Top 10 Questions to Ask Before you Have Your Dress Cleaned
Is your dress still hanging on the back of your closet door? If it is, stop what you’re doing right now and get it to the cleaners! Whether you’re going to sell it or preserve it for years to come, the quicker you clean it, the less stains will have set in.
If you are thinking of selling, dresses that have been cleaned hold their resale value and sell faster than dresses that have not been cleaned.
If you wish to preserve your dress, don’t be fooled – many stains can dry clear and begin to yellow over time. Cleaning is the most important part of the preservation process and it’s imperative that you find a specialist you can trust.
To help you find a dry cleaner you can trust, the ladies over at SmartBrideBoutique.com share 10 questions you should ask your cleaner BEFORE you decide to have them clean your dress:
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1. Do you specialize in cleaning and preserving wedding gown?
Most cleaners do not do their own work when it comes to wedding gowns. They send them off to someone else, often someone else in another state/province. Not good. You want a cleaner who takes responsibility for your gown.
2. Have you been specially trained? Are you a member of a Dry Cleaning Association?
The last thing you need is someone who is going to practice or “learn on the job” with your beautiful gown.
3. How many years have you been in business?
The cleaner may be very well trained, but years of experience count. The longer they have been in business the more likely they’ve cleaned gowns similar to yours.
4. What kind of solvent are you going to use on my gown?
A specialist knows that some solvents are gentler than others and will use the solvent best for your gown’s fragile beading and other decorations.
5. Do you handle solvents responsibly?
For example, members of the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists provide a MuseumCareTM ZeroCarbonTM preservation . These preservations are endorsed by the Association of Bridal Consultants and are truly green because they offset all carbon emissions with donations to Carbonfund.org to fund reforestation projects worldwide. Receive $35 off your cleaning and find a location near you.
6. What kind of guarantee do you provide?
Today or twenty-five years from today, who is going to honour the guarantee that your gown will still be in pristine, ready-to-wear condition?
7. Does the container allow the fabric to “breathe” with changes in heat and humidity?
Shrink-wrapping can trap moisture that may cause mildew and create an electrostatic charge that sets creases which no amount of pressing can remove.
9. What precautions do you take to protect my gown during the cleaning process?
Prongs, for example, around the beads on your gown can snag the fabric during the cleaning process. When it is packed, bows or flowers should be stuffed or protected with a nest of tissue. Bust pads should also be removed because they emit off-gases that will yellow your gown.
10. Can you actually get my dress clean?
Will all stains and “floor dirt” around the hem of the gown come out? Be aware that stains such as wine or ginger ale contain sugar and can dry clear. Over the years stains can turn brown, and such stains do not automatically dissolve during the cleaning process and require special care.
Believe it or not, cleaning is the most important part of the preservation process so look for a cleaner who will allow you to personally inspect your gown. And then look carefully to be sure your gown will be as lovely years from now as it was the day you wore that very special gown.
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SmartBride Boutique is a free local classifieds site connecting brides past and present to buy, sell and save on new, discounted and used wedding dresses, jewelry , décor and more.
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