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How to Clean a Wedding Dress for Preservation

Keep Your Gown Beautiful for Years to Come

Cleaned wedding gown folded in box next to decorative large feathers

The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

It's not difficult to clean and preserve a wedding dress, veil, and keepsakes if you wash them correctly, use the proper containers and packing materials, and find a safe spot away from sunlight and moisture.

Most wedding dresses are light-colored fabric that can get easily stained on the big day from eating, drinking, dancing, photo shoots outdoors, and more. Even if it doesn't look soiled, sweat, food and drink stains, and makeup stains can show up later and become much more difficult to remove. Every wedding gown needs to be cleaned after use, definitely before prolonged storage.

Here's how properly cleaning and storing your gown and accessories can help them last as a treasured heirloom for potentially hundreds of years.

How to Clean Your Wedding Dress Yourself

Planning for the future preservation of your wedding dress begins on the day you start shopping. When you find "the dress," ask the sales consultant how it should be cleaned, especially if it has delicate trim, beads, or sequins. If dress preservation is essential, order the add-on of a bustle for your dress.

Care tag being shown on wedding gown

The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

In the United States, the Federal Trade Commission requires that each gown have a care label that you should take time to read. If you have a simpler dress that doesn't have a lot of embellishments like beading, pearls, sequins, or delicate buttons, it might be a washable fabric. Here's how to hand-wash your wedding dress at home only if it's not marked "Dry Clean Only."

  1. Spot Clean Stains

    Clean stains using a stain remover, white vinegar mixed with water, a baking soda paste, or a few drops of mild dish detergent.

    • Apply a little bit of the cleaning agent.
    • Lightly blot the stain.
    • Dampen a clean section of the towel.
    • Dab the mark to rinse it out.
    Wedding dress stain pre-treated with spray bottle

    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

  2. Clean Hemlines and Trim

    The hemline, trim, and dress train are susceptible to getting dirty when they brush against the floor.

    • Fill a clean bathtub or large basin with warm water and mild laundry detergent for gentle garments.
    • Submerge the hem and train, allowing it to sit for a few hours.
    • If it needs a more thorough cleaning, gently scrub the hem of the dress with a toothbrush and detergent after it has been in the tub.
  3. Clean the Bodice

    The bodice or the top of the gown from the waist up is prone to perspiration stains, makeup, and other food and drink spills.

    • Make a mixture of warm water and a gentle detergent.
    • Put it into a spray bottle or use a clean, unused toothbrush and dip the brush into the solution.
    • Turn the bodice inside out.
    • Gently scrub all parts of the bodice or the top part of the gown.
  4. Rinse

    • Drain the tub of water you've used to clean the other parts of the dress.
    • Refill it with warm water.
    • Submerge the dress in the water.
    • Gently stir it around in the tub.
    • Repeat the steps until the soap is off the dress.
    • Do not wring the dress.
  5. Air Dry and Steam

    • Hang the dress on a sturdy rod, like a shower curtain rod. A hanger is too flimsy for the gown.
    • Allow it to drip and air dry.
    • Once completely dry, use a garment steamer to release any wrinkles or creases from washing.
    • After steaming, allow the gown to air dry completely before packing it away to prevent mildew growth.

Professional Wedding Dress Cleaning Tips

Look for a professional dry cleaner that specializes in wedding gown preservation. Be sure to point out any stains and any loose trim or buttons. Also, discuss, if you know, how the trim is attached to the gown. Some designers use an adhesive that could dissolve during the dry cleaning process.

If the cleaner will pack your dress for storage, ask your cleaner to allow you to inspect your gown before it is packed in an acid-free box to help prevent contamination. This will prevent surprises when you open your sealed box years from now.

How to Properly Store a Wedding Dress

If you pack the dress and accessories for storage, ensure every piece is clean and completely dry before storing.

