Drying Silk in the Dryer: A Step-By-Step Guide for Beginners

I’m often asked if it’s safe to dry silk clothing or fabric in the dryer. As a longtime seamstress who works with silk regularly, I totally understand the concern.

Silk has a reputation for being a delicate fabric that requires special care. However, with some basic precautions, you can safely dry your silk items at home between wearings or after washing.

In this beginner’s guide, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know. My aim is to give you the confidence to dry silk successfully without damaging this luxurious natural fabric.

Should You Put Silk in the Dryer? Assessing the Risks

Before tossing your silk blouses or dresses into the spin cycle, it’s smart to understand what could happen.

When washed and dried improperly, silk may shrink, lose its sheen, or become stiff and discolored.

Why does this occur? As a protein-based fabric, silk is vulnerable to heat damage. Exposing it to high temperatures can cause the fibers to contract and bind together permanently.

The end result? Severe and irreversible shrinkage. However, many sources advise against machine-drying silk at all for fear of ruining it.

In my experience, this blanket rule is overcautious. With care, the dryer can be silk’s friend rather than its foe!

Here are common concerns about drying silk, and my tips for addressing them:

Follow the prep steps below, and you can dry silk successfully. Let’s get into it!

Preparing Silk Fabrics and Garments for Drying

You’ll set yourself up for silk drying success by taking a couple of preparatory steps:

Check Fabric Care Labels

It seems obvious but always consult clothing or fabric care labels first. The manufacturer’s guidelines supersede any general advice.

If a label says “Dry Clean Only,” sending the item to a professional is best. For silk products without specific instructions, use the techniques provided here.

Wash Properly Before Drying

Washing and rinsing are when silk shrinkage usually occurs—not drying. So it’s vital to pre-treat silk garments correctly by:

• Hand washing in cool or lukewarm water
• Using a gentle soap or detergent for delicates
• Avoiding fabric softeners
• Gently rolling (not wringing!) silk items in a towel to remove moisture

This process allows silk fibers to relax appropriately before drying so they don’t constrict further in the heat.

Sort Items by Weight and Color

As with any load, lighter silk items can dry faster than heavier ones, and darks faster than lights. Sort accordingly so you can remove pieces promptly when dry to prevent over-drying anything.

Now let’s get to the fun part—selecting the best dryer settings for your silk pieces!

Choosing the Right Dryer Options for Silk

To dry silk safely:

Set your dryer to a low or medium heat level. High heat risks extreme fiber damage and shrinkage. For added protection, use the air fluff or air dry setting if your machine has this option.

Select a gentle or delicate cycle if possible to reduce agitation and friction. The normal setting will work as well since silk is lightweight.

Use the moisture sensor setting so the dryer shuts off when silk items reach the optimum dryness level.

Some dryers also have specialty cycles for silks, knits, lingerie, and other delicates. Feel free to use these! The key is keeping the warmth low enough to prevent fiber damage.

Now let’s get into some pro tips for drying silk safely and efficiently.

Expert Drying Techniques to Treat Silk Right

Here are my top professional recommendations for protecting silk in the dryer:

• Use dryer balls. These wool or plastic balls lift and separate fabric pieces to allow better airflow. The result? Faster, even drying with less wrinkling or creasing.
• Throw in a clean towel. For extra insurance against snags, add a thick, stripped towel to the dryer as a shielding barrier. The terrycloth loops act as mini cushions between items.
• Try a mesh bag. Light nylon mesh bags allow heat and air circulation while keeping silk contained. They also stop individual pieces from twisting into knots!
• Shake and smooth silk right away. As soon as the load finishes, gently shake out each silk item to prevent deep creases from forming as they cool. Iron lightly while still warm/damp if needed.
• Check seams and embellishments. Ribbons, beads, or embroidery can catch or snag on other items. Nestle extra-delicate pieces in the towel, or skip the dryer altogether.

