How to Clean a Vintage Velvet Dress
Vintage clothing is fashionable and often affordable, but it can be problematic when it comes to cleaning. If you have a beautiful vintage velvet dress that needs to be cleaned, you must take a look at the condition of the dress and proceed with caution. Treat your vintage dress with care to keep it looking fresh, clean and undamaged. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Assess the condition and cleanliness of the dress. Vintage clothing should only be cleaned when necessary. If the dress is only partially dirty, it should only be spot cleaned. If the dress smells musty but is otherwise clean, spray it with a fabric freshener but don't clean it any further.
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Determine the age of the dress. Older dresses will likely be more delicate than newer garments and must be treated more carefully. If the fabric seems brittle or close to disintegration, proceed with extreme caution. Dresses that were made earlier than the 1940s should never be dry cleaned, as the process may destroy the garment. If a dress was made after 1950 and is in good condition, send it to a reputable dry cleaner.
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Hand wash the dress gently in warm water with a mild soap. Knead the clothes in the soapy water with your hands, being careful not to pull or agitate the fabric. Do not vigorously scrub the dress. Rinse the dress under cool running water until the water runs clear. Gently squeeze the excess water out and hang the dress on a drying rack until it has dried completely.
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Inspect the dress for any stains or spots that did not come out with hand washing. If there is a stubborn spot, apply a small amount of detergent to a toothbrush and gently scrub the spot. If the spot remains, apply a fabric safe spot remover according to packaging directions. Test a small amount of the spot remover on an inconspicuous part of the velvet, such as the inside hem of the dress to ensure that it does not discolor or otherwise ruin the dress.
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Tips & Warnings
Never iron velvet. If your dress needs to be pressed, either use a special velvet needle board or have it professionally pressed by a dry cleaner.
Never machine wash a vintage dress. Machine washing can cause vintage items to shrink, rip or fall apart.
If your dress is of particular importance to you or is very delicate, do not attempt to clean it yourself. Antique or very valuable dresses should be sent to a museum expert to be cleaned and preserved.
References
- Photo Credit Hemera Technologies/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images
