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Welcome to
Wedding Gown Cleaning Advice |
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Wedding
Dress Cleaning: A Complete How To
How To Do
Your Own Wedding Gown Cleaning.
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Wedding gown cleaning
isn't as difficult as it may appear. Most wedding gowns today are made from
polyester. With proper caution, a do it yourself wedding dress cleaning is
something that most people can do. You should easily be able to clean your own
wedding dress by hand-washing it.
The Federal Trade Commission requires
all wedding gowns to have a care label sewn inside the dress. This label will
tell you what material the dress is made of and how to clean it. Before you
decide to embark on your own wedding gown cleaning you need to check this care
label. Many will indicate that the gown is polyester and say "hand wash" or
display a little icon that looks like a washing machine. If your gown is one of
these, it should be safe for you to do your own wedding gown
cleaning.
If the gown says it is 100% polyester but says "Dry Clean
Only" you can usually still get away with a home wedding dress cleaning.
However, if the gown is silk and bears 'dry clean only" label you would be well
advised and take it to a wedding gown cleaning specialist.
Wedding gown
restoration is both an art and a science practiced by a relatively few
specialized companies. Most are especially experienced dry cleaners who have
been quietly engaged in this craft for years. A professional dry cleaner,
skilled in the restoration and treatment of wedding gowns can breathe restore
these heirloom treasures. Choose your cleaner carefully; not all are wedding
gown restoration specialists.
The first step in cleaning your own
wedding gown is hang the gown from a high place. You will need to inspect the
gown to remove or secure any loose pieces and loose trim. Look over the dress
for tears. You will need to repair them before you go any further or they may
get worse. Check the dress for any stains. Pre-treat the stains with Shout or a
similar product.
The next step is to check the hemline. Unless you got
married in a hospital operating room chances are it is filthy. It may possibly
be frayed or torn. You will need to repair the tears. The fraying is harmless,
but if you don't like it you can give it a "haircut" with a pair of sharp
scissors.
The first step in cleaning your own wedding gown is hang the
gown from a high place. You will need to inspect the gown to remove or secure
any loose pieces and loose trim. Look over the dress for tears. You will need
to repair them before you go any further or they may get worse. Check the dress
for any stains. Pre-treat the stains with Shout or a similar product.
Next, with the dress hanging, thoroughly wet the hemline with plain water. Then
dilute a half cup of liquid detergent with one cup of water. Pour this
concoction into a spray bottle and then spray the entire hemline. Don't forget
to spray the bottom of the lining also. Using your fingertips, gently rub the
solution into the hemline. This will help to loosen up the grime. Allow it to
soak in for about an hour and then repeat.
Fill the bathtub with enough
hot water to cover the hemline. Add some dish washing liquid and place the
hemline in the water. Let it soak overnight if possible. After it has soaked,
using your fingertips, work your way around the hemline gently rubbing the dirt
out. You can use a toothbrush to help as long as you don't brush too hard. Do
not rub the lace with the brush or you could rip it.
When you have
finished with the hem you need to rinse out all the dish washing liquid.
Failure to do this will result in filling your entire bathroom and adjacent
rooms with soap suds.
Next, fill your bathtub with warm water. Pour in
any good laundry detergent. Turn the gown inside out and immerse it in the tub.
After allowing it to soak for an hour or so gently move the gown back and forth
and side to side to remove any soil. Then gently knead the dress and repeat.
When you are satisfied that the dress is clean, allow the water to drain out of
the tub. You will need to rinse the dress several times to be sure all the
detergent has been removed.
After the dress has been cleaned it should
be allowed to drip dry for about an hour. Unfortunately, you can not simply
hang the dress from the top because it is too heavy when it is wet. You will
need two or three plastic hangers. Do not use wood because it will stain the
wet dress, and do not use metal or wire hangars because they will leave rust
stains. The idea is to support the dress in 3 places until most of the water
has dripped out. After the water has dripped out you should hang the dress from
the top and allow it to finish drying. You should reposition the dress and the
lining to allow the wrinkles to fall out naturally. If you hang it carefully
while it is still damp you may be able to get away with little to no
pressing.
Wedding gown restoration is, indeed, a slow process. You
should be prepared to pay several hundred dollars for the specialist's time and
knowledge.
As you can see, wedding gown cleaning is, indeed, a time
consuming process. This is why a wedding gown cleaner will charge several
hundred dollars.
Wedding gown restoration is, indeed, a slow process.
You should be prepared to pay several hundred dollars for the specialist's time
and knowledge.
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