Is It Safe To Dry Clean A Wedding Dress?

Does Dry Cleaning Your Wedding Dress Carry Any Risks?

Every town (or city) has its own version of the classic corner dry cleaner. Your father has probably been taking his work shirts to the same family-run dry cleaners for decades, and you may have carried your winter jackets there every year in the fall to be cleaned. Most towns have at least a few dry cleaners to choose from, and many of them have been using the same method and machinery for years with little to no trouble. Can you be sure that these methods and tools will be as successful and, more importantly, safe for the delicate fabrics used to build your bridal gown as they were for your father's cotton work shirts?

Since we've been fixing and cleaning wedding dresses for years, we've put up a list of questions to ask your neighbourhood dry cleaner to see whether they're trustworthy enough to handle one of the most important and expensive components of your wedding. Unfortunately, we have heard and seen too many stories of wedding dresses being ruined due to a lack of understanding, outdated equipment that isn't effective or safe, or just plain negligence, and some of these dresses have been damaged beyond repair. This is not to say that all dry cleaning businesses are bad or lack the skill set and technology necessary to restore the original brilliance of your wedding gown. Check out our extensive list of Wedding Photographers in Melbourne to help capture your special moments.

Wedding dresses come in a wide range of styles, fabrics, and price points. Both simple and ornate gowns are available, the former featuring plunging necklines and the latter with feather accents, lace, and ruffles. There should be a variety of packages to accommodate the bride's budget and personal tastes, as she has many choices when it comes to her wedding dress.

The average cost of professional cleaning and preservation of a bridal gown is between $150 and $225, whereas the expense of restoring an antique gown may really add up. The high cost of a cleaning service might be attributable to a large profit margin or, even worse, to an incompetent employee who lacks the necessary tools for the work. It's possible that you'll have to pay more according to the high possibility of mistakes.

Care after your wedding attire and other heirlooms now so that they can be passed down to future generations in beautiful shape. Keeping a wedding dress (or any other fabric, including baby clothing) out of direct sunlight and dry is the greatest method to lengthen its useful life. The garment and its accessories might perhaps survive for millennia if they are cared for properly.

Cleaning A Wedding Gown

Starting the process of preserving your wedding dress as soon as you begin your search is essential. Once you've found "the dress," be sure to ask the salesperson about how to properly maintain it. When cleaning beads, sequins, and other delicate decorations, always refer to the manufacturer's guidelines.

If you plan on storing your wedding dress for longer than a few weeks, you should clean it even if it doesn't appear soiled. Later-appearing and more difficult-to-remove stains from perspiration, food, and drink, as well as those left by cosmetics, are possible. Locate a dry cleaner that understands the importance of protecting wedding dresses. Be sure to point out the discoloration and any buttons or trim that are missing or loose. If you know how it is done, please explain how the trim is attached to the dress. Some designers utilise adhesives that can be removed with a dry cleaning cycle.

Your gown should be stored in an acid-free box, but before the cleaner packs it for storage, you should examine it to be sure it is clean. When you finally get around to opening that box in a few decades, you won't be taken by surprise. Dresses and veils mysteriously disappearing or ending up in the incorrect wardrobe are a common source of horror stories.

If your dress is basic and made of a material that can be washed by hand at home, then you should examine it carefully for damage and pre-treat any stains before putting it away. Allowing the gown to dry completely before storing it away can avoid the formation of mildew. Keep the gown out of direct sunlight or bright artificial light to extend its life.

A woman's wedding gown is one of her most treasured possessions. Every bride, before and after the big day, gives her wedding dress the utmost respect and attention. Cleaning it before and after the wedding so you may retain it as a souvenir or return it to the rental company in good shape are two of these techniques.

There are numerous methods for washing a bridal gown, including:

•   Dry cleaning- Instead of using water, a chemical called tetrachloroethylene and a dry cleaning machine are used to remove stains and grime.
• Laundry cleaning is the process of removing stains and grime from clothing by using hot water and standard detergents in a washing machine.
• Hand washing- Using water and detergent at home and hand washing the gown on a regular basis.

However, we'll be discussing a chemical alternative to water and detergent in this piece's discussion on dry cleaning a wedding dress. This is because dry cleaning is the most effective way to clean a wedding dress, while it is also the most costly. Looking for a wedding photographer in Melbourne? Look no further. Brighton Savoy has compiled an ultimate list of Melbourne wedding photographers to help you choose.

Preparing A Wedding Gown For Dry Cleaning

• You should read the label on how to care for the item. The first thing you should do before cleaning anything is to read the care label to find out what kind of cleaning it needs and whether any of the chemicals or methods you plan to use may damage the fabric. Dry cleaning is a common service, however it is not recommended for vintage, antique, or otherwise delicate clothing due to the chemicals used in the process.
• Check for typical signs of filth, including stains and patches, on the garments. It's a good idea to double-check with the dry cleaner on whether or not the trim is meant to be dry-cleaned before attempting it. Dye used on trim often fades after being washed in a dry cycle.
• Take a close look at all the embellishments. A majority of today's embellishments are of low quality, and they dissolve when subjected to highly powerful solvents; if they don't dissolve, the adhesive that attaches them to the gown will break, leaving the gown without adornment. Look at the sort of decorations used and how they are attached to the dress.
• You should never put a stained wedding dress away. However, it has to be dry cleaned immediately to prevent the stains from setting.
• Finally, do not try to clean a wedding dress on your own unless you are a professional dry cleaner. Always consult a professional, like a dry cleaner, for advice on your clothes.

You undoubtedly spent a great deal of time worrying over finding the right wedding dress, poring over bridal magazines and photos on Pinterest and making many trips to different bridal stores. You felt like a princess from the moment you put on your dress for the first time, and you certainly did. It is only fitting that you take the best care of your wedding dress after the sacred moments you shared in it.

No bride has ever emerged from her wedding without any sort of stain on her clothing. Even if you don't plan on wearing your wedding gown again, it is still an important souvenir and, if properly preserved, may be handed down down the generations for other brides to wear on their special day.

How To Dry Clean A Wedding Gown Step By Step

• To avoid permanent discoloration, you should pre-treat stains with a stain remover spray before sending the garment for dry cleaning. The dry cleaning kit, cleaning sheet, and cleaning bag are included with these spot removers.
• Please place the gown in a dry cleaning bag of a comparable colour.
• Put the dry-cleaning sheet in the bag. Water and fragrance are in extremely low quantities. The perfume is meant to provide a pleasant scent, and the water is used to generate steam that smoothes out the garment in much the same way as ironing would.
• To prevent wrinkles, dry cleaning requires 30 minutes in the dryer, after which the bag and its contents should be removed.
• Please remove the gown from the bag and place it on a hanger.
• To prevent the embellishments from melting, a clothes steamer can be used to straighten the gown more.
• You should store the garment in a clean, dry, and clean place.

Dry cleaning by a professional and following the instructions on the care label can keep your wedding dress looking beautiful for years to come. Attempting to handle it on your own might backfire, so it's safer to hire experts.