Q&A for How to Care for Rayon

No. Rayon shrinks in the dryer. It should be hung or laid flat to dry.

You can unshrink it by soaking it for 2-3 minutes in a bowl of lukewarm water and a teaspoon of hair conditioner. After it soaks, you can manually stretch it back to its original size. Just be careful not to stretch it unevenly!

Avoid exposing rayon to excess heat, such as that from a dryer, to keep it from shrinking. Always wash your rayon with warm rather than hot water and allow it to air dry to help it keep its natural size and shape.

There is no set ratio of cotton in rayon. Some fabrics are 100% rayon, and have no cotton blend. Some fabrics have a blend of cotton and rayon at different ratios. Some rayons are blended with fabrics other than cotton, such as wool or nylon. Check the tag on your rayon piece to see if it is a blend and to get care instructions.

Martha Stewart says you can wash it by hand and lay it flat to dry. If it says "dry clean only" she says to have it dry cleaned.