Wedding Gowns

Most brides want to safeguard their wedding dress as a symbol of their love. Whether you would like to keep your gown or hand it down to your daughter or sell it to a secondhand store, it WILL need to be cleaned. Most cleaning industry experts recommend that you have the dress cleaned before storage because if the dress sits uncleaned for weeks, months or even years, the invisible stains (like champaign) may become permanent.

Invisible Stains

A dress may have invisible stains from food, beverages, and body oils. We at Image Cleaners use UV lighting that highlights protein stains otherwise invisible to the naked eye in order to effectively remove stains of oils, makeup, lipstick, wax, some grass stains, and soil.

Most of the common spills are typically clear in nature at the time of the spill and may contain dangerous sugars that can caramelized or oxidize and turn yellow – but may not be visible until the gown has been cleaned.

Bring in your wedding gown and our experts will help explain and recommend dry cleaning options for your particular wedding dress. We can also heirloom your dress for future preservation.

Tips for storing your Gown

Unfortunately, no process or storage method can guarantee against yellowing or possible deterioration of fabrics.

There are several steps you can take to protect your garment:
• Have your cleaner pack the gown in a special storage box that will help prevent contamination
• Store your gown in a cool, dry place. Do not store it in a basement or attic. Basement dampness can cause mildew; attic heat could promote yellowing of the fabric.
• If you are storing a long gown on a hanger, sew straps to the waistline of the dress to relieve pressure on the shoulders from the weight of the skirt. Wrap the dress in a protective white sheet or muslin covering.
• Whether the gown is hung or boxed, the bodice should be stuffed with white acid-free tissue paper to prevent wrinkles. Fabric-covered buttons, pins, and foam padding should be removed and stored separately to avoid damage to the fabric.
• Never store headpieces, veils, shoes or other accessories with your gown.
• Inspect your gown from time to time during storage. Stains not initially apparent could appear later, and should be tended to immediately.

Source: International Fabricare Institute