Things You'll Need:
- damp cloth
- pH neutral storage box
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Step 1
Clean the dress. Most bridal gowns are a polyester/mix material and can simply be wiped down with a damp cloth. Dry-cleaning a bridal gown is expensive and can be dangerous. Many a bride is reduced to tears by having her wedding dress ruined at the dry cleaners. Do not risk it. If you do decide to take your dress to be dry cleaned, ask about the cleaning methods used, previous wedding gowns cleaned, and guarantees offered.
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Step 2
Allow the dress to dry completely before attempting to package it. Do not ever package a damp garment of any kind.
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Step 3
Purchase a pH neutral storage container in which to store your dress. The acids in regular cardboard storage containers can eat away at fabrics over time and cause discoloration. Even the acid-free containers advertised by bridal shops for preservation are not safe unless they are not just acid-free but pH neutral as well. Most acid-free boxes actually have a reverse alkalinity which is just as damaging to fabrics.
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Step 4
Choose a box that is completely opaque. Most bridal storage boxes have a viewing window on top and should not be purchased for this very reason. Light causes discoloration to fabrics over time.
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Step 5
Avoid the tissue paper. If you have the right type of storage box for your wedding gown, tissue paper is not necessary and could actually be detrimental. If you feel that you must have tissue paper, purchase the acid-free kind.
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Step 6
Store your dress in an indoor closet. Do not leave it in a storage unit, attic, basement, or garage. For the best bridal gown preservation possible the dress must be kept in a dry environment and at a steady temperature.
Comments
Virtuous1 said
on 8/12/2009 5 stars!! Very well-written article.