How to wash a wedding dress at home, rules and best tools

With love and diligence, the wedding dress chosen after the celebration rarely remains without stains and dirt. No matter what fate awaits the outfit - long storage to show it to the granddaughter or quick sale, it must be washed. This should be done in a short time so that dirt and stains can be removed without a trace. Consider how to wash a wedding dress yourself, what tools and methods to use so as not to spoil the outfit.

Is it possible to wash at home

Most dresses can be washed independently.It is worth contacting a dry cleaner if the outfit is very complex, and the institution itself has proven a high level, and the results of their previous work have never disappointed.

Before starting work, it is important to understand how to handle the fabric and decorative elements, what detergents will be needed. Some fabrics shrink after improper washing, not all jewelry can be smoothed properly. Before the wedding, it is better not to wash the dress, to get rid of possible flaws by local cleaning of individual parts, so as not to spoil the outfit and the whole party.

Coaching

You need to start cleaning your wedding dress as soon as possible. If the outfit remains dirty for a long time, you will have to deal with old dirt - and this is more difficult and does not always bring results.

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The dress should be handled as advised by the manufacturers. They indicate the washing and ironing methods recommended on the labels. After studying these instructions, you need to get a quality detergent, iron and garment steamer.

Visual inspection

A careful study of the condition of the wedding dress will help determine the scope of work - the need to remove stains (it is very good to remember where they came from) and the general washing of the product. If possible, you should remove decorative elements from the outfit, which can be removed if they do not need to be washed.

Usually requires cleaning:

• the hem of the dress (if it is long);
• the bodice inside, especially under the armpits, where there are traces of sweat and deodorant.

Spots can be randomly located anywhere. It is necessary to remove them before soaking, so that the dress does not have to be washed later.

Choice of detergents

To wash complex white dresses and remove individual dirt, special folk remedies are used that do not damage the fabric and give the product whiteness. Do not use bleach with chlorine, aggressive detergents, even with strong contamination.

Saline solution

Salt solution helps remove sweat stains, refreshes white color. Prepare the composition at the rate of one tablespoon of table salt in a glass of water. The salt is of high quality, white, without any additives.

Gentle laundry

It is better not to wash wedding dresses with detergents. If powder detergent is used, it must first be diluted with water until all granules are completely dissolved. It is best to strain the water so that undissolved particles do not spoil the fabric.

Soap solution

A soap solution (especially household soap) quickly removes many impurities. Grind the soap on a grater and dissolve in warm water.

sparkling water

Carbon dioxide bubbles help dissolve impurities on fabrics, remove dirt particles from fibers. White water is chosen, without any charge. Best to use heavily carbonated.

boiled milk

Boiled milk works well for removing ink marks. A product with a minimum of fat is selected. The milk is boiled and cooled before use.

Baby powder or talcum powder

With the help of white powders (dusting powder, talcum powder), you can remove traces of cosmetics and sweat. These handy products can help remove dirt from white fabrics. They help well with fresh stains on a wedding dress, they are less resistant to old stains.

Starch

Starch is traditionally used to give shape and stiffness to outfits.Potato starch does a good job with food grease stains and sweat stains.

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Features of the removal of various stains

Before washing a wedding dress, all stains must be identified and removed using products suitable for this type of pollution.

Wine

It is impossible to protect a wedding dress from splashes of champagne. If during the wedding the problem was noticed right away, you can sprinkle white soda on the dress so that the champagne does not leave yellow streaks and it is easier to wash it off.

Old wine stains bring out:

• a mixture of ammonia and water in equal parts - applied to the fabric, wait a few minutes and sprinkle with talc;
• hydrogen peroxide applied to a tampon;
• heated soapy water.

Sparkling water is also used for white wine.

sweat marks

To remove sweat stains from the bodice, help:

• saline solution (tablespoon per glass);
• laundry soap dissolved in water;
• Dishwashing liquid.

When cleaning the bodice, you should try not to apply any substances to the decorative elements.

