How to care for silk and wool without a dry-cleaner habit

Silk and wool are protein fibres. They hate heat, agitation and alkaline detergent - not water.

Silk

• Hand wash in cool water with a pH-neutral soap, five minutes, no wringing.
• Roll in a towel to remove water, then dry flat away from sun.
• Iron on the reverse at low heat while slightly damp.
• Never bleach, never tumble dry.

Wool

• Wash every 4-6 wears, not every wear; airing does most of the work.
• Use a wool-cycle detergent, cold water, low spin.
• Dry flat, shaped - hanging stretches the shoulders.
• Store folded, not on a hanger, and use cedar rather than mothballs.

When dry cleaning is right

Structured coats, lined jackets and anything with a fused interlining. For knitwear and silk slips, hand washing is gentler than solvent.

The two products worth owning

A pH-neutral wool wash, and a fine knit comb for pilling. That is the whole kit.

Shop: merino knit, silk slip.