Should You Clean Your Wedding Dress Yourself?

You threw a DIY wedding, but does that mean you should go the same route with your wedding dress? Well, no. Much like cutting your own hair, cleaning your wedding dress yourself is not the greatest idea--that is, unless you are a gown specialist! Learn why leaving cleaning to the professionals is ideal.

The Fabric

Bridal gown cleaning is a specialty. Period.  Developing a knowledge of different fabrics and how to work with them takes time, whether the fabric is satin, silk, tulle, chiffon, or something else. There's also vintage gowns, which are a whole other fabric animal. Unless you have a deep knowledge of various fabrics and how to clean them, put your wedding gown in professional hands.

Beading, Trim, Lace...

Not only would cleaning a wedding dress yourself require a serious knowledge of fabric, it also requires understanding how to deal with embellishments such as beadwork, trim, and lace. For example, some cleaning techniques work great for beadwork, while others leave them as melted messes. DIY wedding gown cleaning gets complicated quickly if you have many intricacies to deal with.

Pressing & Steaming

Sure, you can press and steam your wedding dress...if you have a steamer. You can also hang it in a steamy bathroom to get rid of minor creases and wrinkles, as it usually works as a last-ditch effort. However, do you really want to attempt pressing your wedding gown? It could be a nightmare. A big, scary nightmare.

Save Yourself The Trouble And Go Pro

Leaving wedding dress cleaning to the professionals is by far the best choice for ensuring gown preservation. Find a specialist in your area, or ship it off if necessary. Don't take your dress to the local dry cleaners, as it could end up touching other clothing and become stained. Improper dress handling and cleaning could also occur, with the results disastrous. If you really want to preserve your wedding gown, spend the money on professional preservation. It usually costs less than dry cleaning and comes with necessary accessories such as an acid-free box and acid-free paper.

Good luck!