How to Take Care of Your Satin Pillowcase - Everything You Need to Know

So, you’ve made the switch to a satin pillowcase. Congratulations! You’re one step closer to banishing bad hair days for good and saying hello to a glorious halo of perfect hair. A satin pillowcase protects your hair from frizz, doesn’t rob it of its moisture, and feels frankly amazing against your skin. Sound too good to be true? It’s not, but there’s one small trick to this miracle. You’ve got to take care of that pillowcase.

Don’t worry, though. Unlike its cousins, silk and ultra-high-end cotton, satin isn’t that difficult to care for once you’ve got the hang of it. In fact, satin leans on the advantages bestowed upon it due to the use of synthetic fibers. Fabrics such as polyester and rayon are popular because of their easy, uncomplicated care.

Caring for satin isn’t much different. Here’s how to keep that satin pillowcase in tip-top shape so you can get the best beauty sleep ever.

How to Care for Your Satin Pillowcase

Satin – whether a pillowcase or lingerie – does need slightly more specific care than other types of fabric. The satin weave produces a very soft, glossy fabric with minimal friction and maximum smoothness. The process, however, does create a slightly more delicate fabric. If you throw your satin pillowcase into the wash with your jeans and bath towels, you’re likely to ruin it regardless of whether it’s made from silk, nylon, or polyester.

The first step to caring for your satin pillowcase is to know what type of fibers were used to create it. If you bought your pillowcases as part of a satin sheet set, there’s a good chance it’s made from polyester, nylon, acetate – or one of those three blended with silk. In certain pillowcases, like those made from acetate or silk, you may find a tag which says dry clean only. You should follow those instructions.

For all other types of satin, these guidelines will help you keep it in the best condition possible to support your healthy, naturally beautiful hair. To care for your satin pillowcase:

1. Help It Survive Getting Washed

It’s a good idea to wash your pillowcase at least once each month to remove product buildup or oils which it may have collected. Washing satin may seem like a daunting task, but it’s not. Of course, if you’re working with a particularly expensive item or you don’t feel confident in your laundry skills, it’s always worth it to take it to a professional cleaner. To help satin survive the wash:

• Turn it inside out. Many satin pillowcases come with an inner lining. When you turn it inside out, you use that lining to protect the actual satin part of the pillowcase. Don’t worry, it will still get clean.
• Consider handwashing. Satin pillowcases made from polyester can certainly go into the laundry. However, if you have the time and the energy, you may want to consider handwashing an especially high-end or luxurious satin pillowcase. Use a gentle detergent, cool water, and a kneading movement to free up dirt or product from the fibers.
• Put it in with like fabrics. Wash your satin pillowcase when you do your most delicate articles. After water temperature, the greatest opportunity for damage comes from being churned about with abrasive or heavy fabrics.
• Consider a laundry bag. Many people will use a mesh laundry bag for their satin pillowcases much the same way you would for lingerie or other delicate items. It will help you prevent your satin pillowcase from getting wrapped around the drum or another item and twisted out of shape.
• Use a gentle detergent. Washing satin isn’t the time for heavy-duty stain removers, bleach or other harsh chemicals. Use a gentle detergent
• Use cool water. Never use warm or hot water to wash your satin pillowcase as it will damage the fibers and cause the pillowcase to shrink.
• Turn down the spin cycle. If your washing machine has a “delicates” option, use that. Otherwise, select the lowest strength spin cycle on your machine.

2. Dry It Gently

You’ve got the satin through the wash – hurray! That’s half the battle. Next, you’ll need to dry your satin pillowcase correctly to ensure it doesn’t stretch, shrink or wrinkle. To dry a satin pillowcase:

• Don’t wring or twist it. Never wring or twist your satin pillowcase, especially if you’re washing it by hand. Water makes the fibers more elastic, and the twisting movement will make your pillowcase warp.
• Don’t put it in the dryer. Even on a gentle, no-heat cycle, a dryer isn’t a great idea for a satin pillowcase. You need to protect it from being twisted or stretched.
• Take care if hanging it on a clothesline. Clotheslines aren’t a good idea if your satin pillowcase consists of silk or wool because these fibers can stretch under their own weight. Polyester satin can hang on a clothesline as long as the tag doesn’t read lay flat to dry.
• Lay it flat on a fluffy towel. When in doubt, the safest way to dry a satin pillowcase is to lay it flat to dry. Those fluffy bath towels we warn against using for your hair are actually great in this case. Put one down on a flat surface and lay the pillowcase there. It will help the pillowcase dry more rapidly on both sides.

3. Store It with Care

Once it’s clean, you’ll need to protect your satin pillowcase from getting wrinkled. If you need to iron your pillowcase, use the lowest possible setting and no steam. Otherwise, fold the pillowcase into as you normally would and store it in an airtight container. Those plastic closet organizer containers work great.

Repose in Elegance with a Satin Pillowcase

Caring for a satin pillowcase isn’t difficult, and proper care goes a long way to help it remain in the condition you need to support your beauty routine. With a satin pillowcase, you can say goodbye to frizz or unruly bedhead, and good morning to a beautiful mane – every day.

Upgrade your pillowcase and your hair towel to simplify your beauty routine while enhancing the health of your hair. Enjoy a satin pillowcase with a zipper.