There is something about slipping into silk pajamas — the way the fabric glides over skin, cool and weightless, like wearing the idea of rest rather than the garment itself. Caring for that feeling means knowing how to wash silk pajamas the right way: cool water, a mild detergent, and drying out of direct sunlight. Silk is a natural protein fiber that is easily broken when wet, so a slow, considered approach is worth it. With the right routine, a quality silk set becomes a wearable heirloom — beautiful for years.
Why Does Silk Require Special Care?
Silk is a natural protein fiber, and its sheen comes from a structure that reflects light.
Silk is vulnerable to things most laundry routines take for granted: its fibers are easily broken when wet, chlorine bleach degrades the fiber, and high heat weakens it.
The Inez Washable Silk Long PJ Set is described as hypoallergenic and thermoregulating, offering comfort year-round, and a gentle routine keeps it at its best.
What Do You Need Before You Start?
Gathering the right supplies before you begin protects silk from avoidable damage.
The essentials:
A mild soap or detergent. Regular laundry detergent is too harsh for silk. Look for formulas labeled for silk or delicates.
Cool or cold water. Eberjey's Washable Silk care label calls for cold water.
A clean basin, white towels for blotting (never wringing), and a padded hanger or flat drying surface.
Optional: a mesh laundry bag if you choose to machine wash.
How Do You Hand Wash Silk Pajamas?
Hand washing gives you full control over water temperature, agitation level, and rinsing.
Step 1: Check the care label
Some silk garments are labeled "dry clean only", such as some chiffons, satins and crepes. If the label says hand wash or machine wash delicate, you are clear to proceed at home.
Step 2: Pre-treat any stains
Apply a tiny amount of gentle detergent directly to any spots and work it in lightly with a fingertip. Do not rub; silk fibers are easily broken when wet.
Step 3: Fill the basin and add detergent
Fill your clean basin with cool water. Add a small amount of mild detergent and swirl gently to disperse.
Step 4: Submerge and gently agitate
Move the pajamas through the water with unhurried hands — lift, swirl, press lightly. Do not scrub, twist, or bunch the fabric.
Step 5: Keep it brief
Wash and move straight on to rinsing rather than leaving silk to sit.
Step 6: Rinse thoroughly
Drain and refill the basin with clean, cool water. Press the garment through gently. Repeat with a second rinse if any detergent remains.
Step 7: Remove excess water without wringing
Lay the garment flat on a clean white towel, roll the towel up around it, and press gently. Unroll, then air dry on a padded hanger or flat surface. Never wring silk.
Can You Machine Wash Silk Pajamas?
Some silk garments can tolerate machine washing on a delicate or hand-wash cycle — always defer to the care label. If the label permits it: use a mesh laundry bag, select the delicate cycle, set water temperature to cold, use a silk-appropriate detergent, and remove the garment promptly when the cycle ends.
Eberjey's Washable Silk is made for either: hand wash, or machine wash cold on delicate, separately, in a mesh wash bag.
How Should You Dry Silk Pajamas?
Drying is where many well-intentioned silk care routines go wrong.
Skip the dryer. Eberjey's Washable Silk care label says to remove it promptly and lay it flat to dry.
Air dry in the shade. Direct sunlight can cause silk to yellow. A shaded spot with good airflow is ideal. For Eberjey's Washable Silk, lay it flat, as the care label directs; for other silk, follow its own label.
Reshape while damp. Silk is easiest to reshape when it still holds a little moisture. Smooth seams flat, ensure sleeves hang straight, and align any pleats or details before leaving it to finish drying.
How Do You Remove Wrinkles From Silk Without Damaging It?
Silk wrinkles readily — it is part of the nature of the fiber — and too much heat when ironing can weaken it and cause the color to fade or yellow.
Use a low-heat iron on the silk setting. Turn the garment inside out and iron while still very slightly damp. Keep the iron moving.
