Contrary to popular belief, you should never steam silk. Water stains silk, and steam is nothing more than vaporized water droplets. If you've got a beautiful silk dupioni dress, curtain set or tablecloth, at some point it will get wrinkled. Don't ruin your silk with traditional ironing techniques. With some simple tools and materials, you'll get your silk dupioni back to its luxurious, wrinkle-free shine.
Set iron on "low" or "silk" setting.
Take a scrap of silk or a piece of silk dupioni that won't be easily seen, lay the cotton cloth over it and iron. Press down firmly, then move the iron back and forth swiftly. Examine the newly ironed piece of silk, lifting up the cloth and running your fingers over the fabric, to make sure the iron setting is right. The silk should feel smooth. If the fabric has hardened, the setting is too high. If it's still wrinkled, incrementally adjust the iron to the next setting until the wrinkles are gone.
Continue ironing your silk in small sections and periodically checking the fabric to make sure the iron setting is correct.
Tip
Don't store silk dupioni in the basement, garage or attic, as this encourages and exposes your silk to insects and mold. Gently wrap your silk dupioni in a 100% cotton sheet, cover it in a plastic zip bag and store it in a dry closet.
