Have any of you any experience of cleaning an old dress, either personally or by using a professional? I'm interested to know what worked, what didn't, and any recommendations you might have, including which company may be able to help... any ideas?
The reason is this: I have secretly wondered about my mum's dress for years after hearing a rumour she loaned it to a cousin and never got it back, but couldn't say anything to my mum without getting her excited! So, the day after my BF proposed I asked her. She was surprised, delighted, excited, and said she'd see what she can do, bearing in mind she is not in touch with her cousin. A couple of days later she called to say the dress still exists and is sitting in the cousin's attic!
The bad news... it's 40 years old, it was not cleaned before being put away and it was a cheap dress to begin with. Also, being in an attic it's probably been exposed to 30-odd years of heat and cold, crawly things and so on. It also was probably not stored with particular care. We haven't seen it yet but I'm not holding my breath, expecting that at best it will be yellowed. So of course I have to wait and see, and it may be that it's ruined but perhaps I can reuse a part of it some way, but on the offchance that its salvageable I'd love to hear your thoughts!
It would make me so happy to wear my mum's dress in her Ruby Wedding year.
CommentAuthorInDreamland
What a lovely idea hun. Fingers crossed it is in a good condition. Sorry, I have no idea on cleaning but I think it's such a lovely touch xx
Married the love of my life on Saturday 11th May 2013 xxx
Had our dream perfect honeymoon in Hawaii!
CommentAuthorRaggedyAnne
I would be very tempted to put it inside a quilt cover and put it in the washing machine on a low temperature wash.....you might have to wash it 2-3 times though...
I can resist anything but temptation
CommentAuthorInDreamland
A family friend wore her mothers wedding dress too ...............but she altered it slightly to make it a little more modern but you could tell it was vintage, it was sooooo beautiful xx
Married the love of my life on Saturday 11th May 2013 xxx
Had our dream perfect honeymoon in Hawaii!
CommentAuthor
i think your best idea would be to take it to a dry cleaners...or speak to them even before you have the dress, they'll be able to tell you if they can do anything for you and if it'll be safe to clean etc. If it needs altering in anyway a proper seamstree will be able to do it with no problem! good luck hun xxx
met the man of my dreams 22/09/2006,
Had our amazing twin boys 16/05/2008
Finally becoming Mrs Davies on 31/08/2012 will make me the
happiest lady alive :-)
Thanks ladies! I've heard about specialist wedding dress cleaners dealing with vintage dresses in particular. Also I've been reading about the Baptiste Process for dresses. I suppose I'll wait and see how it is, then decide whether to try a gentle wash myself as suggested (good tip RaggedyAnne!) or get some quotes for having it cleaned.
I'm definitely up for having it adjusted if possible as you say Ziggyboo & InDreamLand... it's a couple of sizes too big anyway apparently, though looking at my mum's pics I find that hard to believe... it's likely that 1970s sizes don't compare to today's I suppose.
Anyway, fingers crossed, thanks for the well wishes and I'll let you know how I get on!
CommentAuthorRaggedyAnne
take pics to show us wont you.........would love to see it on you
I can resist anything but temptation
CommentAuthorSammi_with_camera
oooh how exciting :-) i love vintage clothes! Vintage sizes are all over the place, a modern dress size 10 is about a vintage 14 if that helps. good luck :-)
CommentAuthorLH
Will do RaggedyAnne! Thanks Sammi, that does help... if you're right it should be just my size! Hehe...:-D
CommentAuthorLH
My mum gets to see the dress tomorrow.... wheeeee! I think I'm just as excited for her, if not more, as she hasn't seen it for 39 years :-0
CommentAuthorShirleygirly
I'm excited, I love the idea of wearing my mums dress but sadly shortly after marriage they moved to Germany and that's where her dress got left. You say it was a cheap dress back then, well I am a stong believer in the saying that "they don't make them like they used to" things were built to last back then and I reckon your dress will be salvageable. Make sure you add pics of it when you get it.
I can't wait until 29/06/2013
The day I marry the man of my dreams!