Try a garment steamer instead. A steamer is another way to release wrinkles. Hold the steamer a few inches from the fabric and work in slow vertical passes. Allow the garment to hang and dry fully after steaming before wearing.
How Often Should You Wash Silk Pajamas?
There is no fixed rule, but perspiration left in silk can weaken it, so silk you wear every night should not sit too long between washes. Wash right away if you notice visible soiling or a skincare or oil transfer.
This approach also applies to Eberjey's Washable Silk collection: hand wash or machine wash cold on delicate, separately, remove promptly, and lay flat to dry.
Are There Alternatives to Silk That Are Easier to Care For?
For sleepers who love the sensation of silk — smooth, temperature-regulating, breathable against the skin — but want a fabric with a more effortless care routine, TENCEL™ Modal is worth serious consideration.
TENCEL™ Modal is a wood-based fiber made by Lenzing from wood sourced from responsibly managed forests, using a highly resource-efficient technology with high recovery rates of chemicals. Eberjey describes its Gisele TENCEL™ Modal as silky-smooth and breathable, and it is machine washable.
Eberjey built its reputation on exactly this fabric. The Gisele TENCEL™ Modal Long PJ Set, with over 1,400 five-star reviews, is machine washed on a gentle cycle and tumble dried on low — a dramatically more relaxed routine than silk requires, without sacrificing the soft, draping quality that makes considered sleepwear feel worth it. Its fabric is also verified by OEKO-TEX® Standard 100, meaning it's dyed with safe and non-toxic dyes.
What Are Common Silk Care Mistakes to Avoid?
A few errors cause most of the damage — and all of them are avoidable.
Using regular laundry detergent. Regular laundry detergent is too harsh for silk. Use a mild soap or detergent designed for delicates.
Washing in warm or hot water. Eberjey's Washable Silk care label calls for cold water.
Rubbing or wringing. Silk fibers are easily broken when wet, and friction is one of the causes of pilling. Gentle pressing only.
Drying in direct sunlight or in a dryer. Sunlight can cause silk to yellow, so dry it out of direct sun. Eberjey's Washable Silk care label says to lay it flat to dry.
Dressing before perfume or deodorant has dried. Let them dry fully before you put on silk.
A silk pajama set, treated with care, stays beautiful for a long time. The routine is simple: cool water, a mild detergent, and a little patience. Follow it, and what you have is not just a garment but something closer to a ritual — the softer side of how you take care of yourself.
Frequently asked questions
How do you hand wash silk pajamas?
Fill a clean basin with cool water and a small amount of mild detergent made for silk or delicates. Move the pajamas gently through the water, rinse in clean cool water, then press out excess water in a towel without wringing and air dry away from direct sunlight.
Can you machine wash silk pajamas?
Only if the care label allows it. Eberjey's Washable Silk can be machine washed cold on delicate, separately, ideally in a mesh wash bag; remove it promptly and lay it flat to dry.
Can you put silk pajamas in the dryer?
Skip the dryer. Eberjey's Washable Silk care label says to remove it promptly and lay it flat to dry. Keep it out of direct sunlight.
How often should you wash silk pajamas?
There is no fixed rule, but perspiration left in silk can weaken it, so do not let worn silk sit too long between washes. Wash right away if you notice soiling or skincare transfer.
Is TENCEL™ Modal an easier alternative to silk?
For many people, yes. Eberjey's Gisele TENCEL™ Modal sets are buttery soft and can be machine washed cold on gentle and tumble dried low, a simpler routine than silk.
Sources
- University of Idaho Cooperative Extension, “All About Silk: Caring for Silk” (PDF)
- iScience (via PubMed Central), “Interplay between Light and Functionalized Silk Fibroin and Applications”
- Lenzing (TENCEL™), “TENCEL™ Modal fiber claims snapshot, October 2024” (PDF)
- University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension, “Frustrated by fabric fuzz? Tips to minimize pilling”
