How To Hand Wash Your Wedding Dress

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Nº1. PROLOGUE

But it says Dry Clean Only…

Look, I’m no expert; I have only washed maybe a hundred gowns that said dry clean only, but I’m betting this label is more about not trusting the consumer won’t just toss it in the washer on delicate if it was labeled “Hand Wash.” No judgment. We have all done it.

I’ll give you this: silk. Yeah, maybe you can take that to the dry cleaner. I don’t know the rules there. However, most wedding gowns now are polyester blends. You can check the tag to see what yours is.

Dry cleaning is just a solvent. They put it on your clothing, extract it, and then press your garment. No water used.

This dry chemical they use can take out paint, which is great if your dress is not supposed to have paint on it. Mine are.

Hand washing is also free and better for the environment. If you follow my steps, it’s also very safe for your dress. I wash EVERY gown that I work on, sometimes twice.

I’m assuming you have already been convinced since you clicked this article. So let’s move on…

Nº2. MAIN ARTICLE

Materials

A tub ~ If you have a shower only, get a large bucket.

Detergent ~ a “special” one is unnecessary unless you have a silk or natural material dress. I prefer a clear liquid, liquid because it mixes easier and clear because pouring blue detergent on a white dress scares even me.

Spot Cleaner ~ I love Spray N Wash; I have tried others and always seem to return to this one. It just feels like it works better.

Sponges ~ I’m weirdly specific about this, too. I use Ikea’s Svampig Kitchen Sponges. I like that it is white, so I can see the dirt or color removed, and the scrub side has that perfect Goldielocks effect for me—not too soft, not too hard.

A Hose or hand-held shower head ~ I really love this for “Power Washing” out those dirty trains. I’d say optional, but for me, this is non-optional, especially for tulle. It works wonders. Before I upgraded my shower head, I used this adaptor attached to the sink. You can also use a hose; for this, you would first use the hose and a tarp outside to rinse the dress, then move it inside to your tub for the soak.

*Bonus Points* Lint Roller + Steamer ~ After washing, lint rolling to get out any tangled-in hairs, and a nice steam finish just really brings it to perfection. Again, here are the ones I use: XL lint roller and Conair hand-held streamer; this one seriously replaced my industrial one; it never leaks!

*Optional* Manual Clothes Washer Plunger ~ I only recommend this if you do a decent amount of handwashing already. I also only use this on the skirt of gowns, not on the top. There was a time in my life when all I was doing was handwashing my clothing, and this was amazing.

Washing Instructions

1. Rinse your dress with warm water.

   I like to ensure the water runs down the dress and into the drain. If we can help it, let’s not move the dirt up the dress. Do this until the bulk of the dirt is off.

2. Use your spot cleaner.

   Focus it on those extra bad spots, like under the armpits and inside the bodice area, where you're most likely to get sweaty, and along the bottom, where the dress runs along the ground. Be careful as you move your dress; any areas with rhinestones may snag on other parts of the dress.

3. Soak the dress in your tub with some detergent for 30 minutes.

   At this point, the water shouldn’t get instantly gross. I assume you have already washed most of the loose dirt in step one. Agitating the water a bit to mix up the detergent is a good idea, but don’t squish the gown.

   If you can, try to keep the dress laid out in a natural position.

4. Scrub any stubborn spots.

   Always in a light circular motion. Special notes depending on the fabric ↓

   • Tulle: can handle a scrub sponge/rough sponge side; get both sides of the fabric.

   • Organza: can handle a scrub sponge/rough sponge side; get both sides of the fabric.

   • Chiffon: delicate/soft sponge only.

   • Lace: it depends. Start with only a soft sponge. Thinner lace without any beadwork can take a bit more pressure with a rough sponge if a soft sponge isn’t enough. NEVER use a rough sponge on thick lace. Get the underside; typically, you can use the rough sponge on the back side if it’s lace applique(lace sewn on tulle).

   • Satin: Use a soft sponge only. Don’t dare use a scrub sponge. Stains on this can sometimes be “power washed” out instead of scrubbed.

   • Lining: The rough sponge is fine If it’s not satin. The best way to tell is that traditional linings are very thin and typically mat, not shiny. Occasional dirt gets really stuck in the seam on the lining. I blast it with a hose or shower head on JET to remove it.

   • Colored Areas: Soft sponge only.

5. Rinse the dress again until it’s free of soap.

   Inspect the dress for any missed spots; repeat #4 as many times as needed until you can not see any dirty spots.

Keep in mind that the dress will dry lighter and less transparent. Sometimes, with cream/nude-lined gowns, the fabric is not as dirty as it looks; it is just tricking you, and you are really seeing the layer under it.

Drying

1. SLOWLY lift the gown by the ribbons in the bodice.

   Avoid lifting delicate fabric such as tulle sleeves. This should be a workout, SLOW, so the dress can drain the extra water. The dress is too heavy wet; you have to get some of that water off before you can hang it.

2. Squeeze a little in heavy areas.

   Till it is light enough to hang by the ribbons and not dripping too much. I have a hook in the ceiling of the shower I use for drying. Just pick a clean spot it can hang out as much as possible and put a towel or bucket under it

3. Pat dry any metal hooks and or other metal parts on the gown.

4. Spread out the layers to dry

   Any tulle layers can be shaken dry. I like to put a chair under the dress to hold the train out and help the airflow.

5. Periodically check on it and move it till it’s completely dry.

   If it’s taking longer than a day, focus a fan on the lining. You don’t want it to stay wet for too long.

Make sure it is completely dry before putting it away. Steam your dress again to give it that finishing touch.

If you want to sell your dress, check out “Still White,” or if you got your gown from me, hit me up! I have a great consignment program.

Congrats Babe, you did it! Squeaky clean dress ♥

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