The wedding is over, all the gifts are open, it’s time to think about what to do with the wedding dress. It can be resold or kept as a precious memento, in any case, before doing any of this, the outfit needs to be cleaned. A wedding is quite an active pastime, which is accompanied by a photo session in nature, dancing, eating food and drinking drinks. Any awkward movement and a stain will appear on the fabric, and the hem of a long dress will definitely get dirty, no matter how carefully the bride behaves. So, how to wash a wedding dress? What tools to use?
First, the extent of the disaster should be assessed. It is easiest to wash if only the hem is dirty. But if there are other contaminants, especially food stains, then you will have to work harder.
Before washing the wedding dress completely, it is better to remove all the jewelry. So they will not be damaged, and the fabric under them will be washed evenly. And it will be much easier to iron.
How to wash
There is no particular importance of the fabric the dress is made of. Polyester, silk, chiffon, satin – they are all washed according to the same technology. The only thing is that natural materials can shrink and sag if the water temperature is even slightly disturbed or the wrong detergent is chosen. If you are not ready to take risks, it is better to go to a dry cleaner. For details on how to wash dresses made of different fabrics, read this article .
The washing process is as follows:
- Buy a detergent for delicate fabrics. Laundry soap is also suitable. It is better not to use bleach, as it will not work to wash a white dress made of satin or silk with its help – it will only turn the fabric yellow. If you have washed a black and white or colored dress, you can add a little vinegar to the water, which will strengthen the color.
- Wash at a water temperature of up to 30 degrees. Higher temperatures can cause the fabric to warp, sag or stretch, and color may fade.
- Prepare a soapy solution in a large container or bathtub, a soft sponge, a brush.
- Hang the dress over the bathtub. Soak the hem and leave it for an hour. So the dried dirt will be soaked and it will be easier to wash it off. After that, walk along the hem with a soft sponge, wash the lining.
- If you need to wash the whole dress, soak it in warm water from the shower or pour it over with a mug. When thoroughly wet, wash the dirty areas with a soft sponge. If the dress is burdened with jewelry, then immerse it under water. In a suspended state, the fabric can stretch.
- Evaluate the effect of washing, whether all stains have been removed. If ordinary soapy water did not remove them, then use other means. Sweat stains under the armpits are well washed off with salt water (1 tablespoon of salt per glass of water). The red wine stain is washed with hot water and blotted with paper towels until it completely disappears. Stains from cosmetics are removed with turpentine, ink stains with milk. Most stains can be removed during ironing by wetting the dirty area and placing a paper napkin on both sides.
- Rinse the washed wedding dress thoroughly until the soapy water stops flowing. Allow the water to drain from the fabric.
It is forbidden to squeeze or twist the wedding dress!
How to dry, iron
Leave the wet dress on the hanger in the bathroom to drain. After that, hang it in a well-ventilated place away from the sun and heating devices, otherwise it will acquire a yellowish tint. If the outfit is heavy, it is better to dry it horizontally so that the fabric does not stretch. At the same time, all folds are smoothed out.
It is necessary to iron the wedding dress slightly wet from the wrong side. This makes it easier to remove creases, as well as to remove the remaining stains. Do not use steaming or splashing water, otherwise the fabric will show streaks, especially on satin.
Lace parts of the dress are ironed through gauze or cotton fabric, as lace does not tolerate heat well.
A chiffon and tulle wedding dress is steamed in a hanging position, starting from the lining. It is absolutely impossible to iron it.
Machine wash
Can a wedding dress be washed in a washing machine? Answer: definitely not! This is a rather delicate thing that will simply deteriorate from mechanical washing. You can risk washing in a washing machine, but only synthetic fabrics and on the condition that there is no embroidery, appliqué, beads or other decorations on the outfit. Otherwise, they will either come off, leaving a hole in their place, or catch on other parts, damaging them.
If you are a risky person and decide to wash in the washing machine, then set the “delicate” or “manual” mode, the “silk” mode is also suitable. Water temperature up to 30 degrees. Turn off the spin completely. The dress should be wet when you take it out. This will make it easier to straighten the folds. Do not allow overdrying, otherwise irresistible creases will appear on the fabric.