Dirt and dust

Long skirts are always stained with dust and dirt particles. Use liquid detergents or a soapy solution to clean the skirts. Previously, the fabric should be treated with a dry brush or sponge, well shake off the still dry dirt. Only after that, the fabric is immersed in washing solutions for 20-30 minutes and gently rubbed with a damp sponge.

Lipstick brands

Cosmetics leave greasy smudge marks. It is better not to touch them with hands and sponges so that the particles do not penetrate deep into the tissues.The contamination is covered with talc, starch, chalk or baby powder. Leave on for an hour, do not rub into the powders. The powder is then shaken gently.

Ink stains

Ink stains are removed with lacquer. The agent is sprayed on the dirt and left for an hour, then the dress is washed in detergent.

Other

Let's look at ways to remove some of the other possible contaminants.

Greasy stains are removed in the following ways:

• cover with salt and rub lightly, leave to act for a few minutes, then shake;
• a tablespoon of glycerin and water, a teaspoon of ammonia - apply for 10 minutes, rinse, repeat if necessary;
• Starch is poured onto the stain, gently massaging with your fingers and cleaned with a soft sponge.

Grass stains are well removed by a solution of ammonia (one tablespoon in a glass of water).The previously contaminated area is treated with soapy water, then the ammonia solution is applied with a cotton swab for 10 minutes. The dress is washed.

Note: Before treating the stain, dampen the surrounding fabric with water. Clean with the chosen product, moving from the edge to the middle, so that the dirt does not spread further along the fabric.

How to clean the hem

To clean the hem, the wedding dress is hung up so that the hem can be submerged in a tub or basin and the bodice remains dry. Prepare warm water (30-40 °, depending on the fabric), dissolve the detergent. The skirt is immersed to the desired depth and left for 20-30 minutes. Go through dirty areas with a soft brush or sponge. Lining and petticoats are processed in front and back. Rinse thoroughly and dry.

How to Clean a Corset

Corsets usually contain basic decorative elements, embroidery, rhinestones.In order not to lose jewelry, you need to work with the bodice carefully, avoiding that it gets completely wet, wrinkles and wrinkles strongly. First, stains are removed from the face, then the corset is turned inside out to remove traces of sweat. All funds are used in minimal quantities so that the fabric does not get wet and the jewelry does not peel off.

After removing dirt, the corset is also carefully wiped with clean water from detergents with a sponge.

Excess moisture is removed by pressing on a clean white cloth, then dried on a horizontal surface.

Hand washing methods

In most cases, wedding dresses should be washed. It helps to wash away leftover soap and powder after stain removal, remove streaks and refresh product. It is best to wash by hand if the manufacturers do not recommend machine washing.

With a large number of jewelry on the bodice, you can sew a rare fabric (gauze in 2 layers) to it so as not to accidentally tear it off. Bulky wedding dresses are difficult to wash in a basin, so use a bath or rinse off in the shower.

In the bathroom

Water is poured into the tub enough to completely submerge the wedding dress in a straightened form. The water temperature is 30-40°. Thoroughly dissolve the detergent, preferably liquid. The dress is lowered for 30-40 minutes, during which time any contamination will have time to move away. Scrub heavily stained areas with a sponge or soft brush. The dress is taken out, drained with soapy water, then rinsed in several waters. You cannot spin the product.

Using a shower

A less dirty wedding dress can be washed in the shower. The water temperature is 30-35°. First, the product is well soaked with a not very strong jet.The detergent is diluted in a separate container, applied to the dress with a sponge - all over or selectively. Leave on for 5 to 10 minutes, then rub lightly.

They are also washed off with a shower, pouring over them until clean water flows.

How to wash an automatic machine

Many wedding dresses can be washed in automatic machines, the manufacturer allows it. This must be done carefully, observing the recommendations on the label and certain rules:

• the dress should fit freely in the drum of the machine without squeezing or over-tightening;
• washing a wedding dress on its own, packing it in a special washing bag;
• if there are very small beads and sequins on the dress, it is better to replace the mesh bag with a thin cloth (for example, a pillowcase);
• outgoing details (ruffles, lace, guipure) are easy to sew on the dress;
• Sew rhinestones, beads, beads with a layer of fabric.

