Washing silk rugs?

Steve Pendleton · January 16th, 2019, 05:43 PM

I found a small, handmade Chinese silk-on-silk mat in a thrift shop. It's decorative piece in good condition. Chrome dyes, ?1990s?. I've washed many handmade wool rugs. Can I safely wash a silk piece? Technique has been "dust with vibration; long soak in cool water plus Orvis; rinse ten times; de-water with a shop vac; drip dry on a rack with fan for air circulation." Paid $4 for it, doubt that it's valuable or collectable. I normally wash new finds, however, and this is first encounter with all-silk. Other than being especially gentle, what do I do differently?

Steve Pendleton

Marvin Amstey · January 17th, 2019, 08:15 PM

That's basically how we do it in the shop where I work, except we don't use the shop-vac. We use a hand squeegee instead.
Are you sure that it is silk and not mercerized cotton or bamboo silk? In those cases the shop-vac is fine.

Marvin Amstey · January 17th, 2019, 08:30 PM

PS: Don't use the beater bar when vacuuming.

Steve Pendleton · January 18th, 2019, 02:40 AM

Marvin, thanks. Per your suggestions, approach will be to dust by vibration, cold-water soak with Orvis, light agitation, rinse, no squeezing/compression, squeegee with a light touch, de-water with towels instead of shop-vac, air dry with fan circulation. Like washing a wool rug, but gentler mechanical steps.

It's silk. I burned foundation and pile threads. Both smelled like burned hair. Not cotton.

Again, thanks

Steve Pendleton

Marvin Amstey · January 18th, 2019, 02:36 PM

"Dewatering" is easier with a window squeegee on a rod that allows one to stand up instead of using towels on your hands and knees.
Have fun!

Steve Pendleton · January 18th, 2019, 05:31 PM

For durable wool rugs, first squeegee, then shop vac. Consider trying the shop vac thing! It's a wee bit o' work, Laddie, but it will suck gallons out of a squeegeed rug quickly, reducing the risk of color run and the air-dry time. After good wash and rinse, you'd think the water would be clean--but No!--you'll also remove yet-more suspended dirt. Alternatively, commercial wet carpet cleaners typically have a suction feature to de-water vacuum-cleaner style a foot at a time. I haven't tried that, but it should be equivalent, and less work.

Again, thanks

--SRP

Marvin Amstey · January 18th, 2019, 07:20 PM

We've been using a shop vac on wool rugs for decades

Rich Larkin · January 22nd, 2019, 04:56 AM

For a squeegee, I have had good luck with a length (ca. 10-12 inches) of hardwood flooring. Maple is the best, but I have used other woods. Go over the straight, sharp edge with a fine sandpaper. Plane it along the top of the (wet, soapy) pile in the direction of the pile, maintaining steady, controlled pressure. It pushes a lot of dirt-laden water out of the piece while avoiding the tendency of many squeegees to grab at and pull fibers.

I have never tried it on silk.

Steve Pendleton · February 6th, 2019, 07:02 PM

Good outcome! For reference, the method was a day-long, passive soak in cold water and Orvis, light-tough squeegee after rinse, air-dry on a rack open and supporting underneath. No issues. Increases the silky sheen, probably because the squeegee aligned the fibers. Thanks to all!

Steve

Ian Strange · February 12th, 2020, 06:56 PM

I've used the shower on its powerful setting on small wool on wool flatweaves, followed by a quick soak in mild detergent and a final powerful showering until the water runs clear, then dry outdoors over the back of an uptilted garden chair. Works fine.

