How to wash a wedding dress at home: is it possible in an automatic washing machine, rules for hand washing, tips for removing dirt stains at home

In a wedding dress, the girl attends the celebration, participates in a photo shoot and a feast. During these few hours of active wear, the outfit may get dirty.

You can restore the decent appearance of your wedding dress yourself, or by turning to dry cleaning services.

Let's try to figure out whether and how to wash a wedding dress at home, manually and in an automatic washing machine.

Is it possible?

Not every formal dress can be washed. If there is a label on the product, the care rules must be specified in it, as well as the composition of the fabric.

Before you start cleaning, you need to find out the following points:

what materials are used for sewing;
clothing color (white, with shades, bright);
the presence of a petticoat;
the presence of decor and its appearance.

Most wedding dresses are made from synthetic materials and are floor-length. In this case, the most problematic part of the skirt is the hem, which is close to the ground and gets very dirty.

The petticoat in most models is removable. If it is not dirty, it is not worth washing.

The bodice of the outfit may have a corset embroidered with:

stones,
rhinestones,
embroidery,
lace.

These materials “do not like” washing and require especially delicate handling.
The area that gets dirty most often is the armpits. If rich decor is sewn onto the material, it is better to use a toothbrush for cleaning and clean only with your hands. Sewn and glued decor (beads, rhinestones, stones, etc.) does not allow for complete washing of the product .
If the jewelry is removable, it is better to remove it before cleaning and then return it to its place. Detachable elements (without decoration with stones) can be washed. Delicate treatment can be achieved by hand washing using mild household chemicals.

A smooth satin dress, or one made of polyester, without bulky elements, can be machine washed on a delicate cycle without spinning. But a lace product can only be processed by hand, just like one sewn from tulle. You can find out more about washing dresses here.

Is it washable?

Content

You can refresh your wedding dress either by hand washing or in a washing machine: it all depends on the material of the product, the presence of decorations on the corset and hem, as well as the nature of the dirt. Some girls wash their outfit before the wedding, because if you rent it or buy it at a salon, you cannot be 100% sure that the dress will be clean. After the event, traces of soil and dust, grass, sweat, lipstick, wine and food may appear. How to wash a wedding dress with such contamination is another question.

In the washing machine

Machine washing is not the best option for dressy dresses. The exception is items of a simple silhouette without decoration, sewn from material that can be machine washed. But most wedding dresses do not fall into this category.

If the wedding dress is simple in style, has no decorative elements, and is machine washable, processing will not be very difficult.

Procedure:

Inspect and prepare the item - remove stains, and, if necessary, make repairs.
Remove the belt, lacing and other removable elements.
If there are beads and rhinestones on the bodice that cannot be removed, gauze or thin fabric is sewn on top of them. It will protect the decor from rubbing, loss and damage.
Turn the product inside out.
If there is dirt along the hem or under the arms, it must be washed.
Place the wedding dress in a laundry bag. It should not have too large cells so that accidentally torn off beads do not fall into the drum of the washing machine.
For washing, use detergent in gel form. For snow-white, choose a gel marked “for white things”, for other shades - a universal one, intended for colored clothes.
Set the mode to “delicate” or “silk”.
Turn off spinning and drying.
If there is a “wrinkle-free wash” function, it must be used.
The heating temperature is set to +30ºС or as recommended by the manufacturer.
Washing time should be minimal, preferably up to 40-50 minutes.
Start the wash cycle.
After the washing machine has been used, the item must be immediately taken out and straightened.

If the dress is not taken out immediately, it can become very wrinkled and develop an unpleasant damp smell that is difficult to remove.

Cleaning a dirty hem

Usually there are no special problems with cleaning the hem. To deal with dirt, you should prepare a soap solution. The algorithm for washing the hem of a wedding dress will be as follows:

dilute the required amount of soap or other liquid product in warm water;
immerse the hem in the liquid for a couple of hours;
Using a small brush, carefully brush the entire length of the hem of the dress.

After the main contaminants have been removed, you can wash the hem in the usual way. Rinse your petticoat well. If necessary, you can brush along the edge a couple of times.

Handwash

When starting to hand wash such a complex item as a wedding dress, you need to follow a clear sequence of actions.

Proper preparation is an essential part of cleaning a wedding dress.

You need to start by inspecting the thing. Torn and damaged areas need to be repaired before washing. If they are not addressed in time, the defect can only become more noticeable and larger in area.
If there are stains on clothing, they should be treated first. To do this, it is advisable to know what they are left with.
All elements that can be detached from the dress must be removed.

Depending on the composition of the material, household chemicals or homemade recipes can be used for stains.

Even subtle stains should be wiped with a mild soapy solution and a sponge . If you leave them, the spots will appear brighter over time. Folk recipes and store-bought stain removers will come to the rescue.

