Wedding Dress Cleaning - The Do's And Dont's – Wedding Dress Preservation

For many women, even after many years of marriage, they still like to look at their wedding dresses and think back on how long it took them to find it. A wedding dress forms one of the most precious memories of your big day. For this reason, there are a number of considerations that go into wedding dress cleaning. This is to ensure you avoid damaging any of the delicate pieces, the material that was used, the color of the dress, along with any intricate embellishments and details. Most women also like to save their wedding gown so that they can hand it down to a family member.

Below are a few useful tips on wedding dress cleaning that you can use to preserve your dress for many years to come.

Do Ask The Experts

When you purchased your wedding dress, it is important to ask the shop assistant or designer, on the treatments that are required for any embellishments or delicate trims. With this information, you no longer have to be concerned about damaging or ruining your beautiful wedding gown when you decide to wash it.

Don’t Assume That You Know How To Wash Your Wedding Dress

It is unwise to think that you already know how to clean your wedding dress just because you have another garment that is made from similar or the same materials. You are probably not an expert when it comes to fabrics, and you may choose a treatment or technique which could result in irreversible damages to your dress.

Do Investigate Any Spots Or Stains

Different stains require different types of treatments. If there is a mark or stain on your wedding gain, you first need to determine whether it is water-based or oil-based.

Don’t Treat Every Mark And Stain The Same

Avoid wedding dress cleaning techniques until you are sure of the stain type you are treating. This may result in making the stain or mark even worse, without actually cleaning the spot very well.

Do Handle The Dress With Care

There might be a number of very small parts which require extra attention, especially when you chose a dress that features complicated details, embroidery with gemstones or guipure. These areas will require hand-washing. If you find that it is too difficult to clean these delicate areas, your next best option is to take the dress to a reliable laundry service provider and ask if they are able to clean the dress for you. Make sure that you choose a service provider that specializes in cleaning items such as wedding dresses.

Don’t Clean Your Dress In Your Washing Machine

With such delicates and stunning pieces on your wedding dress, choosing the option of dumping it into your washing machine would be a terrible mistake. Washing an item such as a wedding gown in a washing machine could result in a number of issues.

Do Make Sure You Dry The Dress Correctly

Once you have cleaned your wedding dress, always hang the dress up by the loops that the dress came with. This will help to keep the shape of the dress. If you would like to use a dryer, first ask the designer or the shop that you purchased the dress from whether it is safe to put your dress in a dryer and what setting you should be using. If you do decide to hand wash your dress, it is probably best to allow the dress to air dry outside.

Don’t Hang The Dress Without Using The Loops

Avoid hanging your wedding gown without the use of the loops as this could ruin the shape of the dress. Once the dress loses its shape it is very difficult to get the dress back to what it used to look like.

Do Gain An Understanding About The Fabric

When it comes to wedding dress cleaning it is important to find out about the fabrics that were used to make the dress. It could be silk or 100% polyester. If the dress is made from silk, then you should only use lukewarm water to wash your dress. If the water is too cold or too hot the silk could either shrink or stretch.

Don’t Use Bleach On A “White” Dress

White comes in a variety of shades which can include ivory, frost, porcelain, or frost. Never bleach an ivory-colored dress when you are trying to remove stubborn stains, unless you plan to change the color of the dress to a chalky white.

Protect Your Wedding Dress

It is never a good idea to hang your wedding dress up in between the rest of your regular clothes in your wardrobe. Hanging a wedding dress that is heavy can change the shape of the dress, and the choice to leave the fabric exposed could result in damages from elements such as moisture or rubbing against other fabrics.

A garment bag is an option, yet if you are are able to afford it invest in a waterproof box or a chest. Wrap the dress in a colorless, and pre-washed fabric and store the dress gently in a box or chest. If you wrap the dress in a colourful printed fabric or paper, the color could transfer to the dress, and that would be a disaster.

Make sure the box is stored in a dry and cool place, so that your dress remains protected.

Final Thoughts

Wedding dresses are typically huge investments, which is why you need to know what you are doing before you start trying to clean it. Storing your dress in the right way will ensure your dress remains intact for many years into the future. Always consult with a professional before you attempt to wash your dress and make sure that you only use the recommended cleaning detergents on the dress. If you are still in doubt it is always advisable to rather take your dress to a professional laundry service provider to safeguard the fabrics in the dress along with all those delicate details.