Q&A for How to Clean Silk

Use diluted alcohol for ink stains, diluted ammonia for cosmetics or food, and diluted vinegar for most minor stains. Use a ratio of 1 part cleaner to 2 parts lukewarm water for the first attempt at removing the stain. Test the cleaner out on an inconspicuous area of the sofa before treating stains on visible parts of the sofa.

Read any tag attached and notice if it has any special instructions. Use a vacuum with a brush attachment to remove any surface dust. Only use a vacuum if the shade is hardbacked. If it's a softbacked shade, with only silk fabric, fill a tub or basin with lukewarm water and add a teaspoon of mild detergent or soap. Spot clean using the softest cloth you have available, gently rubbing out any stains. Submerge the lampshade in the tub of water, gently circulating it up and down and side to side. Drain or dump the water, and refill it the basin with clean water. Give the lampshade a rinse, gently circulating it once again to remove any soap or suds. Repeat rinsing if necessary, until all soap has been removed, then set out on a towel to dry.

Clean a silk tie with the same basic procedures given above. Use lukewarm water with very little liquid soap. Agitate the tie in the mild soap with gentle pushing motions to force soapy water into the fabric. (If there are any stained areas on the tie, treat these as in general care instructions for stained silk). After washing is completed, obtain a new container of cold, clean water and use this to gently rinse soap out of the silk. Remove the tie from the water bath and roll it gently within a cotton towel to press excess water from the silk. Hang the tie to dry in the same manner as above.

Get some bleach, Pine Sol, 409 Spray, and a warm rag. Dab each chemical on the rag, and lightly dab the bedspread. Let dry and then wash it with delicates.