Can I Soak My Polyester Wedding Dress in Oxy Clean to Get It White Again

I dear giving advice on wedding dresses and tips on how to restore them.

Wedding ceremony Clothes Cleaning

My younger brother recently asked me, "Did your wife ever get kinda crazy while planning the wedding?" Evidently, his fiancée is taking the planning very seriously, while he thinks the wedding details "don't really matter" and only plans to "evidence upwardly" the day of.

I explained to him that wedding details are very important to women and most women spend quite a fleck of time and free energy thinking about what they'd similar for their big day. Information technology'southward condom to say that my wife thought of our wedding details well before she fifty-fifty met me!

And in that location's probably no more important detail to the helpmate than her wedding dress. Some brides accept the selection of wearing a dress inherited from their mother or grandmother. These dresses are often very beautiful with high-quality materials—they don't brand them like that anymore! But considering the dress hasn't been properly stored, it's not in the best shape. Thankfully, there are a few things you tin do to restore an old nuptials clothes and have information technology expect good every bit new.

Common Issues With Vintage Wedding Gowns

Some issues commonly seen in old wedding dresses are:

1. Discoloration (often from white/cream to yellow).
2. Compromised material integrity (rips, tears, etc.).
3. Missing button/sequins/etc.
4. Poor fit.
5. Difficult wrinkles or odour.

Tips for Cleaning Antique Wedding Dresses

Hither are several things to keep in mind when attempting to restore your erstwhile wedding ceremony gown (should y'all choose to non have a professional person do it for you).

1. Metal rusts easily (especially old metal).
2. Old material should be handled delicately.
3. Silk and satin are the about difficult material to restore, whereas polyester is easier.
4. If restoration simply isn't possible, consider other options earlier scrapping the wearing apparel all together.
5. Sugar stains are virtually impossible to clean upward if they take "settled" on a gown.

via Flickr

Vintage Wedding ceremony Dress Restoration

First and foremost, do not bleach your wedding ceremony dress in an attempt to clean or restore it. Bleach volition further weaken the forcefulness of the original cloth, perhaps dissolve buttons and other decorative items, and it doesn't even work.

Instead, follow this step-by-step guide on how to clean that yellowed wedding gown.

1. Prepare the clothes. Remove everything metal that is a role of the dress. Buttons, clips, hooks, and pins might all be made of metal and should be carefully removed.
2. Set the bathtub. Fill an empty, make clean bathtub with either lukewarm or common cold water (not hot) and a gentle liquid detergent such as Woolite. Also, line the bathtub with a white canvas. Place the dress on the canvass in the water. (This is done so that the hymeneals dress isn't forcefully pulled in and out of the water, thus stressing the cloth).
3. Use the sheet to clean the nuptials dress. Gently lift and lower the sheet that has the wedding clothes on it. This is washed and then that the existing stains are loosed and the unabridged dress is fairly soaked. If necessary, you lot tin soak your dress up to 24 hours or more. If stains remain later on the soaking and cleaning process, come across below for spot removal tips and suggestions.
4. Dry out the dress. Find a way to lay your dress apartment and dry it that way. Drying information technology flat volition reduce winkles that will in plough need to be ironed out afterwards. Some experts advise using a vinyl rack to minimize the stress done to the fabric.
5. Printing/Fe the apparel. Using a clean iron on it'due south lowest heating setting, begin ironing your nuptials gown. Atomic number 26 the gown one layer at a time. Slowly increase the heat settings of the iron to make up one's mind what the dress tin handle, but lower the heat immediately if the
   • Iron begins sticking to the fabric of the dress
   • Dress becomes discolored during ironing
   • You smell or see any evidence of burning
6. Complete finishing touches. Repair or replace the metal pieces removed in step i.

Wedding Gown Spot Removal Tips and Suggestions

If there are however stubborn stains left after the in a higher place method of cleaning your wedding dress, you withal have some options. Here are some spot removal tips and tricks to make clean your hymeneals dress:

Curl to Keep

Read More From Bellatory

1. No lodge soda . Order soda is actually only carbonated carbohydrate h2o and will not adequately spot clean your dress. See the video below for more than details on this and other peachy tips from an expert who was on the Martha Stewart Testify.
2. Use a sudsy spray solution. Many experts propose brushing the solution onto the affected area and gently brushing it with a toothbrush. Others have had success with using OxyClean on the difficult stain.
3. Endeavour a paste of lemon juice and table salt. Only be careful to closely monitor your dress if using this method. Bank check every couple of minutes and in one case the stain is gone (or if you observe any compromise in the textile), rinse the surface area with lukewarm or common cold water immediately.

