An individual's wedding day is among the most significant and unforgettable of their entire lives.
That's why it makes sense that many ladies desire to keep their wedding gowns forever.
However, there are numerous misconceptions about wedding dress preservation.
There are many misconceptions regarding how to preserve a wedding dress appropriately, and some may discourage brides from doing so.
Preserving your wedding dress is the best way to ensure that it retains its pristine condition for many years.
However, there are several reasons why many brides are still hesitant to have the dress maintained.
Common misconceptions concerning wedding dress preservation are debunked below.
The Wedding Dress Care Label Shows the Best Washing Procedure
When you first receive your wedding dress, you'll find a care label inside with information about the best way to clean it.
The mentioned procedure is not the best way to clean your wedding dress, despite what many people believe.
Indeed, if you attempt any of those methods, you may wind up with a damaged wedding dress, which can be like a horrific nightmare for you.
If you want to clean your gown correctly, you don't have to follow the instructions on the label.
The maker will be held responsible if the wedding dress is damaged while dry cleaning despite careful adherence to the care label's recommendations. This is why you often see care labels with phrases like "Spot clean only", "Do not dry clean", or "Do not wet clean."
Given that the maker informs you that the dress cannot be cleaned, this language effectively shields the manufacturer from any responsibility or accountability.
Your best bet is to track down a reliable laundry service expert and enlist his assistance in cleaning the gown.
A Gown Without Stains Is Fine
In reality, if you wear it the entire day, your wedding dress is covered in invisible dirt and grime, such as cake frosting, deodorant, body oil, and more.
Obtaining noticeable stains like ginger ale, chocolate frosting, cola spills, or red wine is okay because you can get them erased.
The most deceiving colours are the ones you don't see at first.
Those stains you thought were undetectable a year ago will turn ugly and yellowish brown if you don't wash the expensive garment.
Pesty moths and other hazardous insects can lay eggs on a wedding dress, and their larvae will eat the dirt that a professional cleaner should have removed long ago.
The dress should be cleaned as soon as possible after the wedding to preserve it in pristine condition for your daughter-in-law.
If the Dress Is Laundered and Hung Up, Everything Is Well
A well-cleaned wedding dress has around a one in ten chance of lasting ten years when hung up, but only if the conditions are ideal.
Keep in mind that the weight of your gown, especially if it has a long train, can cause it to stretch if it is left hanging for an extended period or if it is not turned correctly.
While exploring the closet, pets and children could potentially cause damage to the bridal dress.
It is essential to take special care when cleaning a wedding dress to prevent damage.
After cleaning it, please put it in an acid-free archival chest to ensure it lasts for decades.
Since the Dress Will Be Sold, Cleaning Wouldn't Be Necessary
The last thing you want to do is make a quick buck off some poor sap by selling them a used, filthy wedding dress.
Keep in mind that any reputable consignment store anywhere in the globe will only accept their wedding dresses returned if they've been professionally cleaned.
Of course, you don't want to buy or rent a wedding dress just returned from another ceremony.
When Packing Your Bridal Gown, Use Blue Tissue
The widespread belief in this urban legend probably has its roots in the idea that blue tissue paper might reduce the fading that happens on white clothes over time.
This is just not the case; if the tissue paper ever gets wet, it will bleed blue over your dress, ruining it.
Wedding dresses are best kept in a white acid-free napkin.
It's unclear where the myth originated; however, the reality contradicts the popular idea.
You shouldn't need an expert to know that acid is bad for any fabric, including your wedding dress, and that the blue hue derives from acidic and alkaline elements.
Furthermore, the dye may leak out if it gets wet, leaving stains on your dress. Because of its neutral pH, white tissue paper is the only safe option for preserving your wedding dress, as recommended by dry cleaning professionals.
It Is Okay to Keep the Wedding Dress in a Plastic
It may seem wise to keep the bridal gown inside a plastic ziplock baggie to protect it from any exposure to moisture.
However, you should know that this could have the opposite of the intended result.
Because of the sealed nature of the bag, any condensation that may have formed within will eventually find its way out, resulting in mildew on your clothing.
Plastic fumes can also be damaged with a lighter hue, which can turn them yellow.
Another widespread misconception, this one, has been circulating for quite some time.
It is acceptable to temporarily store your wedding dress inside a plastic bag to preserve it from dust, dirt, or water when transporting it from one location to another.
However, keeping your wedding dress in a plastic bag for an extended period is not a good idea due to the risk of moisture absorption and chemical off-gassing that could cause the fabric to be yellow.
In addition, the electric discharge from a washing machine can cause permanent wrinkles in your wedding dress; thus, all the laundry service specialists advise keeping it in a specially designed bridal box.
The Cost of Preserving Wedding Gowns Is Expensive
Some shops do charge more than $1,000 to preserve a wedding gown.
Nonetheless, even for the most exquisite wedding gowns, price is not always indicative of quality when it comes to the maintenance of the dress.
You can find preservation services of the highest quality for as little as $249 that will preserve your garment along with five accessories (including a veil, corset, gloves, napkins, shawl, or purse) and provide protection for your investment. Since they deal with many dresses, they can afford to sell theirs at a discount without compromising quality.
