Cleaning Silk Upholstery

Silk is a lustrous fiber with high strength and good elasticity. It tends to shed dirt and resist wrinkles. Silk dyes and prints well and is usually found in bright rich colors. It is absorbent but dries quickly.

Silk becomes weaker when wet and is easily yellowed and damaged by age, sunlight, and perspiration. Silk yellows if exposed to high temperatures and strong soaps. It is also harmed by alkalis and oxidizing agents (bleaches). Silk fabrics also tend to waterspot if wet cleaned incorrectly.

Some brightly colored dyes used on silk are prone to bleeding. Insects can attack silk. In some constructions, silk fabrics have low abrasion resistance.

The following tech help is on dry cleaning silk upholstery. Testing for bleeding still needs to be done with dry cleaning chemicals. To avoid damage, keep temperatures below 330°F.

Directions:

1. Using a natural sponge, apply Chemspec Dry Fabric Cleaner to upholstery. Be sure to wear protective gloves.
2. Wipe using short vigorous strokes against fabric grain.
3. Using a dry white towel, wipe down fabric to remove excess cleaner.

Warning: Always test material for colorfastness, follow label directions and never mix product unless specified in the label directions. Each situation reacts differently and results may vary.