Get that Spot Out! Wedding Gown First Aide!

One of the most overlooked issues in the very long TO-DO list of wedding planning is wedding gown stain removal.   For some reason the possibility of having to deal with wedding gown stains is never planned for before the wedding.

The topic only comes up when the wedding gown is already stained and then there are tears and a flurry of tissues, water, seltzer and advice proffered by every well-meaning guest at the venue.  I want to change this!  I want you to be prepared for wedding gown emergencies before they happen.

Let me set the stage: a lone bride, dressed head-to-toe in pristine white, is placed in a location where hundreds of people are roaming about elbow-to-elbow; where food and drink abound; where fresh makeup, lipstick, red wine and tears flow.   It’s really a miracle that any wedding gown stays clean!

Whether you’ve bought, rented or borrowed your wedding gown, you want to enjoy it thoroughly throughout the wedding.  How can this be achieved?  Like everything else, knowledge and preparation are the keys to successfully dealing with the situation.

So let’s start at the beginning.  Find out what fabrics were used in the construction of the gown.  Check what fabrics were used in the lining(s), as these fabrics may react differently to stains and cleaners than the upper layers.

Ask the salon/seamstress/designer or a professional dry cleaner for suggestions as to the best method to treat the following typical wedding gown disasters:

• lipstick
• makeup
• wine
• food
• dressings and sauces
• blood
• water or other liquid spills

Treating and Cleaning Suggestions

The following are a selection of tried-and-true treating and cleaning suggestions.  Remember these are only suggestions, please talk to an expert about the needs of your specific wedding gown!

• Before trying any product (yes, even plain water!) on your dress, put a little of the product on an out-of-the-way area or seam of the gown and check that it does not discolour or ruin the fabric color or appearance before you put it directly on a stain.
• Always gently blot, never rub a stain.  Blotting can soak up a stain and/or prevent it from spreading.  Rubbing can cause the stain to further set in the fabric.
• Always blot with a white towel or cloth.
• Blot the stain from the edges working your ways towards the middle of the stain.
• Never use heat from any source to dry a stained area – even a water stain - as it may cause the stain to further set in the fabric or cause an even larger and more visible stain on the fabric.
• Water is NOT a “can’t do any harm” substance.  Water can ruin silk, as easily as wine.
• Fabrics such as silk, taffeta and satin should only be handled by an expert.
• If in doubt: leave it ALONE!  Remember photographs can be retouched.
• The typical wedding-related stains can usually be hand-washed out of polyester gowns and linings with water (and perhaps a bit of hand soap).
• In general water-based stains should be washed out with water.
• Blood and wine should be blotted out with tepid/warm water and a white cloth.
• An Oily stain, from salad dressing or sauce, can be sprinkled with baby powder and then blotted with a white cloth.
• Baby powder may help temporarily mask a resistant stain.
• I read somewhere that you can prevent a stain from spreading by blotting the stain with a piece of the same fabric.  (For example, if you have a shawl of the same fabric as the gown, you can use the shawl to blot the gown.  I have never tried this, but it may be worth considering.)
• Lipstick and makeup can be removed with stain-removal wet wipes.  Long-lasting lipsticks (the kind we love to use for weddings) may be much harder to remove from a gown.
• There are a host of stain-removing treatments that I am not discussing (such as vinegar, rubbing alcohol, etc.), as they are problematic to pack, carry and use and they can do more damage than good!

I think you know that rarely (unless the stain is large and in the front bodice of the gown) does anyone but the bride and her mother notice stains on the gown.  If the stain is on the train or bottom of the gown or any other barely noticeable area: LET IT GO!

Armed with all the above information, I suggest you create your own take-along-to-the venue Wedding Gown First Aid Kit with the following products.

• White towel or cloth
• Baby powder
• Cotton swabs
• Stain-removal wet wipes

If you have a wedding planner, she should have a kit of her own.  If not, delegate this kit and stain-removal duty to a trusted friend.

Last piece of advice: SMILE!

Yochi Eisner is owner of The Kallah (bride) Whisperer.  Yochi is a professional bridal makeup artist and hair and wig stylist serving brides and their bridal parties throughout Israel.  She is also an avid blogger, writing about everything bridal from makeup and hairstyling tips and trends to stories and information about Jewish wedding traditions. Please send her a message, she’d love to hear from readers all around the world!

http://yochieisner.blogspot.co.il/    www.thekallahhisperer.com www.facebook.com/kallahwhisperer