wedding dress preservation: 4 things you should never do!

Now that the wedding is over and the vows have been said and the gifts have been unwrapped and the cake eaten, you’ve just come back from the honeymoon. Congratulations on reaching a major life milestone and beginning a new life with your husband.

But what about that beautiful dress you wore? No doubt you felt absolutely beautiful in it. Since it’s a white dress, it probably has at least a spot or two. If so, you may want to consider finding a way to clean your dress so it can look just as beautiful as the day you brought it home from the store.

There are many ways of cleaning a wedding dress, but there are a few things you should never do. Here are four things you should never do when preserving a wedding dress.

1.  Never wash your dress at home.

Washing your dress at home by yourself is a terrible idea. The washing machine will be too harsh and will most likely cause damage to the delicate fabrics. Furthermore, the detergent we use at home probably won’t get out the worst spots, or may even cause them to spread and look worse! Instead, get your dress cleaned by a professional who specializes in wedding dress preservation.

2.  Never wrap your dress in plastic

Plastic will trap moisture in with the dress and cause unsightly discoloration, mold and mildew. Instead, speak with a dress preservationist about acquiring a special box and tissue paper to store your dress properly.

3.  Don’t use a hanger

Hangers will cause a heavy dress to stretch in the shoulders and bodice. Instead, store your dress in a cool, dry place in a specialty preservation box made of acid-free materials.

4.  Keep your dress out of the sun

Never store your dress in direct sunlight. Why? Because the intense light will cause discoloration and make the dress look yellow instead of white. You should also store your dress in a cool, dry location such as under your bed. Don’t store it in the basement or the attic, where moisture and uneven temperatures can threaten its condition.

Additionally, you can consider meeting with a professional wedding gown preservationist to have the process done professionally. Then, you’ll be able to keep your dress looking just as perfectly white and gorgeous as the day you brought it home from the boutique.