Store Accessories Correctly

Accessories like a belt or headband with metal buttons or faux jewels and decorations should be stored separately from the fabric items to prevent accidental damage from tarnishing. The same goes for leather goods such as shoes or handbags.

Choose the Right Storage Container

Wedding dresses should be stored flat in an appropriately sized container. Garments left hanging can become misshapen and develop rips and tears from the stress on seams.

Never use a regular cardboard box unless it is a storage box labeled for archival storage. These are made of acid-free paper and are perfectly safe to use. Buy the largest size needed because the fewer folds in the dress, the less chance there will be fiber breakage from creases.

However, if you cannot find archival storage boxes or are concerned about the box getting crushed, purchase a plastic storage box. The package must be made of cast polypropylene to be safe for your fabric keepsakes. Look for the #5 within the recycling triangle or the letters "PP" to ensure you have the correct box type. Other types of plastic can cause yellowing.

Never store a wedding dress in a plastic bag furnished by a dry cleaner. If you leave the dress hanging, cover it with a white, 100% cotton garment bag or make one from a white cotton bed sheet.

Add Archival Tissue Paper

You will also need to purchase archival tissue paper. It must be labeled as both acid and lignin-free. Lignin is a chemical compound derived from wood and will cause fabrics to turn yellow. You will need the tissue to soften folds, wrap individual pieces, and stuff sleeves and headpieces so they will not be crushed.

  1. Boxing the Dress

    • Before you begin, wash and dry your hands. No lotion or creams should be used that can stain the pieces. For best results, wear clean white cotton gloves.
    • Begin lightly stuffing the dress shoulders and bust with the acid-free tissue paper to help them hold their shape.
    • Lay the gown onto a layer of tissue within the box or container. Be sure that there is plenty of tissue cushioning each fold to prevent heavy creasing. The job will be easier if a helper holds the dress while you cushion each fold.
    Wedding gown being stored in box with white gloves

    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

  2. Pack the Accessories

    Repeat steps with each accessory, including the veil. Do not overstuff the storage box. You will want to store heavier items like belts and shoes in smaller individual boxes.

    Decorative belt from wedding gown stored in separate box

    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

  3. Find an Appropriate Spot

    • Choose a dark, cool, dry space for storage. Avoid extreme temperature areas like attics, basements, and garages.
    • Keep the gown away from artificial and natural sunlight to prevent fabric damage.
    • The ideal spot is an interior space away from exterior walls and pipes that might burst and off the floor away from pets.
    Archival box with wedding gown stored in cool dry cabinet

    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

Inspect your wedding treasures at least once per year. Look for any stains that may appear and treat them promptly. Stain removal is more successful the sooner stains are removed. After inspecting, with clean hands, fold the items slightly differently and cushion them with the tissue to minimize creases and stress to the fabrics. 

FAQ
  • Is it worth it to dry clean a wedding dress?

    Depending on the dress and location, you can wash your wedding dress and save yourself from $150 to $300, but it's a lengthy, laborious process when done on your own. Leaving it to the experts ensures it's done right and saves you several hours. If you get it dry-cleaned professionally, ensure the cleaner you select specializes in wedding gowns.

  • How often should you clean your wedding dress?

    Once preserved, the wedding dress may only need cleaning if you renew your wedding vows and wear it again. After it has been boxed, check on the dress every few years to check for stains or to reposition the dress in its container.

  • Is it safe to wash a wedding dress in the washing machine?

    Your wedding dress may be safe to wash in a machine; it depends on the care label. What makes a dress unsafe to wash in the machine is the material type, the embellishments on the front of the dress, and some inner structures, like boning and other delicate parts.

  • What happens if you don't clean your wedding dress?

    If you don't clean your dress before storing it, oils from sweat or stains from food or drink may crop up, which can invite mold, mildew, or insects. Also, the fabric may turn yellow or get brown oxidation blotches if not packed away properly.

The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. Wedding Gown Labels: Unveiling the Requirements. Federal Trade Commission.