How to Wash a Silk Scarf by Hand: Step by Step

Quick answer: Yes, you can wash a printed silk scarf by hand. Use cold water and a small amount of shampoo or body wash, move the scarf gently for a minute or two, rinse in cold water and never wring it. Press out the water in a towel, dry it flat in the shade, then iron on the lowest silk setting while it is still damp. Dry cleaning is the safest option.

A trace of foundation along the hem after a long dinner, a scarf that has spent all summer knotted to a tote: sooner or later every silk scarf needs a wash. The worry is always the same, that one wrong move will dull the print or pucker the hand-rolled edge. Those risks come from three specific things, heat, harsh soap and twisting, and the method below keeps all three away from the silk. It takes about ten minutes at the bathroom sink plus drying time, and it is the same routine we give for our own printed scarves.

Can you wash a silk scarf?

Yes, a printed silk scarf can be washed by hand, as long as the water is cold, the soap is mild and the fabric is never twisted. Mulberry silk is a natural protein fiber. The silkworm spins it from a protein called fibroin, held together by a gum called sericin that is mostly washed out during processing. That protein structure explains every rule that follows: heat, harsh chemistry and friction are what wear silk down, so the method is built around avoiding all three.

Dry cleaning remains the safest route, especially for oil, red wine or a stain you cannot identify. For everyday freshening, a careful hand wash at home suits printed scarves well. A simple rule decides it: a light trace of makeup or a scarf that just needs freshening goes in the basin, while oil, wine or anything you cannot name goes to the cleaner.

What you need before you start

• A clean basin or a sink you have rinsed of any cleaning product residue.
• Cold water, enough to let the scarf move freely.
• Shampoo or body wash: about a teaspoon, dissolved in the water before the silk goes in.
• Two clean, dry towels, ideally pale ones.
• A flat surface away from direct sun, such as a table or a drying rack laid with a towel.
• An iron with a silk setting, for the finish.

One note if the scarf is new: our 30 day returns cover unused, unwashed, unworn items in their original box, so decide whether you are keeping a scarf before you wash it.

How to wash a silk scarf by hand, step by step

1. Check the care label and test the color. Dampen a corner of a white cloth with cold water and press it against a dark area of the print for a few seconds. If any color appears on the cloth, stop and take the scarf to a dry cleaner.
2. Prepare the bath. Fill the basin with cold water and stir in the shampoo or body wash until it is fully dissolved.
3. Wash gently. Lower the scarf into the water and move it with open hands, lifting and letting it fall, for one to two minutes. Do not leave it to soak, and do not scrub or rub the fabric against itself.
4. Treat a mark with your fingertips. If there is a spot of makeup, dab the area lightly between two fingers while it is under the water. Skip brushes and stain sticks.
5. Rinse in cold water. Drain, refill with fresh cold water and move the scarf again. Repeat two or three times, until the water stays clear and free of suds.
6. Remove water without wringing. Gather the scarf in both hands and press it gently against the side of the basin. Twisting silk while it is wet strains the fibers and can set deep creases.
7. Roll it in a towel. Lay the scarf flat on a dry towel, roll the two together like a sleeping bag, and press along the roll with your palms. Unroll right away.
8. Dry flat in the shade. Move the scarf to a second dry towel or a rack, smooth the corners square, and leave it out of direct sun.
9. Iron while damp. Once the silk is still slightly damp but no longer wet, iron it on the lowest silk setting, working on the reverse side.

What soap is safe for mulberry silk?

A gentle shampoo or body wash is our recommendation for printed silk scarves. Both dissolve easily in cold water, and a small amount is enough. Too much soap means extra rinsing, and extra rinsing means extra handling.

What to keep away from silk is just as specific: skip chlorine bleach and enzyme detergents; enzymes digest protein. Many stain-fighting laundry detergents contain enzymes, so read the ingredient list for words such as protease or amylase before you reach for whatever is beside the washing machine.

How to dry a silk scarf

Dry a silk scarf flat, in the shade, at room temperature. Long exposure to light yellows and weakens silk, so dry it in the shade and store it away from sun. A sunny windowsill is the spot to avoid.

