Preserving Your Wedding Dress
After the wedding, your dream dress deserves some care. Whether you’re holding on to it for its sentimental value or to hand it down to a relative, you’ll want to carefully preserve its shape, color and fabric. Otherwise, you risk staining and yellowing of the fabric over time, oxidation spots, mold and mildew growth, and permanent fabric creasing. Here’s your comprehensive guide to wedding dress preservation, from cleaning to storage.
Cleaning your wedding dress
You’ll want to start with a professional cleaning to remove any stains and ensure the fabric is in good condition. Remember that while you may not see any stains, sweat and other oils may show up over time.
There are two methods for cleaning: wet cleaning and dry cleaning.
Wet cleaning involves using gentle cleansers to remove stains, while dry cleaning involves treating the stains and then placing the dress in a traditional dry-cleaning machine. Whichever method you choose, make sure to hire a professional wedding dress cleaner who can spot stains others might not see and who will use the correct solvent. Often, your dress will require a gentle petroleum-based solvent rather than perchloroethylene, which is a powerful stain remover but can sometimes damage delicate fabric. You’ll also want a cleaner who will cover up any decorations with muslin before cleaning to make sure they are not damaged in the process.
After your dress is cleaned, it should be steamed and pressed to retain its shape.
Think about getting your dress cleaned immediately after the wedding rather than waiting until after your honeymoon. The sooner it is cleaned, the less time stains have to set in. You should consider using a professional wedding storage and preservation service to care for your special day attire.
Preservation
Preserving a wedding dress involves placing it in an airtight box with the oxygen removed and replaced with nitrogen. This prevents oxidation, which can happen over time when clothing is stored. Make sure your wedding dress is preserved in an acid-free box and with acid-free paper or muslin. This allows the gown to breathe over time and adjust to changing temperatures.
Storage
Once ready, you should receive your dress in a box that may or may not have a window so you can see it. Keep it in a cool, dry place, out of direct sunlight. Relative humidity should be 50 percent or less – ando a basement is not ideal. It’s also important to keep the dress away from plastic, which holds moisture and could discolor your dress.
UOVO will store your dress in a secure, temperature-controlled, air-purified environment you can trust. Our fashion storage facilities in New York, Los Angeles, and South Florida feature 24/7 video monitoring and motion detection, plus Optional Loss Protection to protect against loss or damage while at the facility.
UOVO is a full-service wardrobe preservation company and can securely store your wedding dress and other wardrobe items, including shoes, accessories and sports equipment. Contact us to learn more.