How to Keep a Baptism Gown From Turning Yellow
Like wedding dresses, baptism gowns are special clothing that many families keep as mementos or heirlooms and often pass down to the next generation. It's important to store and preserve a baptism gown so it remains white and fresh. While there's no absolute guarantee that such gowns can be preserved in an "as-new" condition for decades, if you follow a few simple steps you can extend the good looks and useful life of your baptism gown.
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Things You'll Need
- Dry cleaner or
- Delicate-fabric detergent
- Bathtub
- Fiberglass screen
- Heirloom textile box or
- Acid-free cardboard box
- Acid-free tissue paper
Instructions
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Dry clean or wash your baptism gown within three days of wearing. Examine the tag on the gown for the recommended cleaning method. Clean the gown even if it does not appear stained or soiled, as colorless and imperceptible soil can cause the fabric to deteriorate or turn yellow over time. Such soils must be removed immediately.
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Instruct your dry cleaner to use fresh, filtered solvent on the baptism gown. Avoid anti-fungal treatments that dry cleaners may offer as those can damage the baptism gown; ask for the standard cleaning with fresh solvent.
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Wash the gown yourself, if permitted, in cold water with Woolite, Orvus, Delicare or similar cleaning product specifically formulated for delicate fabrics. Wash the gown flat in your bathtub and let it air dry flat on a fiberglass screen. You can purchase fiberglass screen mesh from your local home improvement or hardware store and cut it to measure (about 48 inches long).
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Purchase an heirloom textile box from your dry cleaners to store the baptism gown in. Alternatively, you can purchase a large, deep, acid-free cardboard box. Line the box with acid-free tissue paper. Place the dress in the box. Set acid-free tissue paper between the sleeves and folds in the gown to prevent the gown from lying on top of itself while in the storage box.
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Place acid-free tissue on top of the dress and set the lid on top of the box. Use a utility knife to make several small slits in the lid to allow air to flow into the box. This prevents the formation of mildew or mold on the dress.
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Store the box flat in a dark, cool and dry space such as a closet.
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Tips & Warnings
Check the dress once a year to verify stains are not forming on the dress. If you notice stains, have the dress cleaned and repackaged using the appropriate cleaning and storage method outlined here.
References
Resources
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