A wedding gown is one of the most expensive, delicate and sentimental pieces of clothing you will ever wear. After the big day, you need to take the right precautions to keep your dress looking pristine for years to come. Preserving your wedding dress can be tricky, but it isn’t rocket science. There are some simple steps you can take before sending your dress to the cleaners to make sure it remains as immaculate as possible.
The Don’ts
Firstly, let’s talk about what NOT to do when preserving your wedding dress. It may be tempting to put the dress into a plastic garment bag straight away, to keep air and light away from it, but resist the urge! While bags can keep out both light and air, they’re not the best storage option for your wedding dress as they’re also superb at trapping moisture within. This means mould and mildew grow and emit fumes inside the bag that can yellow and discolour your gown.
Another tempting move might be to hang it somewhere with lots of light (it sure looks lovely in the morning, doesn’t it?) But this can do more harm than good. Hanging your dress incorrectly can lead to stretching and sagging, especially on dresses with many embellishments such as beads and sequins, which make the dress heavy. If you do decide to hang the dress, make sure you hang it correctly from the dress loops, but try to keep it away from light as light can discolour that brilliant white.
Thirdly, it’s important you don’t attempt to get any stains out yourself. Dresses are made of many delicate and varying materials, so they all require different cleaning methods. It really is best to leave it to the experts!
Speaking of expert cleaners, be sure to do your research first and go with specialty wedding dress cleaners. Don’t be tempted to order a DIY kit online or turn to standard dry cleaners who often lack the expertise for cleaning and preserving your wedding dress properly. Neither of these options is worth the risk!
Lastly, don’t wait too long to send it into the cleaners. The sooner you send your dress off to be cleaned and preserved, the more successful the cleaners can be.
The Dos
So, what ARE the best techniques for preserving your wedding dress?
-Ensure the dress is kept in a special wedding gown box.
-Layer this box and cover your gown in white cotton or other acid-free sheets to save it from dust and light.
-Store it in a dry, dark, temperature-controlled area.
-Resist the temptation to scrub, leave those stains to the professionals!
-Consult cleaning professionals as soon as you can. If you’re going straight on your honeymoon, you can arrange for your dress to be collected by specialists like us here at Confetti. We’ll send a courier to get your dress.
Preserving your wedding dress doesn’t have to be a stressful to-do at the end of your wedding list! Keep these tips in mind, leave the cleaning and preservation to the professionals, and your dress will be good as new for years to come.
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