Your wedding dress will be the most expensive item of apparel you will ever purchase. Get your investment the long-term attention it deserves.
My Dress Is Too Precious or Delicate to Mail
It's a common worry among future brides that their dress's delicate lace, silk, or beadwork may be ruined during preservation.
On the contrary, a professional preservation service will know just how to clean even the most exquisite and fragile bridal textiles.
Professional wedding dress preservationists can securely clean and store nearly any dress, regardless of cost or fabric.
Unusually, a dress will go missing, stolen, or damaged while in transportation. Insurance against such remote occurrences, offered by reputable companies, can provide welcome relief.
Thieves aren't usually interested in stealing wedding dresses because they are difficult to resell. With the modern tracking options available, it is doubtful that a dress will go missing.
But most brides have no idea that their neighbourhood dry cleaners secretly ship off their wedding gowns.
Since they are not specially trained to handle wedding dresses, most dry cleaners will not take on such delicate garments.
For the most part, a wedding dress preservation expert is preferable to a regular dry cleaner.
It Is Too Late to Have My Wedding Dress Preserved
Despite popular belief, a wedding gown can always be preserved for future use.
A garment that has remained lingering inside the closet for many years can be restored to like-new condition with little effort, provided it hasn't been damaged in the meantime.
Even for older gowns, having them repaired may make a difference. Stains get more challenging to clean as time goes on. Sweat, white wine, or icing stains that don't show up right away can turn dark with time.
If you don't get rid of these stains, they'll eat away at the cloth. Therefore, getting your wedding gown maintained as soon as possible is preferable.
Do not worry if your wedding gown is older or you haven't yet taken it to the cleaners, even if it may be many months or weeks after the big day.
Although it's best to have your bridal gown cleaned and preserved as soon as possible, it's never too late.
Even if your wedding dress needs to be restored before preservation, you may trust the experts at a reputable bridal gown preservationist.
The first step in wedding dress preservation is usually a thorough cleaning to remove any visible or otherwise stains.
That's right; there are invisible stains. Sweat, perfume, white wine, and white frosting on a cake are just a few examples of colours that are difficult to spot without special lighting.
If you don't have these invisible stains removed beforehand, your wedding dress will be ruined.
Professional cleaners will analyse your dress using ultraviolet to find the causes.
This is the primary reason why you shouldn't put off sending your beautiful wedding dress to a reliable wedding dress preservation company.
You can rest assured that your dress will remain as beautiful as new for years to come thanks to expert cleaning, fabric-protecting treatment, steaming or hand-pressing, acid-free bust form, and meticulous storage in a preservation chest.
Gowns that have already yellowed significantly (a common issue with vintage dresses that haven't been adequately conserved) or have concerns with moths or mildew will need the attention of a restoration specialist.
A professional dress restorer may do wonders for a dress you thought was beyond hope because of stains.
Opening the Preservation Box Is Prohibited
The most widely held misconception is that the bride will no longer have access to either the dress itself or any of the accessories after a wedding dress has been preserved.
Traditional bridal gowns were held by vacuum sealing a sack containing the garment within a wooden chest.
Sadly, this method accelerated the fabric's fading.
The material must be able to "breathe" in an acid-free setting to preserve its natural condition and colour.
Most individuals don't realise that even after having their clothing preserved professionally, they can still access it at any moment by opening the preservation chest.
You can reach out and feel the clothing, and the fabric will separate as you brush your fingers across it.
You won't be able to undo the dress all the way, though. It is typically pinned or fastened to prevent the dress from moving around inside the preservation chest.
Most retailers will void the guarantee if the dress is taken out of the storage chest on its whole.
In this method, they may know for sure that it has never been worn previously.
This, however, must not prohibit you from opening the preservation box to admire your priceless wedding dress whenever you please.
There is some truth to this story, as removing it from the chest may cause harm to your wedding dress.
But, as was indicated, it may, and if you follow a few simple precautions, you won't have any problems with it.
Wearing white, clean gloves can prevent any stains or odours from being transmitted to your wedding dress as you remove it from its storage chest.
In addition, you should only remove it from the compartment if the carpet is clean and there is no danger of a leak in the roof, which would ruin the aesthetic.
Maintain the room free and protected from pets and the opening time, as these factors can enhance the chances of damage.
An affordable preservation company must provide care instructions for your preserved wedding dress after skilled preservationists have worked their magic.
Instead of believing the urban legends, you should listen to the advice of experts and hire a professional wedding gown preservation firm to take care of your dress.
You'll get first-rate care for your gown and peace of mind knowing it will be preserved beautifully in this way.
MyDressBox is are wedding dress cleaning and preservation specialists servicing all major cities in Australia and New Zealand, including Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide, Canberra, Hobart, Gold Coast, Newcastle, Sunshine Coast, Wollongong, Geelong and many more.
Conclusion
One of the greatest ways to extend the life of your wedding gown and keep it looking brand new is to have it professionally preserved.
