Featured Getting wrinkles out of silk scarves?

Discussion in 'Textiles, Needle Arts, Clothing' started by Bookahtoo, Aug 25, 2020.

  1. pearlsnblume

    pearlsnblume Well-Known Member

    FWIW a friend of mine uses Vodka. She says it gets out stains and storage smells.
    She uses a steamer after they dry to get them unwrinkled.
    I have never tried this at all, I am just throwing this out there as a possibility, but don't know if it is safe.
     
  2. Ownedbybear

    Ownedbybear Well-Known Member

    I machine wash silk a fair bit, but I've a Bosch which has a silk cycle.
     
    clutteredcloset49 likes this.
  3. Bookahtoo

    Bookahtoo Moderator Moderator

    Well, I went into my kitchen a couple of hours ago to clean it up so I could iron a few scarves, and I've been in there for hours just trying to clean, price, and pack stuff up properly, and now I have to take a break. Darn - no wonder I never get to the fun stuff!!!!!
     
    Figtree3, lvetterli and pearlsnblume like this.
  4. lvetterli

    lvetterli Well-Known Member

    I can SOO relate!
     
  5. clutteredcloset49

    clutteredcloset49 Well-Known Member

    Me too.
    I have a silk kimono that came out of a storage locker that i absolutely love. I put it in a gentle cycle then 10 minutes in the dryer to take the wrinkles out and hang to finish drying.
     
  6. Phil Douglas

    Phil Douglas Member

    The use of vinegar might be because acetic acid is a surfactant, like soap or laundry powder, but unlike those examples, it is volatile. A surfactant will help release contaminants which are not water soluble, like oil or protein. Distilled vinegar is going to completely evaporate away, leaving no residue, without the need for a rinse. That's why a splosh of vinegar is a traditional window cleaner.
    I haven't heard of using vinegar to clean silk, but there's no reason why I would have. It might well be common practice.
    If vinegar were to be used to clean silk, I think distilled vinegar would be the go (not balsamic, to be sure), and in quite a low concentration.
     
  7. Ownedbybear

    Ownedbybear Well-Known Member

    Newspaper is superb for polishing windows. Me dad's old trick.
     
  8. Lucille.b

    Lucille.b Well-Known Member

    How about drinking enough vodka that you don't care about stains, smells or wrinkles? I could see that working.
     
  9. pearlsnblume

    pearlsnblume Well-Known Member

    Ha ha ha. LOL
    Wonder if I spray it on my face, if it would smooth out the wrinkles??? Now that I can get on board with.:p
     
  10. reader

    reader Well-Known Member

    Tequila please!
     
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  11. Figtree3

    Figtree3 What would you do if you weren't afraid?

    Just read this post for the first time. My favorite post in a long while. I couldn't agree more. :)
     
  12. Ownedbybear

    Ownedbybear Well-Known Member

    That's why I have a Bosch that does a hand wash!
     
    Figtree3 likes this.
  13. Figtree3

    Figtree3 What would you do if you weren't afraid?

    Oo, that sounds good!
     
  14. Bookahtoo

    Bookahtoo Moderator Moderator

    Update on my scarves:

    I washed two by hand and then lightly pressed them. They came out fine. I tried to steam one with my steam iron - no go. I have over 75 of these scarves. I said, sh*t, this will take forever.
    So I brought them to my store and hung them all on vintage curtain rings on a round belt display stand so they won't get any worse, and texted a friend asking her to bring down a hand held steamer she had mentioned she owned. Turns out she wasn't back from Florida yet.
    Meanwhile, a new customer came in, who I had just met the week before. He is an upholsterer, and he was there while I was hanging scarves. Long story short, he is giving me a professional portable steamer. He has three and can spare one. He assures me that it will do the scarves. So I hope to have it this Friday.
    That's great, because I befriended the guy who bought the building down the street for his ebay business, and he just gave me a couple hundred vintage ties which need to be steamed.
     
    Lucille.b, lovewrens, reader and 3 others like this.
  15. Figtree3

    Figtree3 What would you do if you weren't afraid?

    That is very kind and generous!
     
    Lucille.b, reader and pearlsnblume like this.
  16. pearlsnblume

    pearlsnblume Well-Known Member

    Cool beans Book. So glad you were able to get some help with steaming
     
    Lucille.b and reader like this.
  17. Bookahtoo

    Bookahtoo Moderator Moderator

    Yes it certainly is. I am giving him some stuff too.
     
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