How to Wash Nylon Fabric? a Simple Washing Guide

It’s crucial to wash and care for your nylon fabric properly if you want it to last. In this post, we provide some tips to help you do just that.

Due to the fact that nylon is a plastic made of brief, repeating atoms, it is referred to as a polymer. Due to its strength and lightweight feel, this material has been dubbed a “low maintenance fabric,” but just like everything else on earth, if it is not treated with care, it will quickly start to deteriorate.

In this article, you will learn how to wash nylon fabric the right way.

How to Wash Nylon by Hand?

There may be times when you need to hand wash your nylon fabric even though the majority of nylon clothing can be easily washed in a machine. This usually applies when washing sheer clothing, such as lingerie or women’s hosiery.

Naturally, if the utmost care is taken, these items can also be machine washed. That will be discussed in the section after that. Here are the procedures to follow when hand washing sheer nylon fabrics for the time being.

How to Wash Nylon by Hand:

1. SEPARATE – Sort by color, being careful to keep white, vivid colors, and dark colors apart as they need to be washed separately to avoid stains. Additionally, separate stained items and delicately pre-treat them using the methods described above.
2. ADD DETERGENT – After sorting your wash load, add liquid laundry detergent or its powdered equivalent to warm or cool water. Never use hot water as this can ruin or melt your fabric.
3. WASH – For a few minutes, gently swirl your nylon item around the bowl. Rinse until all detergent has been removed.
4. DRY – Dry your cleaned material by air drying or using the lowest heat setting on a dryer. Nylon does not respond well to heat. You can add fabric softener to reduce static electricity. Nylon dries quickly, so keep an eye on it and take it out of the dryer as soon as it’s done. If you leave your clothes out in the heat for too long, they might melt. Sort and carefully fold away.

Here are more properties of nylon fabric:

• Is Nylon Fabric Stretchy?
• Is Nylon a Breathable Fabric?
• Can You Paint on Nylon Fabric?
• How to Dye Nylon Fabric?
• How to Soften Nylon Fabric?

How to Wash Nylon by Machine?

If not specifically advised against by the manufacturer, nylon clothing can typically be washed in a washing machine. A care label should be read before continuing. You must follow these instructions in order to wash those nylon items properly. (See How to Care for Nylon Fabric?)

How to Wash Nylon by Machine:

1. SEPARATE – Clothing made with nylon material should be washed separately. This is because it doesn’t require hot water like other materials. In order to avoid potential ruin and long-term damage, washing nylon fabric in hot water is strongly advised.
2. TURN – After you’re done with sorting, turn your clothes inside out as it is always better to wash the backs of your clothes. Yes, your mother was right, after all
3. DETERGENT – When washing, use liquid or powdered detergent. Simply add the necessary quantity to warm or cool water. For fabric with oil or other stains, use the heavy-duty variant of this detergent so as to easily get rid of stains. It is advised against ever trying to remove stains from nylon fabric by using chlorine bleach, even in its diluted form.
4. WASH – Wash in a washing machine on the gentle or regular cycle setting for nylon fabrics that are more durable. Do not forget to add a fabric softener to help control static electricity.
5. PROTECT – Avoid washing delicate nylon items like lingerie or hosiery with thicker fabrics. Instead, wash by hand, following the steps listed above, or wash separately after encasing in a mesh bag for protection, to avoid wear and tear. Make sure your washing machine is set to the gentle setting as well.
6. DRY – Drip drying is ideal for nylon. To accomplish this, hang the damp material on a hanger, and then, while it is still damp and pliable, use your fingers to straighten the seams and cuffs. Hang up and allow to dry from natural air. Although nylon and high temperatures don’t mix, if you’ve determined that your material can be machine dried according to the manufacturer’s washing instructions, you can either choose to air dry or dry your clothing in a clothes dryer at its lowest setting. Check on it after 10 to 15 minutes because nylon dries quickly.
7. STORE – Once it has dried, take it out of the washer right away and fold it up. To prevent wrinkles or even damage, don’t wait too long.

Tips on Washing Nylon Fabric

A Dedicated Load

Washing nylon items separately from the rest of your laundry is one of the best habits you can form for your nylon clothing. Although some nylon items are particularly delicate, they should all be handled gently to prevent damage.

Nylon items should be treated similarly to other delicates, so if you don’t have enough to fill a full load, try mixing them in with those.

Use the Right Detergent

You may notice that your nylon garments still stink even after they come out of the wash. If so, your detergent might be to blame. Regular detergents are typically designed to wash cotton and are less efficient when washing synthetic fabrics like nylon.

Use Cold Water

Always use cold water when washing nylon clothing, whether you wash it by hand or in the washing machine. Cold water is kind to delicate fabrics and is less likely to cause shrinkage or fading. Additionally, it is energy-efficient and can help you in the long run to reduce your energy costs.

Related: Does Cold Or Hot Water Shrink Clothing?

Use Care When Drying

It’s important to exercise caution during the drying process because there is a greater risk of nylon clothing damage. Nylon clothing should typically be air-dried rather than dried in a dryer.

However, if you would like to speed up the process, most nylon garments can go in the dryer on a low setting. Keep in mind that high heat settings could damage the material, rendering it useless or shortening its lifespan.

No Chlorine Bleach

Avoid the temptation to reach for chlorine bleach when trying to brighten up nylon clothing that isn’t looking its best. This product has its uses, but washing nylon is not one of them. See Can You Bleach Nylon Fabric?

The fabric may come out of the wash looking yellowed if you wash nylon with chlorine bleach, and the fibers may also be harmed. Consider a non-chlorine version of bleach if you feel it is necessary.

Do I Have to Hand Wash Nylon Fabrics?

Nylon fabrics do not need to be hand washed, especially considering that not everyone finds the task tolerable. However, if you throw your nylon clothes in the washing machine, their lifespan will be shortened.

This is a clear indication that the clothing is beginning to show signs of wear and tear if you start to notice pilling on your clothes. Following the formation of nylon piles, a series of tiny holes typically develops and starts to grow larger and more obvious. You can delay this degradation by hand washing.

Conclusion: Wash Nylon Fabric

The strength, flexibility, and abrasion resistance of nylon fibers are unsurpassed. They also produce smooth, durable fabrics and are very simple to wash.

Use an all-purpose detergent and warm water to machine wash durable items. To avoid stretching or tearing, hand-wash intimate apparel and hosiery in warm water with a mild detergent, or machine-wash in a mesh bag.

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