How to Care for Your Wedding Dress in Storage.
Your beautiful wedding gown will remain in pristine shape for many years to come if you properly store it after the big day. If you make use of the appropriate equipment and procedures, you will be able to keep your gown so that it remains in pristine condition for years to come.
Be Sure to Take Care of Your Wedding Gown Before Storing It
If you want your wedding dress to remain in pristine condition, just having it cleaned will not be sufficient. It will also need to be conserved to avoid the fabric from becoming yellow, mold, mildew, permanent stains, and wrinkles that may be impossible to remove once they have been set in.
There are several dry cleaners that provide this service, and some establishments especially specialize in the preservation of wedding dresses.
The garment may remain in storage for decades if necessary thanks to the expertise of preservation professionals who know how to clean and protect the fabric.
If a dress already has stains on it and hasn’t been cleaned and conserved correctly, those stains may embed into the fabric over time, making it far more difficult to remove such stains in the years to come.
Because simple cleaning won’t be enough to restore the garment if it hasn’t been properly preserved, you could have to pay to have it done.
The Methods That Are Used To Keep Wedding Gowns Preserved
The wedding dress has to be cleaned in a certain way in order for it to be preserved, and this may either be done by hand using water or by utilizing a dry cleaning procedure. A qualified conservator will also check your dress for unseen stains and devise a strategy for preserving it that takes into consideration the material that the garment is made of.
In addition, meticulous packaging of the gown is required for correct storage in order to protect the garment from being harmed by either the environment or insects.
The garment is then folded carefully into a box that is either pH neutral or acid free and then covered in paper that is not acidic. Instead of using acid-free paper, some preservationists choose to wrap the clothing with muslin fabric that has not been bleached or pre-washed.
The box is then hermetically sealed with airtight sealant to protect the garment from being discolored over time. If you want a box that has a viewing screen, the transparent material should be made of acetate or Coroplast so that the garment is not damaged by being exposed to direct sunlight.
Exist Any Do-It-Yourself Wedding Dress Preservation Methods?
Because the price of hiring a professional to preserve a gown may run anywhere from $150 to $500, some ladies opt to do it themselves.
The fact that preservation kits and materials may be purchased online simplifies the process of doing it yourself. It is essential to handle the dress with the appropriate equipment, such as white cotton gloves, in order to avoid getting any stains on it.
It is required that you use materials such as acid-free paper and boxes, and you will also need a place to keep the box that is both cold and dry.
If you decide to make your own wedding dress, it is a good idea to check on the condition of the garment and let it air out at regular intervals. Be sure to give your hands a thorough washing and put on a pair of white gloves before handling and repackaging the outfit.
It Is Important That You Do Not Put Off Cleaning and Storing Your Wedding Dress.
It is in your best interest to get your dress professionally cleaned and maintained as soon as possible. This is due to the fact that stains have a greater chance of becoming permanent the longer a dress goes without being cleaned.
If you wait many days or weeks, it will likely be considerably more difficult for a garment to get unstained. If you are going to be going out of town for your honeymoon, it is highly recommended that you make preparations in advance to have a friend or family take your wedding dress to be preserved and cleaned as soon as possible after the ceremony.
It is in your best interest to investigate ahead of time where you will be taking the dress, or if you want to pursue the Do-It-Yourself route, you should get your materials in advance so that you are prepared to go forward with a strategy as soon as the wedding is finished.
Storage Supplies
You are going to want storage materials if you have decided to undertake the work on your own. There are a variety of options available to you, ranging from clothing bags to preservation kits, that may accommodate both your tastes and your budget.
Kits for the Conservation of Objects
If it is at all practicable, one approach would be to delegate this significant responsibility to trained experts.
Your garment will be returned to you in pristine condition once it has been preserved by Wedding Gown Preservation. You are able to choose the level of preservation that you would want at other businesses, such as Wedding Gown Preservation Company.