January 16th, 2019, 05:43 PM	#1
Steve Pendleton Members Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 4	Washing silk rugs? I found a small, handmade Chinese silk-on-silk mat in a thrift shop. It's decorative piece in good condition. Chrome dyes, ?1990s?. I've washed many handmade wool rugs. Can I safely wash a silk piece? Technique has been "dust with vibration; long soak in cool water plus Orvis; rinse ten times; de-water with a shop vac; drip dry on a rack with fan for air circulation." Paid $4 for it, doubt that it's valuable or collectable. I normally wash new finds, however, and this is first encounter with all-silk. Other than being especially gentle, what do I do differently? Steve Pendleton

January 18th, 2019, 02:40 AM	#4
Steve Pendleton Members Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 4	Thanks Marvin Marvin, thanks. Per your suggestions, approach will be to dust by vibration, cold-water soak with Orvis, light agitation, rinse, no squeezing/compression, squeegee with a light touch, de-water with towels instead of shop-vac, air dry with fan circulation. Like washing a wool rug, but gentler mechanical steps. It's silk. I burned foundation and pile threads. Both smelled like burned hair. Not cotton. Again, thanks Steve Pendleton Last edited by Steve Pendleton; January 18th, 2019 at 05:42 AM.

January 18th, 2019, 05:31 PM	#6
Steve Pendleton Members Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 4	Squeegee vs MechaGodzilla For durable wool rugs, first squeegee, then shop vac. Consider trying the shop vac thing! It's a wee bit o' work, Laddie, but it will suck gallons out of a squeegeed rug quickly, reducing the risk of color run and the air-dry time. After good wash and rinse, you'd think the water would be clean--but No!--you'll also remove yet-more suspended dirt. Alternatively, commercial wet carpet cleaners typically have a suction feature to de-water vacuum-cleaner style a foot at a time. I haven't tried that, but it should be equivalent, and less work. Again, thanks --SRP Last edited by Steve Pendleton; January 18th, 2019 at 05:49 PM.

February 6th, 2019, 07:02 PM	#9
Steve Pendleton Members Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 4	Good result, memo of method Good outcome! For reference, the method was a day-long, passive soak in cold water and Orvis, light-tough squeegee after rinse, air-dry on a rack open and supporting underneath. No issues. Increases the silky sheen, probably because the squeegee aligned the fibers. Thanks to all! Steve

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January 17th, 2019, 08:15 PM	#2
Marvin Amstey Members Join Date: May 2008 Location: Fairport, NY Posts: 38	That's basically how we do it in the shop where I work, except we don't use the shop-vac. We use a hand squeegee instead. Are you sure that it is silk and not mercerized cotton or bamboo silk? In those cases the shop-vac is fine.

January 17th, 2019, 08:30 PM	#3
Marvin Amstey Members Join Date: May 2008 Location: Fairport, NY Posts: 38	PS: Don't use the beater bar when vacuuming.

January 18th, 2019, 02:36 PM	#5
Marvin Amstey Members Join Date: May 2008 Location: Fairport, NY Posts: 38	"Dewatering" is easier with a window squeegee on a rod that allows one to stand up instead of using towels on your hands and knees. Have fun!

January 18th, 2019, 07:20 PM	#7
Marvin Amstey Members Join Date: May 2008 Location: Fairport, NY Posts: 38	We've been using a shop vac on wool rugs for decades

January 22nd, 2019, 04:56 AM	#8
Rich Larkin Members Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 130	For a squeegee, I have had good luck with a length (ca. 10-12 inches) of hardwood flooring. Maple is the best, but I have used other woods. Go over the straight, sharp edge with a fine sandpaper. Plane it along the top of the (wet, soapy) pile in the direction of the pile, maintaining steady, controlled pressure. It pushes a lot of dirt-laden water out of the piece while avoiding the tendency of many squeegees to grab at and pull fibers. I have never tried it on silk.

February 12th, 2020, 06:56 PM	#10
Ian Strange Members Join Date: Jun 2019 Location: London, England Posts: 3	I've used the shower on its powerful setting on small wool on wool flatweaves, followed by a quick soak in mild detergent and a final powerful showering until the water runs clear, then dry outdoors over the back of an uptilted garden chair. Works fine.