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First you need to remove the stains.

Tip: Before washing, you must take a photo of the decorative elements so that you can put the flying parts back in their place.

Fashion

To wash the dress, select low rpm machine modes so the outfit does not wrinkle or wrinkle. Suitable washing modes "Silk", "Hand" or "Delicate". If the dress is bulky, include an extra rinse.

Temperature

It is necessary to wash elegant dresses at a temperature of 30-40 °. This is enough so that modern detergents completely remove all dirt, and the fabric does not turn yellow when heating.

Choice of means

It is best to use liquid detergents for washing.When choosing a powder, preference is given to products for delicate fabrics intended for white laundry. If desired, add starch to the rinse basin to help the dress hold its shape better.

Spinning

The spin is deactivated, if possible, or the softest spin is carried out, at low speed. It's best to take the dress off when it's wet and let the water run off naturally. The dress should be taken out of the machine immediately after the end of the wash so that the creases and creases are not corrected, it is easier to iron.

How to dry well

After rinsing, the dress is placed on a grid or a basin to evacuate the water. After that, the product must be carefully straightened, all parts must be aligned, taking into account the correct natural position and sent for drying. Depending on the shape of the wedding dress and the type of fabric, it can be dried in two positions. For drying, choose well-ventilated rooms without direct sunlight.

Hanger

It is convenient to dry clothes made of light fabrics on hangers without thick decor, which can stretch and deform the product. If there is a curl, it is laid on a separate support, previously straightened.

Procedure in an airplane

Dresses made of thick fabrics that absorb a lot of moisture, with multiple heavy decorations are laid horizontally. Clean white linen (sheets, duvet covers) is spread under them, which are periodically replaced with dry linen for faster drying.

Regardless of the drying method, the process is regularly monitored - the fabric is straightened, folds and creases are stretched by hand. Heating devices are not used to speed up drying so that the fabric does not yellow and deform.

how to stroke

Ironing a wedding dress is often more difficult than washing it.It is best to do this right away, before the product dries. Would need:

• ironing board;
• a good iron with a protective soleplate - carefully washed, with a scale-free steamer, so as not to plant yellow spots.

It is better to call an assistant who will support the heavy product, stretch it and secure it. The floor near the ironing board should be washed, or better, covered with a clean white cloth so that no debris or dust accumulates in the washed outfit.

The dress

Dresses, according to tradition, begin to iron from the sleeves, collar (if any), bodice. A narrow board is used to iron the sleeves. The bodice with embroidery, rhinestones is ironed from the seam side, placing a soft fabric under the decorative elements. The skirts are ironed, starting from the bottom, going up layer by layer.

Attention: after ironing, the wedding dress is put on a hanger, left to cool well, hang down, only after that it is put in a cover.

Sail

The easiest way to make a veil look dignified is to spray it lightly and hang it on a hanger. In a few days, the lightweight fabric will straighten out on its own. There are several ways to iron a veil quickly.

Steamboat

The handheld steamer will remove creases and creases in no time. The veil is hung on a hanger and treated layer by layer at the minimum temperature of the device.

Hot water

The bath is filled with very hot water, creating the effect of a bath in the room. The veil hangs above the bathroom.

hair dryer

Drying hair with a light veil is similar to steaming. The veil is moistened from a spray bottle, the medium temperature is set on the hair dryer and blown up and down until the fabric is completely dry.

Directed steam jet

Individual creases and creases in the veil can be straightened by holding it by the spout of a boiling kettle or over a pan of water.

Iron

To iron the veil, set the minimum heat of the iron and check the effect on a small area of ​​the fabric. A protective sole is put on the iron or ironed through a dry cloth.

Decorative sequins, beads, embroidery are ironed through dense fabric. It is difficult to iron such areas with an iron, it is better to use steam in any way.