CommentAuthorx~Hails~x
Like the girls say I think this is a wonderful touch and I bet your mum was choked when you asked her! We are all very nosy here so pictures of the before and after are a must my dear hehehe maybe even one of your mum in it too??
As for cleaning ask your local cleaners or even bridal shops and see who they can recommend maybe
UKBride moderator both on here and on facebook
For it was not into my ear you whispered, but into my heart
It was not my lips you kissed, but my soul.
CommentAuthorfiona
Sounds like a lovely idea, Im crossing my fingers for you. And like hails would love to see pics.
CommentAuthorJonathanM14
Do NOT put it in the washing machine, even if its inside something else, it could disintigrate, literally, and if it doesnt fall apart it could shrink horribly. YOu need to know what its made of whether its man made fibres such as taffeta, satin etc, or if its natural fibres such as silk etc. Either way you could suffer horrible shrinkage in a washing machine.
Specialist dry cleaners will be able to deal with it after they have acertained its condition and what its made of.
CommentAuthorXbox widow
The well known high street dry cleaners beginning with J are doing half price on wedding dresses at the moment.
CommentAuthorLH
Thanks ladies! Mum has seen it and she's pleasantly surprised... I wish I'd been there to see her see her dress for the first time since her wedding! She says it's actually in great condition, but the lace is a little yellowed. However apparently this is the only thing wrong with it so I can't wait to see it myself in a few days!
I agree with all your advice about getting professional help for this. Haven't tracked down that discount yet sadly, nothing on the website, but I'll keep looking into my options.
I'll let you all know :-)
CommentAuthorFitchMcCombe
yaay so excited for you, I hope it all works out and can't wait for the pictures! my mums dress was lost in a house fire before I was born, but to be honest I've seen the pictures and it was the wrong kind of 80's (though very fashionable at the time i'm sure!) lol would have been used as material for mine at best!
CommentAuthorfiona
Oh glad its better then expected!!
CommentAuthorLH
Just reviving this old thread with an update... apologies for the delay but you know, life sometimes throws things at you and priorities change, so posting here was far from my mind I'm afraid. We may or may not get married this year, though we're both hopeful we can manage something small scale and intimate. Anyway, it was wonderful seeing my mum and dad and the dress. I tried it on and it fits like it was made for me (though is certainly not my style). Mum and dad's faces were a picture :-)
I've had it cleaned, opting in the end for my local trusted dry cleaner. It cost £45 and they said they would make no guarantees, but I took the risk and it is looking beautiful! Almost pure white, but any remaining 'yellow' is at least even, subtle and looks meant. Basically it looks a lovely ivory colour.
Next stage is a dressmaker I know and trust to discuss alterations :)
CommentAuthorOfficially Mrs M
sounds fab and good price too! well done you! hopefully you can get it to be altered to something you want rather than as it is now
8th September 2012 I married my best friend
1st September 2014 our little family grew by one
Women are made to be loved, not understood. - Oscar Wilde
CommentAuthorx~Hails~x
Brilliant glad it worked :-)
UKBride moderator both on here and on facebook
For it was not into my ear you whispered, but into my heart
It was not my lips you kissed, but my soul.
CommentAuthorVelcro
oooooh we need pics!!!
Wibbly wobbly, timey wimey
*Kelbel* is my wedding twinny!
CommentAuthorStacyT
aww i love vintage dresses, we definitely need pics!
Cant wait to become Mrs Ellerington!!!!!
CommentAuthorLH
Thanks all!
It's tricky to find a time to get pics without my fiancé seeing, but I have promised myself that I will get a before and after shot, and when I do, I'll try and post them here x
CommentAuthorReena
I seriously can't wait to see this - before and after! I love vintage, and am planning on getting a vintage style dress for myself, sort of 50's style xx
Got Together 28/12/07
Got Engaged 21/04/12
Getting Married 04/10/14
Now I need to Lose 5 Stone!
CommentAuthorLH
Aw thanks Reena! Your dress sounds gorgeous... and more vintage than mine! x
