How to Wash Nylon- Dos and Don'ts

In this article, you will learn how to wash nylon the right way. Nylon is described as a polymer because it is a plastic that is made up of short and repeating atoms. Although this material has been referred to as a low maintenance fabric, due to its strong and lightweight feel, like every other thing on earth, if it is not properly handled, it soon starts to show signs of deterioration. 

How to Wash Nylon

Nylon is a general term used to refer to a family of synthetic or manmade polymers. When made into fibers, it is remarkably strong, elastic, and resistant to abrasion. Due to the toughness of its fibers, it produces a soft, smooth, strong, stretchy, non-absorbent, and lightweight fabric that is highly resilient. These admirable features combine to make it a choice material for activities that require lots of movement. Another attractive characteristic is its ability to repel dirt and water; it does not absorb sweat and/or water and so dries rapidly. Read more about what is nylon.

How to Wash Nylon Fabric

As earlier stated, nylon is the go-to fabric for making outfits for outdoor activities, but that's not all this resilient fabric is used for. It is also used in raincoats, windbreakers, linings, hosiery, and lingerie. 

Nylon is generally a resilient material, that is not damaged by regular washing, so you can wash your clothing items as often as needed. However, as usual, before laundering any fabric, it is best to peruse the washing instructions from the manufacturer as specific materials can require particular care if it is combined with other fabrics. 

If you have confirmed how your specific nylon fabric can be washed, here are some guidelines you can follow.

How to Wash Nylon with Stains

Like other fabrics, you'd need to pay special attention to a piece of stained nylon fabric for obvious reasons. Stains usually do not come out during regular washing but would rather require targeted cleaning. Here are some steps you can follow to rid your nylon fabric of stains.

How to Wash Nylon with Stains:

1. SEPARATE - Sort and separate stained nylon fabrics from other clothing articles as they would require special attention.
2. ACT FAST - It is always best to treat stains immediately they occur, especially oily stains, as they are yet to set in and so easier to remove. But, if you were indisposed or unaware of the stains, all hope is not lost as you can still tactically remove them. 
3. STAIN REMOVER - Liberally apply an enzyme-based stain remover over the stains and allow them to sit for a bit. Do not attempt to use chlorine bleach to get rid of tough stains to avoid further damage to your fabric. Stains that have already been set into the fabric might require a bit of time for them to be displaced by the stain remover, so you should sort stained clothes and apply the stain remover before you are ready to begin washing.
4. WASH - If you're washing with a machine, simply add the pre-treated stained material to your wash load, pour in detergent, and continue your washing. To completely get rid of stains, you would need to use a heavy-duty commercial laundry detergent

Why You Should HandWash Your Nylon Clothes

Although it is not compulsory to wash nylon by hand, it is advisable as using a washing machine will eventually result in wear and tear in the form of pilling.

The constant stress of running your material through the laundry process causes pill-like materials to form on the clothes. As the clothes deteriorate further, you'd notice that lots of small holes have been formed, which only get bigger as more time elapses. This process can be managed to a large extent by washing your nylon items by hand, which is rather easier than you'd expect as this material naturally repels dirt and resists other water-based stains.

If stained by oil, nylon can still be hand-washed after you have soaked the particular location with an enzyme-based stain-removing solution.

How to Wash Nylon by Hand

Although most nylon clothes can easily be washed with a machine, there might be times you need to wash your nylon fabric by hand. This usually comes into play when you're washing sheer garments like lingerie or women's hosiery. 

Of course, these items can be machine washed too if utmost care is taken. That will be addressed subsequently in the next section. For now, here are the steps to take when hand-washing sheer nylon materials.

How to Wash Nylon by Hand:

1. SEPARATE - Sort according to colors, making sure to separate white, bright colors, and dark colors as they need to be washed separately to prevent stains. Also, separate stained items and carefully pre-treat them by following the steps listed above. 
2. ADD DETERGENT - After sorting your wash load, add liquid laundry detergent or its powdered counterpart to warm or cool water, never hot as this can damage or melt your fabric.
3. WASH - Gently wash your nylon item by swirling it around the bowl for a few minutes. Rinse until all detergent is gone.
4. DRY - Air-dry your washed material or dry in a machine, again at the lowest possible setting as nylon does not react well to heat. To manage static electricity, you can add fabric softener. Nylon doesn't take long to dry, to stay alert and quickly remove from the drying machine once it has dried. Leaving your clothes longer can lead to them to melting from the heat. Sort and carefully fold away.

How to Wash Nylon by Machine

Generally, nylon clothes can be laundered with a washing machine if not expressly discouraged by the manufacturer. Check the care label before proceeding. To properly wash those nylon items, you should adhere to the following steps.

How to Wash Nylon by Machine:

1. SEPARATE - It is advisable to wash clothing items made with nylon material separately. This is because it doesn't require hot water like other materials. In fact, washing your nylon fabric with hot water is highly discouraged to prevent possible ruin and permanent damage. 
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 - Use liquid or powdered detergent to wash. Simply add the required amount to cool or warm 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 recommended to never use either chlorine bleach or its diluted form in a bid to remove stains as they are harmful to nylon fabric.
4. WASH - For sturdier nylon fabric, wash in a washing machine at the gentle or regular cycle setting. Do not forget to add a fabric softener to help control static electricity. 
5. PROTECT - For delicate nylon materials like lingerie or hosiery, do not wash with other thicker materials. Instead, wash with hand, following the steps listed above, or wash separately after encasing in a mesh bag for protection, to avoid wear and tear. Also, ensure you use the gentle setting of your washing machine. 
6. DRY - Ideally, nylon should be drip-dried. This, you do by putting the wet material on a hanger and then using your fingers to straighten seams and cuffs while it is still wet and pliable. Hang up and allow to dry from natural air. However, if you have confirmed that your material can be machine dried, as per manufacturer's washing instructions, bearing in mind that nylon and high temperatures do not mix, you can either opt to airdry or dry your garments in a clothes dryer at its lowest setting. Nylon dries quickly, so be sure to check on it in 10 to 15 minutes. 
7. STORE - When it is dry, immediately remove from the washer and fold it away. Do not leave for long to avoid damage or even wrinkles. 

How to Wash Nylon - Important Tips

Nylon is a pretty resilient fabric but it can also be delicate, so here are the most important things to remember about washing them:

How to Wash Nylon Tips:

• Never use hot water. The heat will break down the material's fibers and ruin your clothes
• Turn your clothes inside out before washing. Washing the back of your clothes helps preserve the material from fading and other deterioration 
• If machine-dried, do not use the highest setting as it is usually the hottest for the same reason as above
• Protect delicate nylon materials by washing separately from other nylon materials
• Do not use chlorine bleach or its diluted form
• Remove stains immediately by applying an enzyme-based stain remover
• Protect sheer materials by putting them in a mesh bag before throwing them in the washing machine
• Do not wash or treat all nylon fabrics the same way. Delicate materials would require delicate handling. If treated the same way as their thicker counterparts, they would wear easily and quicker

How To Wash Nylon - In Conclusion

As previously stated, when wondering how to wash nylon, the first and foremost point that should come to mind should be to consult the manufacturer's care instructions. Ultimately though, if you follow the guidelines in this article to a "t", your nylon fabric and clothing articles should be fine, whether they're made entirely of nylon or mixed with other materials.