What Can I Use to Get Stains Out of a Silk Chair?

Oil

• Most upholstery stains are oil based, from food spills to skin oil on chair arms. If the oil stain was caused by food, carefully remove any remaining food that is on the stain, using a clean rag, but do not rub or spread the stain. Sprinkle a layer of cornstarch or talcum powder over any oil stain, gently rub the dry cornstarch into the stain and allow it to remain on the spot for 20 minutes. Use a soft brush or hand vacuum to remove the cornstarch. Repeat this method as many times as needed until the cornstarch has absorbed all the oil from the stain.

Wine

• Silk upholstery is often used for dining room chairs, where beverages, especially wine, can be spilled, creating an ugly stain. The sooner you can begin removing a wine stain, before it dries, the more successful you will be. With a clean, white towel, blot up as much of the wine as possible. In 2001, the University of California at Davis conducted a study of six wine stain removing techniques. The result was a solution of equal amounts of 3 percent hydrogen peroxide and Dawn dish soap. Dab this solution on the wine stain with a rag or cotton swab and allow it to remain for 10 to 20 minutes. Use a water damp clean towel to remove any soap residue, followed by a dry towel to dry the spot.

Coffee

• Coffee, like wine, needs to be absorbed up as soon as possible by using a dry, clean towel. Make a spot removal solution of one part pH neutral soap mixed with 10 parts water. Apply it to the coffee stain by dipping a clean towel in the solution then, using the dipped towel, blot the stain. Let the solution remain on the coffee stain for several minutes before dabbing the spot with a towel that was dipped in clean water, followed by a dry towel. You may need to repeat this method one or more times before the coffee is lifted from the silk upholstery.

Considerations

• Silk is a protein-based fabric and cleaning products that are alkaline will damage and weaken the silk. Use any liquid-based stain remover on your silk upholstery sparingly to avoid creating a ring around where the stain was. When using liquid to remove a stain, feather the edge of the wet, or moist, ring by using a clean, dry towel and lightly rubbing the ring edge outward, away from the ring. Because some silk upholstery may be dyed with noncolorfast dyes, test the fabric by using a clean, white towel, wetting a corner of the towel with water, and dabbing it on the silk upholstery at a hidden spot. Look at the white towel to see if any color from the upholstery transferred to the towel. With a dry, white towel, dab the hidden water wet spot, rub it slightly and check the dry towel for dye transfer.