Procedure for washing silk:

1. Before washing, test for colour fastness. Dip a small piece of the silk in cold or tepid water. Take a piece of white cotton fabric and lay it over the silk, then press with a warm iron. If there is any transfer of colour to the white fabric other than a faint mark, do not wash the item.
2. Never soak, boil or bleach silk.
3. Never try to remove stains yourself. Silk threads (Light colours only) may be hand-washed in tepid water (35°C maximum) with the addition of a washing product for delicate lingerie e.g., soap flakes or gentle detergent. Rinse thoroughly three times using hand hot water for each rinse.
4. Roll the article in a clean dry towel to remove surplus water. Never leave it in a towel or in a crumpled condition. Allow to dry if necessary in an airy place away from the sun and direct heat but only until the material if slightly and evenly damp with a cool iron taking special care not to apply too greeat a pressure over seams. Do not use a steam iron and do not attempt to redamp locally. Finish off lightly on the right side. 

N.B.: Warning ! Be very careful with dark colours. (Dark marine, dark brown, bright red, green or purple...) they are obtained by addition of colouring matters and colour fastness cannot be guaranteed.
The international group for textile labelling defines the symbol for hand washing as equivalent to a washing temperature from 30 to 40°C. Given the delicacy of silk, the commission of technology and research of the A.I.S. (International Silk Association) at LYON specifies that the temperature should not be higher than 35°C.

Advice for cleaning tapestries:

• Buy Oil F which you can find in chemists and supermarkets
• Make a tampon with some white cotton fabric
• Dab it in Oil F
• Clean in small circles from one edge to another
• When your tampon gets dirty, put it in a basin. The dust will fall to the bottom and it is possible to re-use the tampon.
• When finished, it is possible to filter the Oil so that it can be re-used.

Warning! Never use this oil near to a heat source and, needless to say, never smoke.

Before cleaning analyse the properties of the fibres and dyes
Soaking and pre-washing
Wash with synteronic soap
Rinse four times
Dry flat at a temperature of 30 degrees Celsius

Cleaning enables rehydration of fibres.