Hymeneals Restoration Expert on Martha Stewart

Other Uses for a Vintage Wedding Dress

If your vintage wedding dress is unusable for whatsoever reason, don't only toss information technology out! You lot can still incorporate it in your nuptials and use it equally "something old."

Here are some things you lot can create with an old, unusable wedding clothes:

• Ring Pillow
• Bridal cap
• Veil
• Hairpiece
• Garter

Or, you could even display the heirloom dress somewhere at the wedding where everyone will run across it, mayhap near the guest book.

Earlier you determine to "recycle" that onetime gown because you lot can't clean it yourself, carefully consider an experienced professional person who specializes in hymeneals clothes restoration. They are your all-time bet to have your wedding gown properly cleaned and restored.

But if you want to endeavor it yourself, and then the tips to a higher place will help you make that wedding dress expect good every bit new.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author'south knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional person.

© 2008 WeddingConsultant

Susanne Melnyk on September 02, 2019:

I have a 71 year old wedding apparel that my mom wore and then 38 years afterwards I wore and I pulled it out of the wedding ceremony preservation box for my son's fiance and information technology has yellowed even though it was out of light and preserved in a box for 33 years. What tin can I do -- It has long vertical panels of lace and I recollect information technology is satin merely it may be silk. I have not been able to verify every bit there is no fabric label to do so. Assistance!

Connie Lawless on October 01, 2018:

I done my sister's 64 year old clothes and except for the odor it turned out clean. I than hung it to dry the but affair I haven't gotten out is the musty smell and I'k working on that

Kimberly on March thirty, 2018:

My dress is from the 1800's. Assistance.

Pauline M. Conley on June 19, 2017:

Give thanks you for having all of this information. I am making items for brides to vesture on their wedding 24-hour interval out of their GrandMother-in-laws dress, which has yellowed and I put a kettle of h2o to eddy, and then dropped in two sliced lemons. with the ends discarded. then I turned down the water to a simmer and put in some of the lace to test it. I let it simmer ten minutes and it is working!! I will let you know how it turns out and effort to post pictures of what I do with the lace and gown.Here's hoping!!

Mary Miller on March thirteen, 2017:

my dress is made of Bombazine and lace. It'southward from 1964. Will this method exist safe for it?

Mary on September 18, 2016:

My wedding dress is white velvet and is 58 years erstwhile but sadly it has yellow spots. It was cleaned but kept in a box after cleaning. I took it to a shop which specializes in wedding gowns but they could not remove them. Can anyone aid me?

Kelly Miller on May 09, 2016:

I have a lxx yr erstwhile hymeneals dress that belonged to my cracking grandmother. What should I practise with it? Looks like the beetlejuice clothes!

Julie on June 23, 2015:

I used this method on my mother's 55 yr former dress that I wore 31 years agone, had preserved, merely the preservation didn't work. My son is at present engaged and information technology inspired me to bring out the dress and see what I could do to restore information technology. Information technology looks great! I am working on just a few small-scale stains yet to get it totally back in shape.

Shirley J. Bush on October 28, 2013:

My wedding gown with lace jacket is almost 60 years old. Information technology has been stored in its original paper-thin box in climate controlled houses. It has yellowed considerably. My granddaughter would like to vesture it for her May wedding. Any solutions for the yellowing that I might try?

Ashley Kelnhofer on September 16, 2013:

I'grand getting my vows renewed adjacent Christmas. When my grandmother was ill she told me I could have her wedding wearing apparel. Since my husband and I were married in a court house the first time, we're going to renew in a church and have a wedding. Anyway, the clothes is from her wedding 56 years ago! Information technology'southward yellowed and wrinkled from beingness in a box for 55 years. Volition this technique piece of work for this old of a dress? I've heard horror stories of dry cleaners not taking their fourth dimension and having bug with small tears, small stains or complete discoloration. I'd like to try this method kickoff if information technology'll work.