For dresses that have a slight tint of yellow, beige, pink or other tones, you need to use household chemicals designed for colored clothes.

To wash a wedding dress, you must use non-hot water at a temperature of +30ºС to +35ºС . Hotter temperatures can cause fabric deformation and shrinkage of the material.

Detergents should be chosen that are delicate. Preferably in gel form. It is better not to use washing powders due to their rough texture and poor dissolution in water compared to liquids.

Procedure:

Fill a large container with water at the required temperature.
Dilute the detergent.
Dip the dress into the soap solution.
If there are dirty places, such as the hem, you can gently soap them with a soft sponge.
Soaking should not be long - up to a quarter of an hour, maximum - up to 20 minutes.
Acting carefully, the item is erased. Do not rub the fabric.
The rinsing must be very thorough so that no detergent residue remains in the fibers of the material.
To do this, the water should be changed several times. The final rinse can be done by hanging the product over the bathtub and directing water from the shower onto it.
A wet dress should not be twisted. It is hung to allow water to drain from the product.

If the outfit does not require a full-scale wash, you can hang it over the bathtub, moisten it with a shower head, and wash only the necessary areas.

How to wash a wedding dress at home?

You can also use a bag for washing. Be sure to use such products for washing. This will prevent the fabric from unwinding throughout the drum and make washing safer.

How to wash a wedding dress at home:

Do not immerse parts with metal decor and stones in hot water. Do not soak items with metal decor under any circumstances. Nowadays, many corsets are decorated using a variety of spikes, rivets, and imitation rhinestones made of metal.
Under the influence of water and detergent, the decor rusts, leaving yellow stains on the fabric. To prevent this from happening, do not soak such products. Give preference to dry washing or dry cleaning.
You can also use spot washing to remove the most noticeable stains. In extreme cases, it is allowed to use optical brighteners, but in no case with bleach.

Plume

Removing stains at home

The origin of stains at a wedding is associated with a feast, a photo shoot, competitions, strong manifestations of emotions and wearing throughout the day.

Wine

Removing wine stains should not be left “for later . First aid for damaged clothing is to try to prevent liquid from absorbing deep into the fibers.

The newly spilled wine is blotted. It is strictly forbidden to rub the stain.

If you have mineral sparkling water without dyes on hand, you should pour it over the wine . This technique, even if it does not lead to the complete disappearance of the stain, will significantly facilitate the subsequent removal of traces of wine.

Another way is to use hydrogen peroxide from the first aid kit:

moisten a sponge or piece of cotton wool well with peroxide;
Treat the stain with gentle blotting movements, moving from the edges to the center;
after finishing the treatment, this place is washed with water.

If possible, the dress should be washed with soap. After wiping it with a soap solution, leave the item for 5-10 minutes, after which it is lightly rubbed and rinsed.

Grass

A wedding is not only a celebration and feast. The newlyweds, trying to capture happy moments, take photographs in picturesque places in nature. Bright green grass looks beautiful in photos, but often leaves difficult marks on the bride's dress.

The following recipe will help you deal with stubborn marks:

the affected areas should be carefully wiped with a sponge dipped in soapy water;
A solution is prepared separately from 1 tbsp. water and 1 tbsp. l. ammonia;
Using a sponge or sponge, treat the stains with the prepared solution;
areas stained with grass are washed again with soapy water;
The product is rinsed, washing away the remaining solution and soap.

Lipstick

Hugging and kissing friends and relatives can lead to lipstick marks on your dress.

Talcum powder or baby powder will help remove stains quickly. If possible, after sprinkling the lipstick marks, the dress should be left to sit for an hour. After this you can wash it as usual.

Dust and dirt

The dustiness of the fabric can be eliminated without washing; the item can be cleaned with a dry brush . If there are traces of dirt on it, these places can be washed with soapy water using a sponge. After this, the clothes are rinsed and dried.

Sweat

Sweat stains after spending a whole day in the same clothes are not such a rare occurrence. To remove yellow stains, you can use one of the home recipes.

For fresh, not old stains, even regular washing with laundry soap, which is carried out before the main wash, can be effective.

An alternative method is to use salt.

Prepare a solution of 1 liter of water and 8 tbsp. l. salt.
Mix everything thoroughly, until the grains are completely dissolved.
Not the entire dress should be soaked in the solution, but only the soiled parts.
Leave for a quarter of an hour.
Rinse.

A particularly good effect is achieved by using this recipe on silk.

Ink

The ballpoint pen that the toastmaster introduces into the script of competitions at a wedding can also leave insidious marks on a white background.

The following recipe will help solve the problem:

Spray hairspray onto the stain.
Leave for 1 hour.
Wash with soapy water.
Rinse.