The two of these firms will give you labels and packaging. You will need to ship the gown to the business so that it may be processed, repackaged, and then returned to you. You’ll have your favorite dress forever.
Boxes for Storing
If you choose a storage solution that is not as long-term, you can invest in dedicated boxes for the purpose. Foster-Stephens is the place to get an acid-free storage box. You have the option of having your name or a unique message printed on the lid of the box. They include packaging guidelines in addition to wrapping and a box that has a huge viewing glass.
The containers that are offered by Heritage Garment Preservation do not have any windows, but they do provide protection from dust and fingerprints. When you have a box like this, you are able to open and inspect your gown whenever you want to.
Garment Bags
The least difficult and most affordable solution for storing garments is to use garment bags. A garment bag for your wedding dress is available for purchase at David’s Bridal. Each bag features a broad gusset and a longer length so that it may fit even the most full-bodied dresses.
There are other websites, similar to DH Gate, that provide breathable bags in a range of sizes.
Useful Advice for Storing Your Wedding Dress
Remember to keep these things in mind about storage if your wedding dress preservationist has not yet packed your dress for you:
Be Sure to Clean Your Gown Before Storing It
Make sure that a competent cleaner handles your clothing. It is not always the case that your clothing is clean just because you took it off and thought it appeared clean to you. If you look more closely, you could see some dirt or stains.
If action is not taken soon, these stains may grow more noticeable and even permanent. If you take your garment to a wedding dress preservation expert or dry cleaner, they will know precisely what to check for and which chemicals and solvents will work best on it.
The Materials Stored and Their Location
To ensure that your dress will last for years to come, it is imperative that you properly store it.
The bride gently stroked the wedding dress
You shouldn’t hang your garment on a hanger made of wire. In addition to rusting, it may also cause the cloth to get ripped. If you really have to hang your garment, do so by the loops. Keep in mind that the fabric of a heavy dress may get torn if it is allowed to hang for an excessive amount of time due to the weight of the garment.
Never put your wedding dress in a plastic bag to keep it. When plastic degrades, it releases chemicals that, if they combine with your garment, might cause the dress to be permanently damaged.
Wrapping your wedding dress in acid-free tissue paper prior to packing it up can provide an additional layer of protection. Do not use colorful tissue paper since the ink from the paper might ultimately transfer onto the cloth.
If you are going to be keeping your dress in a wooden box, particularly a cedar box, you should make sure that there are many layers of acid-free tissue paper or fabric in between the garment and the wood. The acid included in the wood will leave an everlasting stain on the clothing.
There is no such thing as cardboard that is absolutely devoid of acid. If you plan on storing your wedding dress in a cardboard box, even if the box is advertised as being acid-free, you should know that you will need to replace the box about every five years.
Keep your clothing in a cool, dry location while not in use. The mold that may develop in moist environments, such as basements, makes them unsuitable for storing bridal dresses. The garment will become a yellowish color if it is kept in a location where it will be heated or exposed to sunlight. It is recommended that you put the garment away in a closet for safekeeping.
Occasionally expose the stored dress to fresh air.
You should take your wedding dress out of storage and hang it somewhere with plenty of fresh air at regular intervals. This will enable the cloth to breathe, which will make it less likely that it will get mildewed.
First, ensure that your hands are clean and that you are not wearing anything that might potentially contaminate your skin, such as lotions, cosmetics, hair colors that could potentially leak, or nail paint.
In order to reseal the garment, you will either need to have a preservationist put it back in the box with fresh paper and vacuum seal it, or you will need to utilize materials that are intended for do-it-yourself projects.
Put Away the Gown
You will be able to wear the wedding gown again at a special anniversary celebration, hand it down to a daughter, keep it as an heirloom, or maintain it as a unique remembrance of the wedding if you properly preserve it and store it.
Keeping your dress will help you secure your purchase as well as preserve beautiful memories. When the big day is done and the honeymoon is behind you, don’t forget these suggestions for preserving your wedding dress until after the honeymoon is finished.
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