Thanks!

ourforeverisnow from Maine on July 17, 2012:

My goal is to accept the cheapest wedding ceremony possible and this hub only saved me 200 bucks! Thank you so much for sharing this! I bought my gown and a austerity store for 45$ i couldn't believe it. And it fit! There are no big stains, just hem dirt. I am and so glad i researched it! Thanks again, voted up!!!!

danceprincess87 on May 30, 2012:

I am hoping to vesture my grandma/mom's dress when I go married anytime, just its extremely yellow because its from sometime during the 1940s. Is this method condom for a dress that old? Its fabricated of eyelet lace and some very sheer material. Super fradule cloth and so I'm worried about cleaning information technology. Its pretty expensive to have it cleaned professionally because its such weak fabric as well.

Brenna on April 09, 2012:

The wedding apparel I'm going to try and restore was last worn when my grandparents got married 62 years ago!!! Wish me luck!

Irish on March 25, 2012:

Ive been recently engaged and would like to wear my grandmas dress. She was married in the 40s and the dress has been in a cardboard box in a hope belong ever since. It'south in surprisingly practiced condition and fits me

Perfect. Should I effort this on a apparel so old?

Robyn on March 25, 2012:

My mother'due south wedding dress is 27 years former this year. I would like to wear information technology when I get married.However, information technology is satin and at that place are spots on information technology where the fabric has yellowed (from humidity?). How practise you make clean satin? Any tips would be very much appreciated!

Kay on Jan 31, 2012:

My vintage wedding ceremony gown has a bodice of alencon lace that has yellowed. Tin can this exist restored to original ivory?

Louise on January 17, 2012:

I had my wedding dress and Head gear cut downwards for my girl'due south First Communion. My girl looked cute in it and I was delighted to see the clothes used again.

linda on January fourteen, 2012:

my wedding dress is 50 years onetime, could it be white again for my Grandaughters nuptials clothes?

Jjoann Davis on October 30, 2011:

Give thanks you for the skillful information. My mother'southward wedding dress is 71 years old. It is satin, with a long train. It has turned yellow and has some stains, I promise your method works. Information technology sure will exist worth the time and try. Practice yous think it volition work? It is such a beautiful vintage wedding dress.They don't make beautiful dresses like this anymore.

Jerry P on September 05, 2011:

My gown is 45 years erstwhile. Married in 1966. I wanted to use it in a mode show 'Reflections of the Past.' It has a white lace muzzle overlay a white crinolin liner that has yellowed. The lace is neat but the crinolin is very yellow. Will this process piece of work on the crinolin liner?

Sally B on April 19, 2011:

I'm hoping to revamp my xx year one-time wedding dress for my daughters deb. It is made of raw silk and has some xanthous stains. Will this method work well on this dress????

FOREX NINJA on March 30, 2011:

Wow.Nice,great and useful piece of info you shared in here.Cheers for bringing this to my knowledge.

Dr. Mom on September 17, 2010:

My Moms dress is over 65 years old and I'g wanting to effort this. My daugher wants to article of clothing her grandma's dress. Sugariness huh? Promise it works.

Chris on September 15, 2010:

Maybe somebody tin help me.I recently have come up across a few dresses of sort and they all are abround forty-50 years former.How do I get about finding an estimate on what they are worth?

WeddingConsultant (writer) from DC Metro Expanse on July 06, 2010:

Stacie, that sounds similar the ideal conditions for this type of wedding dress cleaning method. Start with just a trivial detergent at first and exist sure to exist extra gentle since the clothes is older.

If information technology doesn't clear up the discoloration at first, you can always run through the process once again using a lilliputian more detergent until you get the right mix.

Stacie on July 05, 2010:

I am wearing my mother-in-laws xxx year old manus made wedding apparel that is slightly discolored. Will the yellowish color come up out using this cleaning method or would I exist better off letting a professional person clean it?

WeddingConsultant (author) from DC Metro Area on May 24, 2010:

Good luck Cooper!

e. Cooper on May 20, 2010:

Volition endeavor this- though I promise it works on a 24 year one-time dress!

