The Ultimate Guide to Protecting Your Wedding Dress

One of the most major decisions you’ll make in your lifetime is choosing your wedding dress. We mean, after choosing the groom, of course. But your wedding dress is definitely up there.

With an average wedding dress costing around $1,357, it might just be one of your most significant clothing investments, ever. It’s only fair that you take care of it. While you may be tempted to store it away in a box because it serves as a teary reminder that your special day is over, you really shouldn’t. Here’s a guide on how to store and protect your wedding dress so that it lasts you a lifetime.

Store Wisely

Keep your wedding dress stored in a garment bag, away from any light. Don’t wrap your dress in plastic, as it traps moisture, which results in mildew. It can also lead to your wedding dress fading to an unsightly yellow since plastic emits fumes over time. You can hang your dress by the loops to avoid stretching and causing tears. However, if you don’t want your wedding dress taking up almost all the space in your closet, you can box it, but make sure you’re laying it as flat as possible. You can visit the boutique where you purchased it or read the care instructions that came along with it to make sure you’re doing it right.

Clean Carefully

Before you begin to clean your wedding dress, make sure you spot test first. Do this in an area that isn’t too visible, so if something goes wrong, you’ll be in the safe. Remember to never, ever use harsh chemicals like bleach on your dress, and use brushes with softer bristles. Consider using a toothbrush to remove any present stains, and don’t forget to wear gloves when handling your dress. Different fabrics require different products to clean and place a piece of cloth between the layers of your dress to make sure the product doesn’t sink into the fabric and cause unwanted damage. Use a hair-dryer to dry the stain once you’re done cleaning.

A woman closing the buttons on a wedding dress

Leave It To The Professionals

Perhaps the best thing you can do for your dress is to give it to a professional wedding dress cleaner. Proper preservation avoids yellows, creasing, mold, and other problems that you may otherwise face.

Don’t wait too long to get your dress cleaned, because the stains will sink into the fabric of your dress, making them difficult to remove. Professional wedding dress cleaners have several services that you can avail, and they deal with wedding dresses day in and day out. Choose your wedding dress cleaner wisely, and leave the worrying to them.

At Sterling Cleaner, we offer professional dry cleaning services and alterations. We’re one of the most trusted cleaning agencies in all of DC and have been serving our customers for over three decades now.