Detergents

In the process of creating a bride's dress, special fabrics are often used, such as nylon, silk, organza, crepe de Chine and tulle. They need only delicate cleaning and only gentle options for cleaning agents: a solution of table salt, a solution of baby and laundry soap; soft washing powder for hand washing; soap solution prepared from laundry and baby soap. Bleach is not recommended for use: it can discolor the product and ruin the structure of the fabric.

Proper drying

You need to dry your wedding dress as carefully as possible. After washing, it is necessary to avoid spinning and twisting the material.

When wet, it is suspended above the bathtub. Excess water simply drains away. Dry in a well-ventilated place with air circulation.

You cannot speed up the drying process by placing a wet product:

near the battery,
fireplace,
in the open sun.

If damaged, the fabric may become stained and deformed.

If the base of the dress is cotton, it cannot be hung to dry, as the fabric will stretch under its own weight. The same applies to heavy materials. Such dresses are dried in a horizontal position. It is best to use a tightly stretched mesh dryer for this.

If this is not available, use large non-fading terry towels . They can be spread directly on the floor, placing a dress on top. As the towels get wet, replace them with new ones. The dress itself also needs to be turned over periodically so that it dries evenly.

Signs

According to folk wisdom:

The wedding dress cannot be washed or reused. This promises constant discord between spouses.
You should wait until your first date of marriage (1 year after marriage) or the birth of your first child before doing laundry.
You cannot give your outfit to third parties for wearing or cleaning. This symbolizes an invasion of the couple's privacy and can lead to quarrels or even a break in the relationship.

It is believed that it is possible and even necessary to clean your outfit before the wedding, but this should be done by a woman who has been happily married for many years. This could be your mother, sister or any other person who wishes the bride well.

Ironing Features

Ironing a dress quickly and easily will not work. It is imperative to take into account the model and material used. A steam generator will be a good helper in this matter.

Textile	Ironing nuances
Satin or velvet	Ironed only from the inside out
Polyester	Do not iron, wet fabric straightens under its own weight
Lace	Ironing can only be done through the intervening fabric. In this case, the iron should be set to the minimum temperature. It is possible to use the steaming function.
Tulle or chiffon	Vertical steaming

It is recommended to start ironing from the bodice of the dress, and use a steamer first from the train and skirt.

Nuances for different fabrics

Satin dress

It is recommended to iron items made of satin and silk without using water to avoid the appearance of streaks on the fabric. Bleach can cause such delicate material to turn yellow.

Lace dress

A lace dress is ironed at a minimum temperature through gauze. The cuffs and collar can be treated with liquid starch using a spray bottle.

Dress with decor

Products with decorative elements are turned inside out before washing. Metal parts can be pre-treated with glycerin to protect them from damage and loss of shine.

Dry cleaning

Contacting a dry cleaner can help in a hopeless situation:

when the stains are complex and there is no time to remove them;
there are no conditions for washing and drying such a bulky outfit;
the dress is exclusive and very expensive;
The outfit has very complex and/or voluminous decor.

Dry cleaning will help restore the appearance of your dress to a professional level. Placing an order can be done by phone or online. You can find a suitable dry cleaner on the Internet.

It would also be a good idea to study customer reviews to ensure the quality of the services provided. The cost of cleaning a wedding dress starts at an average of 3,000 rubles.

Dry cleaning provides:

stain removal;
restoration of an attractive appearance of the product;
ironing;
elimination of unpleasant odors, for example, from cigarette smoke;
after processing, place the item in a separate case.

For the convenience of the client, dry cleaners provide courier services for picking up and delivering dresses after cleaning.

How can you wash a wedding dress?

An unpleasant odor in the armpits, as well as dark stains on the inside of the corset, are common stains that can be easily removed by dry cleaning.

How to wash a wedding dress:

Handwash
Machine washable
Dry wash to remove stains

Remember, if the dress is made using a lot of fabric skirts, the weight will increase when wet. If you hang such a dress on hangers, this can cause deformation, as well as stretching of the tissues that are located in the area of the shoulders, waist and arms.

At the fitting

Steaming methods

Fabrics such as chiffon, organza or tulle do not need to be ironed; they return to their shape during proper drying if all folds have been straightened out in a timely manner.

If creases do appear on the fabric, it is better to get rid of them by steaming.

Using boiling water

An old, effective way to get rid of wrinkles in fabric that cannot be ironed. Steam from boiling water can be applied to a product in different ways.

The first method is to strengthen the outfit over a pan of boiling water and alternately place problem areas with creases in the fabric over the steam. It is more convenient to carry out such an operation together.
The second method is to hang the product in the bathroom, open the hot water tap and leave the product hanging in the room with the door closed.