REVISITED: How to Clean a WEDDING DRESS
 

Hi all

I still haven't cleaned the dress or got it cleaned and it is now 3 months since my daughter's wedding! So it is urgent that I get down to the task.Thanks to all who replied with advice. I omitted to say in my previous post that the dress is an IVORY lace dress which means that whitening agents couldn't be used on it. The dress will be stored after cleaning and hopefully will be worn again by one of my other daughters. I would like to take on the job myself as I'm a bit worried about the use of chemicals at the cleaners.

Any final words of wisdom for me for the cleaning and the storage?

With much appreciation
Jul

Hi i tried but in the end it didnt work i had to put it in the dry cleaners and it cost me 250

clean dress
 

My daughter got married earlier this year and before the wedding her dress needed cleaning due to all the trying on and alterations so i washed it myself. I half filled the bath with hand hot water and a mild soap powder (fairy is good) and i left the dress on a hanger and swilled it around the bath for a few mins. Then i emptied the bath and put fresh water in and swilled it around again to rinse it, left it hanging over the bath to drain and then tied the hanger to the clothes line in the garden to blow dry. (wait for good windy day) Came out perfect and it only needed a bit of steam from the iron in places i didnt even have to rest the iron on it. There was a lot of hand beading on her dress and the girl who did the alterations said they sometimes get caught in the dry cleaning machine so i didnt want to chance it with only a week to the wedding.

how to clean a wedding dress
 

Thanks for replies. I'm a bit worried about tackling it myself. I think I'll check it out with the local cleaners
Jul

dress
 

hi. used to drive for a dry cleaners.and they used to do wedding dresses,
they used to soak the dress in a solution of vanish oxywhite..i washed my daughters communion dress in washing machine on delicate wash with bold and a scoup or two of sun dishwasher powder. came out a dream.

How to clean a wedding dress
 

Hi freebegiver
Thanks for advice.Do you know where the Vanish oxywhite can be bought?I wonder if it could be used with an ivory coloured dress? Perhaps there is another Vanish product for colours.
Thanks
Jul

how to clean a wedding dress
 

Hi Melb81
Thanks for above advice. I am a little worried about taking my daughter's dress to the cleaners too because it is a good lace dress. Do you know what they use in the cleaners to spot clean? The dress is ivory coloured so I would imagine any cleaning solution that has amonia or other whitening agent in it would not suit. Do you think the whole dress needs to be cleaned in some way in view of the fact that it is going to be stored away?

Would like your advice on the best way to store that would protect against moths etc? Many thanks for your time and help. Very much appreciated.

Jul

I think best way is to dry clean it. In general these outfits are too expensive and need special care. But still if you are confident get best detergent and wash it :)