It’s perhaps one of the most important pieces of clothing you own because it signifies an impending, important life event.
Therefore, it becomes paramount that you understand what you can and can’t do with your wedding dress before the big day. In all cases, you want to preserve the fabric as much as possible. Luckily, there are plenty of DIY ways you can clean your wedding dress.
As far as dry cleaning goes, water is generally not used to remove stains and dirt. Rather, we use a hydrocarbon solvent called Intense—which bolsters the fabric—along with a dry cleaning machine.
However, out of all methods, dry cleaning is the best.
In addition to removing stains, dry cleaning also extirpates grimes and destroys any insect or microorganism that’s on your garment. Here, we’ll answer some commonly held questions about wedding gowns and cleaning.
What are some ways to clean my wedding dress?
Contrary to popular belief, there are plenty of things you can do before relinquishing your dress for dry cleaning. First, you should check the label to make sure you are properly cleaning it as per its specifications. If it is more of a vintage dress, then it probably can’t withstand harsh chemicals.
A silk pearl wedding dress by Miss Agnes Miles Carpenter via Wikimedia Commons.
Next, make sure to check for any decorations or embellishments that could be on the gown, too. It is usually a given that a wedding dress will have a decorative pattern, so check if yours has them and remove it if applicable.
Should I dry clean my wedding dress?
The first step you need to consider is preservation.
Passing off your wedding dress for dry cleaning is the first step to this. If you notice a stain beforehand, make sure to tell the dry cleaning experts so they know how to treat your dress, too.
A wedding dress shop in Huqiu, China by Tunere via Wikimedia Commons.
After you have received your dress from the cleaners, then make sure to store it in a cool and dark place. This will protect your gown from direct sunlight—which can eventually cause yellow discoloration on the dress.
How should I store my dress?
Make sure to avoid the common pitfall of using a hanger to hang it. Since wedding gowns are usually heavier than the average dress, hanging it can result in a disproportionately shapen gown. Moreover, don’t store it in a zip-up plastic bag, which would only add moisture, thereby damaging it in the process.
Frozen wedding dress reveal from Alfred Angelo by Inside the Magic via Flikr.
Instead, you should store it in a professionally made wedding preservation box. Typically, these boxes are made acid-free which protects your dress from both air and light sources. This can give your dress longevity adding up to several years.
Lastly, you can basically infer that when you leave your dress with a professional, you can guarantee you will like the results more than opting to take a DIY approach. For expert dry cleaning services in Indianapolis for your wedding gowns, contact Grand Cleaners today or check out our other blog about 7 facts you didn't know about dry cleaning for more.