Quick answer: The golden rule for nightwear is: wash cold and dry gently. Cotton and fleece are machine-washable at 30-40 degrees. Silk must be hand-washed in cold water with no spin. Velvet needs a cold hand-wash or delicate cycle, no wringing, and flat drying to protect its pile. Never tumble-dry silk or velvet heat is the main cause of shrinkage and damage.
Good nightwear lasts for years if you wash it correctly and gets ruined fast if you don't. Silk and velvet in particular are unforgiving of hot water and rough handling. This fabric-by-fabric guide covers exactly how to care for each type, so your pieces from KOZEE's Silk Dress, Night Dress, and Winter Night Suit collections keep their shape and softness.
The General Rules That Apply to Everything
Whatever the fabric, a few habits protect nightwear: wash in cold or cool water, turn garments inside out to protect the outer surface, use a mild detergent (about half what you'd use for heavy laundry), and dry in the shade rather than direct sun or a hot dryer. These alone prevent most fading, shrinkage, and wear.
Fabric-by-Fabric Care at a Glance
| Fabric | Wash method | Water temp | Drying |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cotton / lawn | Machine wash | 30-40 degrees | Shade, line dry |
| Cotton-modal | Machine wash | 30 degrees | Shade, line dry |
| Silk / silk-satin | Hand wash only, no spin | Cold | Flat, in shade |
| Velvet-polyester | Hand wash or delicate cycle | Cold | Flat, no tumble dry |
| Fleece | Machine wash | 30 degrees | Shade, no high heat |
How to Hand-Wash Silk Nightwear
Silk is a protein fibre and reacts badly to heat and agitation. Follow these steps:
- Fill a basin with cold water and a small amount of mild detergent.
- Turn the garment inside out and submerge it gently don't scrub or twist.
- Swirl for a minute, then rinse in fresh cold water until no soap remains.
- Press the water out gently between your palms or in a towel never wring.
- Lay flat on a dry towel in the shade to dry. Avoid direct sun, which fades silk.
How to Wash Velvet Without Crushing the Pile
Velvet's soft surface is a raised pile that flattens if mishandled. Protect it like this:
- Turn the garment inside out before washing.
- Hand-wash gently in cold water, or use a delicate machine cycle inside a mesh laundry bag.
- Use half the detergent you'd use for cotton, and never warm or hot water.
- Do not wring or twist press gently between towels to remove excess water.
- Dry flat or hang loosely in the shade; never tumble-dry.
- To revive flattened pile, hold the piece over steam and brush gently in one direction with a soft brush.
Cotton & Fleece: The Easy Ones
Cotton, cotton-modal, and fleece are the low-maintenance fabrics. Machine-wash cotton at 30-40 degrees and fleece at 30 degrees, both with a mild detergent, and dry in the shade. This easy care is exactly why cotton and fleece are the practical everyday and kids' choices see the Kids Night Dress and Womens Fleece collections for wash-and-wear pieces.
Common Washing Mistakes to Avoid
- ✓ Using hot water on silk or velvet heat shrinks fibres and flattens pile.
- ✓ Machine-washing silk 'on delicate' even gentle cycles risk shrinkage; hand-wash instead.
- ✓ Wringing or twisting press water out gently to keep shape.
- ✓ Tumble-drying silk or velvet the single fastest way to ruin them.
- ✓ Drying in direct sun fades colour, especially deep jewel tones.
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Shop KOZEE NightwearFrequently Asked Questions
How do I wash a silk nighty without ruining it?
Hand-wash in cold water with a mild detergent, don't scrub or wring, rinse in cold water, press out moisture in a towel, and dry flat in the shade. Never machine-wash or tumble-dry silk heat and agitation cause shrinkage.
Can I machine-wash velvet night suits?
Only on a delicate/gentle cycle in cold water, inside a mesh bag, turned inside out. Hand-washing is safer. Never use warm water or a tumble dryer, and never wring press the water out and dry flat to protect the pile.
What temperature should I wash cotton nightwear at?
Machine-wash cotton and lawn at 30-40 degrees and cotton-modal at 30 degrees, with a mild detergent. Dry in the shade to prevent fading. Cotton is the easiest nightwear fabric to care for.
Why does my velvet nightwear look flat in places?
The pile has been crushed, usually by heat, wringing, or storing it pile-outward. To revive it, hold the piece over steam and brush gently in one direction with a soft-bristle brush. Store velvet folded pile-inward to prevent it.
How often should I wash my nightwear?
Cotton benefits from frequent washing; silk and velvet don't need washing every wear airing them in the shade between washes keeps them fresh and extends their life. Always wash cold and dry gently regardless of fabric.
