Wedding gown preservation and cleaning companies have to be thorough and comprehensive while evaluating the condition of the wedding gowns. Their experts focus on one thing only – to remove stains from the fabric and to transform the gown to its former vibrancy and brilliance which it had during the wedding day.
The process of wedding gown assessment
- Fabric identification: Before the cleaning process can be initiated, gown cleaning companies must first identify the fabric of the gown. At times, the tag on the gown can be of help in identifying the fabric, but in the case of old gowns, that is clearly not possible, and thus, the company may have to consult with in-house fabric experts.
- Fiber evaluation: While zeroing in on the right fabric type is of great importance before commencing the cleaning process, fiber evaluation is also equally necessary. It helps the service providers find out if the fibers are damaged and frayed, and the process that they would have to implement to bring in the desired outcome.
- Stain evaluation: Deep stains require more effort and careful consideration. If the fabric degradation is too severe, wedding gown preservation companies wouldn’t be able to treat the stain aggressively, as it further damages the gown. Thus, stains are marked and notes are made on how to handle the spot treatment. In case the gown is too damaged, the experts would give you a call and figure out a process that best suits your interest.
No matter how old the dress is, gowns in various stages of degradation have been successfully brought back to life by reliable gown cleaning and preservation experts all around the globe. So, even if your gown is significantly old, do not hesitate to give them a call or opt for a free consultation. Some of the renowned and professional wedding gown cleaners have even worked on gowns damaged by flood or smoke. Brides who thought the dress was permanently scarred were shocked to see the pristine look of the gowns post the cleaning treatment.
Three different types of gown cleaning methods in use
- Wet cleaning: The wet cleaning method is great at effectively getting rid of organic stains caused due to wine, dirt, and food materials. For this, sophisticated cleaning machines are used to loosen the organic stains from the dress and remove it. However, don’t confuse these machines with the washing machines you have at your home, as the ones used by the gown cleaning companies are designed for delicate garments. They operate at strictly set temperatures, allowing limited water exposure. The wet cleaning process is particularly used for synthetic wedding dress fabrics, and not for natural fabrics such as taffeta and silk.
- Dry cleaning: Unlike the wet cleaning method, the dry cleaning process is used for directly dealing with oil-based stains caused due to grease, deodorant, body oil, makeup, and moisturizer. Many years back, PERC or Perchloroethylene was used as part of the dry cleaning process to remove difficult stains, but that practice has long stopped because PERC is bad for delicate garments and is said to permanently damage sequins and beads. That said, modern dry cleaning methods used by professional wedding gown preservation and cleaning companies include organic compounds that work better than PERC minus the negatives of the latter.
- Spot cleaning: Before subjecting the gown to wet or dry cleaning methods, the experts conduct a thorough inspection process. They use ultraviolet light to identify deep-set invisible stains which if left untreated, may become a problem further down the line. The process or step is generally reserved for deep stains – which cannot be resolved by dry and wet cleaning methods and require a more focused approach. The spot cleaning process makes use of varied fabric-safe chemicals, depending on the severity of the stain, the fabric, and the type of stain.
The only time your wedding gown may be too far in despair is if the fabric is decayed or severely damaged. For other situations, you can always rely on trained gown cleaning experts – true miracle workers!
