Think about cleaning your own wedding gown.

Have you considered everything that goes into cleaning your own wedding gown? Here are a couple tips if you are ready to invest the time and effort.

If you danced the night away then the bottom your gown will most likely be the area that needs a stain treatment the most. Wedding gown cleaning starts with the hem of the gown. If the hem is lightly soiled then a gentle "scrubbing" with a soft white cloth or even very soft bristled brush and a little "Tide" will usually do the trick. If the hem is closer to a shade of black, then carpet cleaner with a little elbow grease may be your next best option. Test an area of the hem to see how each technique is working before you tackle cleaning around the entire bottom of the wedding dress.

Next, carefully inspect the dress to see if there are any other needed spot treatments. Usually the armpit areas, necklines are a little stained, plus there might be a couple splash marks from careless drinkers. Again, spot treat these stains based on their severity. 

It is also very important to consider what details are speckled throughout the dress. Crystals, lace,  and beaded embellishments all have different reactions to detergent than the dress fabric. The detergent can even remove the glue that is attaching your sparkly additions to the dress. We suggest testing each of these embellishments, in an inconspicuous location, prior to tackling your entire dress.

Once you have successfully treated those trouble areas, it is time to move on to the entire dress. Consider what type of fabric the wedding dress is. Most fabrics can be delicately hand washed with just using water and light detergents. Head to the store and pick-up a mild "clean and clear" brand and then carefully hand wash the dress. Once it is completely cleaned it needs to thoroughly dry. Hanging the gown can stretch the fabric so we recommend laying the gown out on the floor or draped over a clean area to air dry. 

If you are thinking this seems like a lot of work, well it is. After you buy all the cleaning necessities and go through all the stain removal and testing steps, it may be worth considering a professional cleaner. Of course that is where we can help. Not only will your wedding gown come back professionally cleaned but it will be perfectly preserved too!