Here, we dispel some myths about preserving bridal gowns.
If the dress becomes ruined while dry cleaning despite following the manufacturer's instructions to the letter, they'll have to pay for it.
There is roughly a one in ten chance that a wedding dress that has been cleaned and stored properly will still be in good condition after ten years.
One must exercise extreme caution when cleaning a bridal gown to avoid ruining the garment.
Dresses that have been cleaned are only acceptable at consignment shops if they have been professionally cleaned.
Dry cleaning experts advise using only white tissue paper to store your wedding gown. In some stores, the cost to maintain a wedding dress might exceed $1,000.
For as little as $249, you may secure top-notch preservation services. Precious bridal textiles can be cleaned and preserved by a competent preservation service without any risk of damage.
Fortunately, trustworthy insurance providers offer protection against even the unlikeliest of events.
There's never a bad time to get your wedding dress preserved and cleaned. A wedding dress may include unseen stains that are only evident under a UV or black light.
The dry cleaner will examine your garment with ultraviolet light to determine the source of the discoloration.
Dresses that have considerably yellowed, or that have moth or mildew issues, will require the care of a specialist in garment restoration.
Taking it off at the chest may ruin the dress you're going to get married in.
But there won't be any issues if you take the necessary safeguards.
Keep the space uncluttered and locked up, as dogs and visitors can increase the likelihood of harm.
Content Summary
- When you first receive your wedding dress, you'll find a care label inside with information about the best way to clean it.
- The maker will be held responsible if the wedding dress is damaged while dry cleaning despite careful adherence to the care label's recommendations.
- The dress should be cleaned as soon as possible after the wedding to preserve it in pristine condition for your daughter-in-law.
- It is essential to take special care when cleaning a wedding dress to prevent damage.
- You shouldn't need an expert to know that acid is bad for any fabric, including your wedding dress, and that the blue hue derives from acidic and alkaline elements.
- Because of its neutral pH, white tissue paper is the only safe option for preserving your wedding dress, as recommended by dry cleaning professionals.
- t may seem wise to keep the bridal gown inside a plastic ziplock baggie to protect it from any exposure to moisture.
- However, keeping your wedding dress in a plastic bag for an extended period is not a good idea due to the risk of moisture absorption and chemical off-gassing that could cause the fabric to be yellow.
- On the contrary, a professional preservation service will know just how to clean even the most exquisite and fragile bridal textiles.
- For the most part, a wedding dress preservation expert is preferable to a regular dry cleaner.
- Although it's best to have your bridal gown cleaned and preserved as soon as possible, it's never too late.
- Even if your wedding dress needs to be restored before preservation, you may trust the experts at a reputable bridal gown preservationist.
- The first step in wedding dress preservation is usually a thorough cleaning to remove any visible or otherwise stains.
- That's right; there are invisible stains.
- If you don't have these invisible stains removed beforehand, your wedding dress will be ruined.
- This is the primary reason why you shouldn't put off sending your beautiful wedding dress to a reliable wedding dress preservation company.
- You can rest assured that your dress will remain as beautiful as new for years to come thanks to expert cleaning, fabric-protecting treatment, steaming or hand-pressing, acid-free bust form, and meticulous storage in a preservation chest.
- A professional dress restorer may do wonders for a dress you thought was beyond hope because of stains.
- It is typically pinned or fastened to prevent the dress from moving around inside the preservation chest.
- Most retailers will void the guarantee if the dress is taken out of the storage chest on its whole.
- There is some truth to this story, as removing it from the chest may cause harm to your wedding dress.
- Wearing white, clean gloves can prevent any stains or odours from being transmitted to your wedding dress as you remove it from its storage chest.
- Instead of believing the urban legends, you should listen to the advice of experts and hire a professional wedding gown preservation firm to take care of your dress.
FAQS ABOUT WEDDING DRESS PRESERVATION
How long can a wedding dress be preserved?
A professional cleaning and preservation of your wedding dress is recommended no later than six weeks after the big day, although it can be done at any time. Up to six months after your wedding, your white dress will start to turn yellow.
Can you preserve a wedding dress years later?
Don't stress if your wedding dress is on the older side or if you haven't had it cleaned yet, even though it's been weeks or months since the big day. Although it is best to have a wedding dress cleaned and preserved as soon as possible, it is never too late to do so.
Why do people preserve their wedding dress?
Dresses worn at weddings are often kept as heirlooms.
Preservation of your wedding dress simplifies the task of storing it for the future. Preserving a wedding dress is a great way to protect it from future wear and tear, stains, and environmental hazards like sunlight and humidity.
What happens if you don't preserve your wedding dress?
You run the risk of the following if you don't properly store your wedding gown: The garment has begun to yellow. Damaged by oxidation, which appears as brown dots. Mildew and mould colonisation
How long does it take for a wedding dress to be cleaned?
As a general rule, dry cleaning a wedding dress can take anywhere from a few days to a month, depending on how many layers there are and how busy the dry cleaning company is. It takes at least two or three days to dry clean a bridal gown properly, and that's if the store isn't busy.