5 Easy Ways to Get Rid of Water Stains on Silk

PDF download Download Article
What to do when silk gets wet & how to treat water spots
PDF download Download Article

Whether you were caught in the rain while wearing a silk shirt or spilled a glass of water over your favorite silk tie, water can absorb into silk and leave unsightly marks. Luckily, there are several simple solutions to get rid of water stains. If the mark is fresh, simply blot it with a white cloth. If the mark is set in, treat it with steam, white silk, vinegar, or lemon juice. Keep reading to learn all the ways to remove water marks from silk!

Getting Water Stains Out of Silk

Dab fresh water marks with a white cloth. For set-in stains, hold a steamer over the spot for 1 minute. Or, rub the mark with a piece of white silk, moving with the grain. As another alternative, blot the mark with a mixture of white vinegar and water or lemon juice and water.

Method 1
Method 1 of 5:

Using Silk to Remove Water Marks

PDF download Download Article
  1. Rubbing your silk upholstery or garment with a white piece of silk transfers the water mark onto the fabric. So, use a piece of fabric you don’t mind getting stained. Then, gently rub it over the water mark following the grain of your silk item. [1]
    • Do not use colored silk to remove the stain. Rubbing your silk with colored fabric can cause the dye to transfer onto your garment.
    • If you can’t find any white silk, use a piece of muslin or white cotton.
    • Avoid rubbing the silk against the grain of your garment. This can wear out or damage the fabric.
    2. Advertisement
Method 2
Method 2 of 5:

Steaming Silk to Remove Water Stains

PDF download Download Article
  1. Set your steamer to its lowest heat setting and wait for it to heat up. If you don’t have a steamer, fill a pot with water and place it on your stovetop over high heat. Or, fill a kettle with water and bring it to a boil. [2]
    • Steam helps loosen and disperse the water mark, removing it from the silk.
    • Reduce the heat to a simmer once the pot of water starts boiling.
    • Alternatively, use the steam setting on your iron.
  2. Move the steamer back and forth over the water stain, holding the steamer 1 to 2 inches (2.5-5 cm) from the silk. [3] If you’re using a pot of water or kettle, hold your garment 1 to 2 inches (2.5-5 cm) above the steam. Just keep the stained spot in the steam for 1 to 2 minutes. [4]
    • Test the steamer or iron a few times before using it to ensure it spits out steam, not droplets of water.
    • Be careful when steaming your garment. Continually move the fabric back and forth to avoid burns.
  3. Use a clean white cloth to dab and remove moisture from the silk. [5] Then, place a clean, white towel on a flat surface. Lay your garment on top and allow it to dry thoroughly. [6]
    • If the stain does not go away, steam the silk again. If that doesn’t work, try one of the other stain removal methods below.
    4. Advertisement
Method 3
Method 3 of 5:

Using Vinegar or Lemon Juice to Remove Water Marks

PDF download Download Article
  1. Mix equal parts white vinegar and cool water in a spray bottle, or lemon juice and cool water. Spray the water mark with the solution and dab it with a white cloth until the mark disappears. [7]
    • Wash the silk after applying the stain remover.
    • Check the silk for colorfastness and test the spray on a hidden part of the fabric before applying it to the mark. If the item isn’t colorfast or the solution stains the silk, get it dry cleaned, instead.
    • Use this stain remover to get rid of other unsightly spots, like sweat, deodorant, and food.
Method 4
Method 4 of 5:

Washing Silk to Remove Water Stains

PDF download Download Article
  1. Pour a few drops of a detergent designed for delicate garments or a gentle, fragrance-free detergent into a bowl of cold water. Then, mix the detergent thoroughly in the water. [8]
    • Read the care label on your silk item before hand washing it. If the label says “Dry Clean Only,” take it to a professional dry cleaner.
    • If the care label says your item is machine washable, follow the instructions to safely wash it in your machine.
    • Test your silk item for color fastness before washing it, too.
    • Do not use heavy, harsh detergents or bleach on silk items. These cleaners can damage the silk fibers and cause the color to fade.
  2. Laundry and dry cleaning expert Ocean Van says to submerge the silk in the soapy water and gently swirl it around. Then, leave it in the water for 3 to 5 minutes to help dissolve the water mark. [9]
    • If your fabric is a print or dark color, skip this step . Instead, dip the garment in the water and then take it out immediately. This helps keep the colors from fading or running.
    • Do not soak silk for more than a few minutes. This can damage the structure of the fabric.
  3. Empty the bowl of soapy water and rinse it out to get rid of any soap. Then, refill the bowl with cool water and insert the silk garment. Gently swirl the garment around to rinse out the soapy residue. [10]
    • Repeat this step as many times as needed until you feel all of the soap is rinsed from the silk.
    • Add a little bit of distilled white vinegar to the fresh water to help neutralize the soapy residue and prevent alkali damage.
    • For extra soft silk, add 1 to 2 drops of hair conditioner to the rinsing water.
  4. Place your silk garment on top of a white towel and gently roll it up to remove excess moisture. [11] Then, professional dry cleaner Safir Ali recommends hanging the garment up on a padded or velvet hanger to dry. Or, lay the garment flat on the towel.
    • Check to see if the water mark is gone once the silk is dry. It typically takes 1 hour for silk to dry. [12]
    • Laundry and dry cleaning expert Jeimy Flournoy says not to wring the silk garment dry, as this can damage the fibers and cause the garment to lose its shape.
    • Never dry your silk in the sunlight. Sunlight can damage the silk and cause it to decompose or fade.
  5. If the water mark isn’t gone after the garment dries, fill a bowl with cool water, a few drops of gentle detergent, and a splash of white vinegar. Let the silk soak in the water for 3 minutes. Then, let the garment dry. [13]
    • The vinegar helps evaporate the water stain on your garment.
    6. Advertisement
Method 5
Method 5 of 5:

Blotting Fresh Water Marks on Silk

PDF download Download Article
  1. Act quickly as soon as you notice the water mark on your silk garment or upholstery. Simply pat and dab the spot with a dry, white cloth or paper towel until the water mark is gone. [14]
    • Do not rub the water mark with the cloth, as this can cause it to spread or damage the silk.
    • It’s important to use a white cloth because colored fabrics can potentially bleed onto your silk item.
    • Treat water marks as soon as possible—fresh stains are typically easier to remove than old ones.
    • If blotting the water mark doesn’t get rid of it, try one of the stain removal methods below.

Expert Q&A

Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
      Advertisement

      Tips

      • If none of the above methods remove the water mark, take your silk item to a professional dry cleaner. The dry cleaner will clean the item for you, or give you advice on a special cleaning solution to use. It is important to explain what you have already tried to do to remove the stain, as this can impact the ability to fix the mark.
        Thanks
        Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
      • Prevent silk from developing water marks by letting it dry fully after washing. Do not dry it in windy conditions, as this can create water marks and white lines. When storing silk items for a long period, wrap them in cotton garment bags and place them in an airtight storage container.
        Thanks
        Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Name
      Please provide your name and last initial
      Submit
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
      Advertisement

      You Might Also Like

      How to
      Wash Silk: The Ultimate Care Guide
      How to
      Get Rid of Blood Stains in Clothing & Fabrics: Best DIY Methods
      The 10 Best Solutions to Get Any Ink Out of Your Carpet
      How to
      Clean Stains off a Suede Purse
      How to
      Clean Grease Stains on Leather
      How to
      Clean a Deer Skull
      How to
      Clean, Degrease, and Whiten Bones
      How to
      Clean Deer Antlers
      How to
      Clean Fur
      How to
      Clean a Feather
      How to
      Clean Silk
      How to
      Clean Ivory
      Advertisement

      References

      1. ↑ https://cleaning.tips.net/T006570_Removing_Water_Stains_from_Silk.html
      2. ↑ https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/cleaning/tips/a17314/stains-water-spots-may07/
      3. ↑ https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/uk/house-and-home/household-advice/a46421548/how-to-use-a-clothes-steamer/
      4. ↑ https://www.today.com/home/how-remove-water-spots-your-clothing-carpet-t107546
      5. ↑ https://www.today.com/home/how-remove-water-spots-your-clothing-carpet-t107546
      6. ↑ https://research.qut.edu.au/textiler/knowledge-base/silk/
      7. ↑ https://www.housedigest.com/902671/the-best-way-to-clean-silk-furniture/
      8. ↑ https://www.cleanipedia.com/gb/laundry/wash-silk.html
      9. ↑ https://www.cleanipedia.com/gb/laundry/wash-silk.html
      1. ↑ https://www.cleanipedia.com/gb/laundry/wash-silk.html
      2. ↑ https://research.qut.edu.au/textiler/knowledge-base/silk/
      3. ↑ http://www.thaisilks.com/images/sales/WashSilk.pdf
      4. ↑ ​​ https://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/cleaning/how-to-clean-water-stains
      5. ↑ https://howtocleanthings.com/how-to-clean-silk/#gsc.tab=0

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      While most silk needs to be dry cleaned, you can also remove watermarks at home. To remove the stain, try using a steam bath. Bring a large pot of water to boil on the stove, then hold your garment over the steam for about a minute. When you're done, lay it flat on a clean towel to dry. You can also remove watermarks with a scrap piece of silk. Just rub the watermark with a piece of white silk in the direction of the grain, which should transfer the stain. If you don't have extra silk, you can wash your garment in lukewarm water with a tiny bit of laundry detergent. Let it soak for 3-5 minutes to loosen the stain. Then, rinse the silk with clean, warm water. To learn how to soften your silk with hair conditioner, read on!

      Did this summary help you?
      In other languages
      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 216,184 times.

      Reader Success Stories

      • Keryn Ahmed

        Jan 3, 2020

        "Thanks for this info. I used liquid detergent with vinegar to remove five water stains from a solid ..." more
      Share your story
      If you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission .

      Did this article help you?

      Advertisement