHICALLY PRODUCED.All Heritage Park Laundry Essentials products are Leaping Bunny Approved. They are 100% cruelty-free and never include ingredients tested on animals.

This specialized gentle detergent can be used in the washing machine and to hand wash garments and home items made of silk, wool, cashmere, furs, and other natural fibers.

Heritage Park Laundry Essentials

At Heritage Park, caring for fine fabric is our passion. As lifelong collectors of luxury sheets, towels, and cloths, we found many commercially available "gentle detergents" either damaged our fabrics or didn't get the job done, leaving stains. We knew we could do better. So we developed a formula with the perfect balance of powerful -- yet safe -- ingredients designed to remove tough, set-in stains while remaining gentle on luxury linens. Please connect with us at (800) 977-1841 or visit our store or email us with any product feedback or cleaning questions.

*Note: always read the care label on your silk sheets or bedding and follow manufacturer's directions.