Cleaning a wedding dress differs on the type of fabric used as well as the methods or steps being implemented. For example, if the fabric of the gown is made of polyester, hand-washing is enough. When it comes to the choice of cleaning methods, though, wet cleaning is recommended as the solvents being used in dry cleaning cannot remove substances like sweat, perspiration, and food spills which are all water-based. Dry cleaners in Orange County like European Cleaners offer the latest in wet cleaning service with the most up-to-date wet cleaning machines. These machines have specialized soaking sinks that maintains a warm temperature necessary for the gown’s stain removal. It is also very gentle to the fabric so cleaning the wedding dress is done without stress and damage.
On the other hand, wedding dress dry cleaning is recommended for any oil-based stains such as salad oil, food sauces, or meat oils. Before wedding dress wet cleaning or wedding dress dry cleaning process is performed, there are recommended steps that need to be followed to assure that the dress retains its original color and state.
1. Gown examination. As mentioned earlier, the method of cleaning the dress depends on the type of stain that marred your dress. Be sure to examine the stain closely especially on the train section as it is normally where the stains are gathered and acted as mops to the church and wedding reception venue. Unless of course if you or your bridesmaids carried your train since the time you wore your wedding dress until before you took it off! European Cleaners offer free gown evaluation so if you are not sure what type of stain is on your wedding dress, have a professional evaluate it.
2. Cleaning the hemline. Soak the dirty hemline for a couple of hours in a sudsy and warm water, while care is taken to ensure that the body of the wedding dress is kept out of water. You can use a clothes hanger to make it easier to work your way around the dress by “massaging” the hemline with liquid detergent. To avoid damaging the lace or intricate trims, you can use a toothbrush. Make sure to clean the underside of the hem as well as the linings. If your wedding gown has several layers, be sure to clean all and rinse them thoroughly afterwards.
3. Cleaning the bodice. Turn the bodice inside out and spray it with soap and water. Same as before, you can use a toothbrush to remove water-based stains. Clean your skirt lining or linings (if it has different layers) too.
4. Spot clean all other stains you might find with the same sudsy spray solution.
5. If some stains can’t be removed, make sure to use OxyClean or consult with a professional dry cleaners to make sure that you’re doing it right for the fabric of your dress.
6. When all stains are removed, place the entire wedding dress in a tub filled with warm water and rinse it thoroughly until the water is clear of any soap bubbles.
7. Dry the dress on a vinyl-coated fold-up drying rack. Avoid using a rack made of wood or a hanger as the weight of the wet dress could damage its form when it dries up. You can only use a hanger once the dress is drip-free.
8. Steam-dry the wedding dress or have a dry cleaning professional steam dry it for you as some wedding dress are too intricate and the temperature of the iron should be well adjusted based on the fabric type. You don’t want some fabric of your wedding dress left on the iron or the ironing board.
If you are unsure on how to clean your wedding dress, Call us at 1(800) 801-0010 to get professional dry cleaners to assess and clean your gown or recommend wedding dress dry cleaning or wet cleaning for you if the stain is removable by water and the process won’t damage it.
Source:
How to Clean a Wedding Gown, wikiHow