The wedding day is one of the most significant days in the life of a woman and the one thing that makes her stand out as a bride is her wedding dress. It takes a lot of planning and ample expenditure to land up with the perfect wedding dress suited for the bride and the occasion. Therefore, it is reasonable to keep the wedding gown clean and preserved for the big day. However, it is also essential for following some essential imperatives to keep the wedding dress clean before, during and even long after the wedding.
Cleaning and preserving the wedding gown holds a lot of significance because brides want to keep it as an insignia of one of the most crucial milestones in their life since the dress represents love, celebration, and happiness associated with their wedding.
In the following discussion, let us explore seven of the amazing hacks for Wedding Dress Cleaning that would come in handy to preserve the memories of the wedding day and the emotions attached to it.
1. Specialists should be the priority:
The first thing that you should keep in mind that preservation and cleaning of a wedding dress is not the task for standard dry cleaners. The wedding gown cleaning requires the assessment of a specialist for evaluation of the fabric used in the dress, stains, stitching, and details as well as the entire dress.
This would help the specialist to chart out a unique treatment plan for your wedding dress so that the dress gets a renovated appeal without any damage to the delicate fabric used in the dress.
2. Dry cleaners as a possible alternative:
You would also note that many dry cleaners offer specialized services for wedding gown cleaning. But it is advisable to evaluate the process followed by them as well as the solvents used by them for cleaning. The preferred solvent for cleaning wedding dresses is virgin solvents since recycled solvents could deposit impurities on the dress and impart a strange odor.
An important thing that should be taken into consideration here is the policies followed by the cleaner. It is recommended to prefer cleaners who provide the guarantee for no damage to the dress and have provisions for refunding the total cost of the dress in the event of any damage.
3. Watch out for the invisible stains:
Invisible stains could be quite the trouble when it comes to wedding dress cleaning. For example, white wine spills on the dress could dry up quickly but develop dark brown stains later due to the sugar content which cannot be removed by conventional dry cleaning. Professional cleaners are the most preferable hack you can opt for while looking for alternatives to clean your wedding gown. They have the capability for spotting the stains which might be invisible to you such as foundation smudges, wine spills, and dirt stains while posing for pictures in outdoors.
4. The dress informs a lot:
One of the most noticeable hacks for making sure that your wedding gown cleaning process is up to the mark is to focus on the label on the wedding dress. The label is a crucial piece of information about the cleaning guidelines and specific directions for dry cleaning. It can help you become aware of the solvents to be used for dry cleaning of the dress and thus help the cleaner to frame relevant and promising cleaning alternatives for the wedding dress.
5. Do not waste time:
It is advisable to be quick as possible with your decision to opt for wedding dress cleaning to get the best results. Most of the time, brides take almost four to six weeks before taking their dresses to the cleaner which does the majority of the damage. With the substantial amount of time, the stains seep in the fabric and are hard to remove. So, if you need your wedding dress in the perfect shape and appearance, then it is recommended that you should visit the cleaner immediately after the reception is over. Even if you are in a hurry, it would be reasonable to ask for a favor from someone in the family to get the dress to a cleaner as immediately as possible.
6. Storage is equally crucial:
The cleaning of a wedding dress is not the end of the process for safeguarding one of your most precious possessions. After the cleaning process, you should make sure that the wedding dress is protected from direct sunlight which can lead to fading of the dress’ color. It is essential to refrain from using a hanger or a plastic zip-lock bag for storing your wedding dress after the cleaning. The hanger can cause distortions in the shape of the dress while the plastic bags have the threat of retaining moisture that can lead to discoloration of the dress. However, you could prefer acid-free plastic used for making wedding dress preservation boxes which can protect the wedding dress from light and air. Other preferable alternatives, in this case, could be identified in wedding chests or breathable bags albeit with the latter being suitable for short-term storage.
7. DIY cleaning with precautions:
Keeping the above precautions in mind could be a lot helpful in getting the best results in Wedding Dress Cleaning from professional sources. However, some essential rules of thumb must be followed while opting for a DIY cleaning of your wedding dress. White cotton gloves are mandatory while handling the wedding gown. Spot testing is crucial for checking that the cleaning process would not harm the fabric. Soft-bristled brushes are a favorable option for cleaning wedding dresses which implies that having a gentle toothbrush can play wonders for the cleaning process. Bleaching is completely banned for wedding gowns as the harsh chemicals could render irreversible impacts on the delicate fabric in the gown.
Furthermore, it is advised to store the wedding dress after cleaning in acid-free containers and in areas where harsh light and temperatures do not find a place. A recommended hack for storage of the wedding dress after cleaning is to place some silica desiccant packages inside the container for preventing additional humidity and moisture that can damage the dress. Keep in mind never to store the dress in areas where temperature and humidity can reach extreme levels such as a basement, garage, cellar or an attic.
Now that you are aware of the essential hacks to make your wedding dress clean and preserved for a lifetime, it would be unreasonable not to follow them. Furthermore, you should also try additional research online to find out many other ways in which you could easily ensure that your wedding dress stays in top shape.