Keep mulberry silk out of the tumble dryer, and keep it away from radiators and heaters. Drying flat also lets you set the shape: smooth the four corners out, check that the hand-rolled edges lie flat, and leave it.

For finishing, our guide to ironing a silk scarf safely covers heat settings and pressing cloths.

Can you put a silk scarf in the washing machine?

We do not recommend the washing machine for printed silk scarves. Even on a delicate cycle inside a mesh bag, the drum tumbles and spins the fabric. A scarf like our 36 inch red Dragon Dreams square has edges rolled and stitched by hand, and those edges deserve the ten minutes a basin takes.

How often should you wash a silk scarf?

Wash a silk scarf when it looks or smells like it needs it, and no more often. A scarf tied on a handbag can go a long time between washes, while one worn at the neck or in the hair picks up makeup and perfume much faster.

A few habits stretch the time between washes:

• Put on perfume, lotion and makeup and let them dry before you tie the scarf. Keep perfume and cosmetics off the silk.
• After wearing, lay the scarf flat for an hour to air before you fold it away.
• Store it folded loosely in a drawer or its box, away from light. Our article on storing a silk scarf goes into folds, rolls and boxes.

How to wash silk ties, twillies and other silk pieces

Different silk pieces call for different care, because they are built differently. Here is how we care for each:

Piece	Our care instruction	Why
Printed square scarf (22, 26, 36, 44 in)	Cold water, shampoo or body wash, no wringing, dry flat in shade, iron lowest silk setting while damp. Dry cleaning is safest.	Single layer of printed silk with hand-rolled edges.
Silk twilly	Same as printed square scarves.	Printed silk in a narrow cut, so take extra care not to twist it.
Silk tie	Dry clean; never wash at home.	Woven jacquard silk over an interlining; water can change the shape.
Silk wrapped bead necklace	Never soak.	The silk wraps around beads that should stay dry.
Silk blouse	Dry clean preferred.	Seams, facings and a cut shape that should keep its fit.

So can silk ties be washed? We would not wash any silk tie at home. The silk tie cleaning guide explains how to handle a spot and when to visit the cleaner. For a twilly, follow the scarf method above and press it flat along its length; our Phoenix Dance silk twillies are printed mulberry silk and follow the same steps.

Does momme change how you wash silk?

No. Momme (mm) is the traditional unit of silk fabric weight. One momme equals 4.34 grams per square meter. A heavier silk may take longer to dry, and the method stays the same. Our explainer on what momme means in silk covers the weight side in detail.

Common mistakes that damage a silk scarf

• Warm water, wringing, or leaving the scarf to soak.
• Enzyme detergent or chlorine bleach.
• Drying in the sun, on a radiator or in a tumble dryer.
• A high iron setting, or spraying perfume straight onto the silk.

For storage, travel and everyday wear, our complete guide on how to care for a silk scarf brings everything together.

Frequently asked questions

Can real silk be washed?

Yes. Printed mulberry silk scarves can be hand washed in cold water with a little shampoo or body wash, rinsed in cold water and dried flat in the shade without wringing. Dry cleaning is still the safest option, and silk ties should always go to a dry cleaner.

Can I hand wash a silk scarf with shampoo?

Yes, a small amount of shampoo or body wash dissolved in cold water is what we recommend for printed silk scarves. Rinse two or three times in fresh cold water until no suds remain.

Can you put mulberry silk in the dryer?

Keep mulberry silk out of the tumble dryer. Press the water out in a towel, then dry the scarf flat in the shade at room temperature.

Can silk ties be washed?

Silk ties go to the dry cleaner. A tie has an interlining and a shaped construction under the silk, and water can distort it.

What detergent should I avoid on silk?

Skip chlorine bleach and enzyme detergents, because enzymes digest protein and silk is a protein fiber. Check the ingredient list for enzymes such as protease.

Should I iron a silk scarf after washing?

Iron it while it is still slightly damp, on the lowest silk setting, working on the reverse side.

Browse every guide in our silk scarf and tie guides.

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