How to Clean a Wedding Dress by Hand Washing
Most people believe the only way to launder a wedding dress is to send it to the dry cleaners. Depending on the materials used in the dress, this is not necessarily true. Since weddings are big business, you can save quite a bit if you launder your wedding dress yourself. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Painter's tape
- Mild dishwashing liquid
- Toothbrush
- Cup of water
- Washcloth
- Dry towel
- Laundry detergent for delicates
- Blow dryer
- Steamer
Instructions
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Spot Clean
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1
Examine your dress for any stains, spots or smudges and put a piece of painter's tape on any of these that you find.
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2
Put a drop of dishwashing liquid on a toothbrush, then dip it in a cup of water.
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3
Gently scrub a spot or stain.
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4
Repeat the second and third steps until you have completely removed the stain.
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5
Dip a corner of a washcloth in water and use it to wipe the detergent off the spot.
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6
Use a dry towel to blot the area dry.
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7
Repeat steps two through six for each stain on the dress until there are none.
Washing the Dress
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8
Fill your bathtub halfway with tepid water.
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9
Add a few tablespoons of laundry detergent, but not enough to make the water sudsy.
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10
Soak the dress in the tub for a few minutes, then swish it around.
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11
Drain the tub.
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12
Rinse the dress completely using cold water.
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13
Blot the dress using a dry towel until it is as dry as you can get it.
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14
Hang the dress on a hanger or cord and use a blower to dry it as much as you can.
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15
Let the dress hang. When it is dry on one side, flip it. Let it hang until it is totally dry.
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16
Use the steamer to eliminate wrinkles on it once it is completely dry.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Spot cleaning the dress should be enough unless it has been exposed to dust.
Make sure that the materials your dress is made of are washable--such as polyester or cotton blends--before you begin.
If your dress has beading and/or appliques, just spot clean it--do not immerse it in water.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit lace back of wedding dress image by Paul Retherford from Fotolia.com
