Washing silk scarves; what works best?
cookymom
| Posted in General Discussion on
I have a scarf and a hat and several other fabric items that a previous kitty had dribbled with urine. It’s a very long story how this happened but I swear Max left 3-4 drops on these items. I’ve used borax for the cotton items but I’m not sure it would good on silk. How can I get rid of the smell? Would ivory snow, which I use for washable silks, help with the scent? Of course, I would try a small spot first on each item. Is there a pet care cleaner that’s good for delicate fabrics?
Replies
Washing silk is tricky, but since the scarves are ruined without washing, it's worth a try. The key is to soak but do NOT agitate silk when it is wet! Silk is a natural fiber made up of mostly proteins, so check any cleaning agent carefully before using it on silk, as many work by dissolving proteins in food stains. Cat urine and musk are especially odorous; maybe do a search for those remedies plus another one for washing silk and see what comes up on both lists?
Do you think baking soda disolved in warm water might work?
I have a few silk scarves which I cold wash with soap flakes,but anything designed for silk would ( I assume) work just as well. When rinsing finish with a dash of white vinegar in the water to retain the crisp finish. Allow to air dry until just damp then dry iron to finish.
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