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How to make steam

Many elements of the dress can only be put in order by steam. Bows, draperies, ribs and other items cannot be ironed with an iron. Ironing will only spoil such decor. Let's consider the main methods of steaming at home.

With boiling water

If the unironed items are small, you can hold them over a pot of boiling water. You should handle the dress with care not to burn yourself and do not immerse the item in boiling water. A bathroom is used to smooth out the entire dress. They close the door, turn on a hot shower, draw water from the bath. The dress is hung in a damp room on a hanger so that the distance to the water is 15-25 centimeters.

This method is dangerous for the glued decorative elements which can fall.

With an iron

Steam ironing is used for many fabrics. For custody material use special soleplate for iron or a damp cloth. Note that delicate fabrics (satin, silk) are not ironed through cheesecloth, as traces of fibers will remain there.First set the minimum steaming temperature and then, if necessary, increase it. The skirts are starting to smoke from the bottom.

Professional steamer

If you have a steamer, the dress can be easily put in perfect condition. The device is filled with water, heated according to the instructions.

The vapor begins at the skirt, moving from the lower layers to the upper layers. Then move on to the bodice, sleeves. Use special tools to handle small parts.

The intricacies of working with various fabrics

Elegant wedding dresses use different types of fabrics, multiple decorative elements, so it is difficult to wash and iron them. You should study the recommendations on the label so as not to spoil the outfit with careless handling.

Atlas

Satin dresses are ironed from the inside out so that there are no iron marks. The sole must be in perfect condition so as not to damage the delicate fabric with puffs. Do not spray the dress to moisturize - streaks may remain on the fabric.

Lace

Lace elements are ironed through the fabric, placing it on both sides. When ironing thick lace, do not set the iron temperature too high so that the lace does not turn yellow.

With decor

It is difficult to wash and iron parts of a dress with embellishments. If the decorated bodice can be separated from the skirt, then you should not wet it completely - they carry out superficial cleaning. Before being sent for washing, the decorated parts are inspected, the sewn elements are reinforced with threads. A loose fabric is sewn over the glued rhinestones and beads so that the elements do not scatter in the washing machine or bag.

A photo of the decor taken before the start of the work will allow the removed decors to be put back in their place.Ironing of elements with decor is carried out from the inside out, placing a thick soft cloth. Better to use a steamer.

How to bleach fabric

After removing stains, streaks may appear on a wedding dress, color uniformity is disturbed, and the original whiteness is lost. Some do not fight dirt separately, they immediately use bleach.

shining lion

A series of bleaches made in Japan for delicate fabrics, suitable for removing stains from wedding dresses and restoring the whiteness of fabrics. The products effectively remove any pollution received during the holidays - traces of juice, spices, coffee, wine, sweat.

K2r

A very effective remedy, produced in Austria. K2r does not destroy the fabric structure, it is well suited for complex products. Removes all foreign colorants from the product except the original. Ideal for hand wash only.

FRAU SCHMIDT Lingerie Whiter White

The product is intended for bleaching underwear with lace, patterns and decor.Available in tablets. When bleaching (manual is recommended), you need to calculate the amount of medicine needed for a wedding dress and carefully dissolve the tablets.

Storage rules

Once the wedding dress has regained its original luster and purity, it is sent for storage. The protective cover covers the outfit from pollution and protects against damage. Some additional tips:

1. If the dress is to be sold, it should be done as soon as possible. Bridal fashion is no less changeable than the others. In a few months, other models will come into fashion, and the chances of a successful sale will disappear.
2. The stored wedding dress should be regularly removed and ventilated.It will not be superfluous to wear it to check whether excess weight has appeared from a happy family life.

Strong compression can cause yellow streaks and spots on white fabrics. It is necessary to provide a spacious place in the closet in order to avoid pinching and destruction of decorative elements. A well-washed and ironed wedding dress will delight you with beauty for many years and remind you of a happy day. For those who decide to sell the outfit, a successful wash will return the money spent. In any case, the young housewife will take the first step in the complex work of maintaining cleanliness and housekeeping.