How to Wash Aerial Silks: Guidelines to care for your silks

How do you wash and care for your aerial silks or aerial fabric? We’ll discuss washing aerial silks, what cleaning products you can and can’t use on aerial fabric, and also tips to keep your aerial fabric in good condition!

How to wash your aerial fabric or aerial silks 

We recommend only washing your aerial silks when necessary. Frequent washing can degrade the fabric more quickly over time. Follow these tips when washing your aerial fabric. 

• Do not use a top-loading washing machine with an agitator. It can snag the fabric. If a top load is your only option you can put the aerial fabric in a large mesh laundry bag and then put the whole thing in the washer. This will help protect from snags. 
• Always use a gentle wash cycle.
• Fabric should be washed at a low temperature or cold only (not hot).
• Use a gentle detergent.
• Do not use fabric softener, bleach, or vinegar.
• It is recommended to line dry only. Using a dryer can damage the fabric due to heat exposure.
• Wash only 1 piece of fabric at a time

Inspect your aerial silk for damage

After washing your fabric, untangle it and check for any snags, holes, or puckered areas. A slight pucker could indicate damage from a drop, which compromises the fabric. Regularly inspect this area for further damage, such as a hole.

Keeping your Aerial Silks in good condition 

For the longevity of your aerial silks: 

• Avoid long fingernails and toenails, which can snag the fabric and create small holes
• Remove any jewelry to prevent creating small holes.
• Choose costumes and clothing that will not harm your fabric. We recommend avoiding zippers and larger sequins. 
• Avoid certain drops, like slack drops, which generate friction that can melt the fabric causing puckering or holes. 
• Keep your fabric out of direct sunlight, which can fade the fabric significantly.
• We do not recommend using bleach, vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, or rubbing alcohol on silks, either wet or dry (such as to take a blood stain out). We only recommend ethyl alcohol (vodka) for stain removal.