WeddingConsultant (author) from DC Metro Expanse on March 06, 2010:

Hi Angie,

You're in luck- this method volition piece of work merely fine on ivory colored dresses! If there is silver threading in the gown that should be fine too, simply if you're nervous about information technology or the thread seems to exist overly delicate, go lite on the Woolite and/or only allow it to soak for a couple hours. If it needs more cleaning and it did fine with the couple-60 minutes soak, repeat the procedure :)

Skilful luck!

Angie on March 03, 2010:

WC - will this method work to brand an ivory gown, white, even if the original color is ivory? As well, if there is silver threading in the gown, would this cleaning method fade it? Thanks!

WeddingConsultant (author) from DC Metro Expanse on March 01, 2010:

haha @jass

Brittney, it's supposed to do just that! I'd be actress conscientious with it since it'due south xx years old, but information technology should turn white afterward you treat information technology.

brittney on February 28, 2010:

my moms dress is 20 years old and its kinda turning yellow will this make it purely white again???

jass on January 19, 2010:

i will never ware something like that man .....

cheap wedding gown on March 26, 2009:

I am also don't know how to bargain with my own wedding wearing apparel, it'south very beautiful and I love it... Maybe I tin can sell it in some second mitt shop?

Thanks for your info,information technology's helpful.

WeddingConsultant (author) from DC Metro Expanse on Feb 16, 2009:

BeatsMe I hope yous get some use out of it :) Thanks for stopping past.

BeatsMe on February 14, 2009:

A lot of people are restoring old wedding dresses. This hub is going to be useful.

WeddingConsultant (author) from DC Metro Area on Feb 09, 2009:

Thanks for reading Anna, I hope you got some good info.

What were you thinking of doing with the nuptials dress?

Anna Marie Bowman from Florida on February 07, 2009:

Cracking info!! My wedding dress is virtually 7 years old, and despite the fact that I am now divorced, I hate to throw it out, or sell it, seeing every bit my female parent and I worked together to make information technology. Perchance now I can find a way to do something with it. It has been sitting in a trunk all this fourth dimension.

WeddingConsultant (author) from DC Metro Area on January xix, 2009:

Nano, thank you for stopping past. Not certain of the relevance of your link as information technology has nothing to do with wedding dresses, and your sentence construction is gramatically questionable, only thanks for making the endeavour.

nano seal from Singapore on Jan 18, 2009:

Hello WC: Great infor here. Cheers for sharing all these.This website have a lot tips, I feel very useful!http://www.tipsonlinetoday.com

WeddingConsultant (author) from DC Metro Area on December 29, 2008:

Ohhh adept luck Kat! My wife's wedding dress is just about the same age...she's still non sure what she's going to do with it.

GG, this was only for you :) Promise y'all get proficient employ out of it. Allow us know how information technology all goes!

Zsuzsy, thanks for chiming in with your expert communication. I am glad the hub striking on the same advice you give to people at your tailor store!

Zsuzsy Bee from Ontario/Canada on December 27, 2008:

WC! Great hub. I have dealt with quite a few vintage dresses at my tailor shop and this is pretty well the same I suggested to all. The one job that always worried me was the pressing... scarry stuff

Super hub regards Zsuzsy

Kiz Robinson from New Orleans, Louisiana on December 26, 2008:

WC!! This communication is greaaaat. Equally I may have mentioned, my mom'south wedding dress is 27 years old! It's in freakin' fantastic condition, and rather than paying out the nose and ears for some mean sometime person to handle it roughly and probably bleach the grime out of information technology, I'd rather take a smack at restoring it myself. I've printed this bad boy out and am going to try it out once my tub is ready. :D

cgull8m from North Carolina on Dec 26, 2008:

Great tips. I volition proceed this article in heed. Hope your blood brother has a bully nuptials. Cheers.

Kat07 from Tampa on December 25, 2008:

Keen STUFF! You know, my poor apparel has not been cleaned since the hymeneals ii 1/ii years ago - I may need to dip it in the tub with your methods before it rots away!

ralstonjactione73.blogspot.com

Source: https://bellatory.com/clothing/Tips-for-Safely-Restoring-an-aged-Wedding-Dress

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