3 Quick and Useful Wedding Garment Care Tips

So you might have spilled food on or stained your gown, tie, or even bag. Not to worry! These things happen all the time, and all we can do is make sure they get cleaned well. Or you might be wondering how to store your gown after your wedding day. Luckily, we had Elizabeth Francisco of Jeeves of Belgravia dish out short and sweet tips to give you ideas on how to clean and care for your beloved wedding gown or your groom’s immaculate suit. Read on!

[Bride’s Dress: Aoui Regala | Photo: Myio Okamoto]

 

Stains on silk

The knee-jerk reaction to cleaning a stain as soon as it happens is to dip a napkin in water and rub the spot clean. Guess what? This is silk’s worst enemy! As a natural fiber, silk is water sensitive, and dyes are usually quite loose. Rubbing also abrades the surface, resulting in what appears to be a bald spot that is impossible to reverse. Yikes!

Okay, so that’s the don’t part. Here’s what you do: If a particle of food lands on your tie, blouse, skirt, or even clutch bag, carefully flick it off or gently scoop it out with a tissue. If it’s an oily stain like dressing, gently dab (do not press between) the area to absorb excess liquid. Let a professional cleaner deal with the rest as soon as possible. The fresher the stain, the more successful the clean-up will be.

 

All that weight on your shoulders

Hangers matter. Long and heavy garments will usually have ribbons sewn from the inside seams for support. Use them! Also, use silk padded hangers to give the shoulder proper form and keep it from getting that stretched rail line from a thin hanger. Wedding gowns with full skirts or heavy beading should not be hung.

 

Vacuum packing for preservation?

Sounds good for a deli but not for delicate gowns! Vacuum packing will not only crush the dress, but sealing a dress in plastic will result in humidity build-up as temperatures fluctuate. This causes brown stains to form on the fabric. Textile conservators are unanimous in preferring boxing a dress in unbuffered acid-free materials.

 

Caring for our garments can go a long way in preserving them, so it’s good to know about things like these that can save you a lot of heartache (and cash)! So the next time you stain silk or store your clothes, you know better!

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