Do You Need a Mesh Bag to Wash Silk?

Consumer Reports calls the top-load agitator the most popular type of washer. It has a post in the middle of the tub, built to rub your clothes together. Now add a silk pillowcase.

Do you need a mesh bag to wash silk?

Yes, if it's going in a machine. A long, slippery piece of silk can wind itself around an agitator and pull or tear. It can catch on a rough spot in the drum, or on a zipper or hook in the same load, and towels can rub against it for the whole cycle. A bag keeps most of that contact away from the silk.

We know of no published lab test of silk in mesh bags, so this rests on mechanics and long laundry practice. If you wash by hand, you don't need one.

Does a top-loader with an agitator make a difference?

It makes the bag matter more. Consumer Reports says the center post churns laundry and rubs clothes together, which is why many agitator models earn only a decent or mediocre score in its gentleness test, and they're more likely than front-loaders to cause wear. Newer high-efficiency top-loaders drop the post, but two-thirds of those it tested scored satisfactory or lower for gentleness, thanks to low water, long cycles and laundry rubbing together.

Use the bag in any machine, including a front-loader. In a top-loader, drop it in loose beside the post, choose the delicate cycle, and don't crowd the tub.

What kind of mesh bag is best for silk?

Choose a fine, tightly woven mesh with a zipper, big enough for the silk to move. Nobody has published a correct hole size. Our rule of thumb: if the tip of a pencil pokes through, a hook can too.

A bag of about 20 × 24 in (51 × 61 cm) gives a pillowcase room. Put in one pillowcase, or a couple of small pieces. A crammed bag keeps water and detergent from moving through the fabric. Zip the bag shut, and close the pillowcase's own zipper as well, so its teeth can't catch. Turning silk inside out adds a little more protection.

How do you machine wash silk in a mesh bag?

Machine wash it on a gentle cycle, in the bag, with cold water and mild detergent. Wash it on its own or with other delicates, never with jeans or towels. Hang it or lay it flat to dry. Do not bleach it or tumble dry it.

A bag handles only the rubbing and snagging. It can't protect silk from hot water, a heavy-soil cycle or harsh detergent, so the settings still count. Can you machine wash silk? goes through them one by one.

See LS Silk pillowcases, with a hidden zipper and silk on both sides →

That post in the middle of the tub will go on doing what it was built for. A small bag with a good zipper means your silk never has to meet it.

Frequently asked questions

Can you machine wash silk without a mesh bag?

It's possible, but you raise the odds of snags and pulls, especially in a top-loader with an agitator. A bag takes a few seconds and costs little. If you don't have one, hand washing is the safer choice.

Can I use a pillowcase instead of a mesh bag?

In a pinch, a clean, light cotton pillowcase tied shut will do, and it's a trick cleaners use for delicate trim. Water moves through cotton less freely than through mesh, so a fine mesh bag is better for regular washing.

Do I need a mesh bag in a front-loader?

Yes, though it matters less. Front-loaders have no agitator and tend to be gentler, but silk can still catch on a zipper or rough spot, or get rubbed by heavier items. For a thin fabric, it's an easy habit to keep.

Does the mesh bag go in the dryer?

No, because silk shouldn't go in the dryer at all. Take it out of the bag once the cycle ends, press out the water in a clean towel, and hang it or lay it flat out of direct sun.

Related reading: How to Wash a Silk Pillowcase · Can You Tumble Dry Silk? · How Often to Wash a Silk Bonnet