What if air drying sounds less stressful for your situation? No problem! Here’s how to dry silk effectively that way.

Air Drying Techniques for Silk Items

While the dryer is faster, hanging silk garments to air dry is a cautious option. Follow these steps for the best results:

• Hang items indoors away from direct sunlight to prevent fading.
• Use padded hangers to better maintain the silk’s shape.
• Place a clean towel beneath to catch any drips.
• Gently reshape the fabric while still slightly damp then allow it to fully dry.

You can also lay especially delicate silk pieces flat on a towel to dry. This protects embellishments from any tension.

Just note—air drying often takes many hours or overnight depending on humidity levels. Be patient! Rushing the process can cause new creases or distort garment shapes.

If you’re really in a rush, using a cool-air hairdryer setting can speed things along:

• Lay the silk piece flat.
• Keep the dryer 18+ inches above the fabric, moving continuously.
• Check frequently to prevent over-drying silk fibers.

However, take care not to concentrate heat in one spot for too long. This can damage silk permanently.

Out of necessity, I discovered how to use a hair dryer to gently dry silk, and it worked better than I expected.

Uh Oh! What If You Accidentally Dry Silk on High Heat?

We all make mistakes! If you discover a slippery silk item wound up in the dryer on high, don’t panic. Immediately stop the cycle, remove it, and get to work restoring things:

First, reshape the piece gently. Stretch and smooth any areas that shrank or puckered to coax fibers back into alignment.

Next, use steam. A garment steamer helps relax the silk fibers and restore mobility. Focus extra steam on creased spots to relax them.

Finally, iron cool. With the shape re-established, iron over a damp pressing cloth on the coolest setting safe for silk. The starch from drying gets redistributed to relax the fabric.

In most cases, you can rescue silk from a too-hot dryer session this way. But repeated high-heat drying may eventually cause irreparable damage. Lesson learned!

A mishap with silk accidentally ending up in the dryer turned into a learning opportunity for me.

Maintaining Silk After Drying

Once your silk pieces come out of the wash feeling soft and smelling fresh, you’ll want them to stay that way! Follow these maintenance tips:

• Allow silk to finish air-drying completely before storing to prevent moisture buildup.
• Refold along existing creases rather than creating new ones.
• Store flat in cool, dark places like dresser drawers rather than hanging.
• Use fabric wraps or breathable garment bags to protect silk items between wears.
• Dry clean only when truly necessary—over-cleaning fades dyes faster.
• Hand wash and air dry embellished sections periodically to clean trapped dust and oils near seams.

Can I Put Silk in the Dryer if I Don’t Have a Delicate or Low Heat Setting?

If your dryer does not have a delicate or low heat setting, it’s best not to put silk items in it.

The medium or high heat could still potentially damage the silk fibers even on the air dry setting. Consider air drying silk items instead.

How Can I Dry a Silk Comforter in the Dryer?

Silk comforters and duvets can be challenging to dry in home dryers due to their large size. Most household dryers are not big enough to tumble and dry a king or queen silk comforter efficiently.

The best method is to lay a silk comforter flat on top of towels or a bed to air dry instead.

Can I Use Dryer Sheets When Drying Silk?

It’s best to avoid dryer sheets when machine-drying silk items.

The perfumes and chemicals in dryer sheets can leave residue on the fabric that diminishes silk’s natural shine and softness over time.

Stick to dryer balls or a towel for protection instead.

Conclusions: Drying Silk Confidently at Home

I hope this guide gave you the knowledge to start drying your precious silk safely at home.

With some basic precautions, you can confidently use your dryer’s low and medium settings for silk clothing, accessories, craft projects, and more.

Just remember to pre-treat items gently, use fabric care labels as your guide, and handle silk delicately throughout drying and storage. Oh—and keep that heat low!

With all these pro tips for protecting silk fibers, you can maintain the luxurious feel and sheen of your favorite silk pieces wash after wash. Never let silk laundry day intimidate you again. You’ve got this!