Your exquisite wedding dress deserves special care and cleaning to preserve its beauty. While dry cleaning is ideal, some lighter gowns and stains can be handled at home if you’re extremely careful. Follow these safe DIY cleaning tips to keep your bridal dress looking impeccable.
Know when to dry clean
For thorough, deep cleaning, nothing beats professional dry cleaning. Take your gown to a specialist shortly before your wedding day to eliminate any production chemicals, dust, or residue from storage and transit.
Dry cleaning is also safest for delicate fabrics like silk, lace, and beading that require chemical solvents for stain removal. The agitation and drying process can damage intricate details if improperly done at home. Leave it to the experts!
Plan to dry clean your dress again after your wedding to remove sweat, body oils, wine stains, and cake smudges accumulated throughout the big day and reception. Then dry clean every few years to keep the fabrics fresh and white.
Carefully spot clean minor stains
If your gown has a small, localized stain you notice right before the ceremony, you can attempt careful spot cleaning at home. Thoroughly research the fabric content first and test any solution on an inconspicuous area.
For water-based stains, dilute a very mild soap with cool distilled water. Use a soft sponge and gently dab the stain, avoid vigorous rubbing. Rinse with distilled water and blot dry with a lint-free towel.
Oily stains can be dabbed with rubbing alcohol then rinsed. For ink, try milk diluted with water and gently sponged around the stain. Always blot, never rub forcefully on delicate material.
Hand wash very select garments
A limited number of heavy, casual wedding dresses in fabrics like cotton or polyester can be hand washed if absolutely necessary. Use a gentle laundering soap, never detergent!
Fill a tub with cool water and add soap diluted to make gentle suds. Allow the dress to soak briefly then move it gently in the water to release dirt. Rinse thoroughly with clean water. Roll the dress in a towel to absorb moisture then lay flat to air dry. Never hang or forcefully wring delicate fabrics.
Even with DIY methods, professional dry cleaning gives the best, safest results for preserving your treasured wedding dress. Trust the specialists for deep, delicate cleaning and handling of intricate fabrics and embellishments.
