• 1920s
  • 1930s
  • 1940s
  • 1950s
  • 1960s
  • 1970s
  • 1980s
  • 1990s
  • Book

Vintage Life

Fashion & Home Décor by Sammy D Vintage

  • Vintage Style
  • Weddings
  • Vintage Appraisal
  • About
  • Advertise
How To Clean A Vintage Wedding Gown And Make It Like New

How To Clean A Vintage Wedding Gown And Make It Like New

by Bonnie 3 Comments

Is it easy to clean a vintage wedding dress? No. Is it possible? Yes! That’s exciting news if you’ve found the perfect tea-length dress-of-your-dreams from the 1950s, but it’s stained and yellowed. Here are the steps that you can take to restore your a second-hand dress to make it look like new.

1. Prepare The Dress

How To Clean A Vintage Wedding Gown And Make It Like New

Source: 365days2simplicity.blogspot.com

The first step is to prepare the dress by removing anything metal. Since you’ll be soaking the gown, metal eye-hooks, buttons, snaps, or zippers could rust. They also might snag on other portions of the dress and cause tears. It is best to remove them and sew them back on after the cleaning process is completed.

2. Spot Remove Stains

How To Clean A Vintage Wedding Gown And Make It Like New

Source: weddingbee.com

Next you’ll need to work on removing stains on the dress. The type of material that the dress is made of will determine how it reacts to chemical cleaners. Silk and satin are very reactive to chemicals, while polyester may be more durable. Combine a gentle detergent and possibly some Oxi-clean in a spray bottle, and apply to your dress. Spot test one section first to see how the fabric reacts.

3. Soak and Rinse

How To Clean A Vintage Wedding Gown And Make It Like New

Source: viewfromthespyhouseandzoo.files.wordpress.com

Pour a bath of lukewarm water and stir in some soapy detergent, like a gentle Ivory powder or Woolite. Add about three scoops of Oxi-clean if it appropriate for the type of fabric that your dress is made with. Put your dress into this mixture and gently agitate the water with your hands for a few moments. Let it soak for four to twenty four hours. If the water becomes yellowed, you can empty and refill the bath. Afterwards, rinse the dress at least three times very gently, and block it out onto a flat drying surface so that it holds its shape.

4. After The Wedding: Clean and Preserve

lindico / Pixabay

After the wedding, send the dress to professionals who specialize in wedding dress cleaning and preservation. This will help you store it in a way that will allow it to stay in good condition for generations to come. Your wedding gown will only become more precious with time. Proper storage allows you to share it with your children and grandchildren.

As you can see, dress restoration can be a challenge, especially when you are dealing with aged, delicate fabrics like that of a wedding dress. However, it is possible to clean a second-hand dress if you work with care and take the right steps. Did you find a vintage gown that you want to restore? Tell us about it in the comments section below!

Related Posts

  • Who Runs the World? Runners Run the World! #imborntoWho Runs the World? Runners Run the World! #imbornto
  • 60s vintage mod shift dressManhattan Vintage Show Recap: Where Vintage Style Reigns
  • vintage fashion outfit from goodwillThrift Wars: Sammy Davis vs ThriftyVintageChic (Classic)
  • Tips on How to Choose Your Bridal PartyTips on How to Choose Your Bridal Party

Filed Under: Articles, Thrifting

The opinions expressed here by Sammy D Vintage editors are their own, not those of Sammy Davis or Sammy D Vintage.
« Women’s Swimwear Through History
3 Tips For Buying Thrifted Shoes »

Comments

  1. Adrienne McGuire says

    August 29, 2019 at 6:00 AM

    Thanks for this awesome article on cleaning a vintage wedding dress! This is super important to know different tips and tricks than what you would use with a modern wedding dress, as a vintage one is made differently. Keep up the hard work!

    Reply
  2. Marie Sandauer says

    September 30, 2021 at 3:26 PM

    I have a vintage 1940’s lace wedding gown from Saks Fifth Avenue. It’s a cream color with no visible stains but needs repair to the illusion netting and one sleeve needs to be reattached. My granddaughter wants to wear it and it fits her perfectly. Should I try cleaning it before or after I attempt the repairs?

    Reply
  3. Denise Aldous says

    January 29, 2022 at 6:24 AM

    Hi I have my deceased mother in laws wedding dress veil and shoes circa 1921 I think – they are in box but need cleaning and not sure how to do it – I think I’d like to sell but don’t want to mess it up. Please could you give advice

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Popular

  • Make Your Own Cute Handkerchief Bracelet Make Your Own Cute Handkerchief Bracelet
  • 3 Shabby Chic DIY Projects for your Garden
  • Your Vintage Wedding: 17 Unique “Something Old” Ideas
  • a polka dot dress 10 Feminine ’50s Clothing Trends for Women Today
  • President Obama in the 60s, 70s & 80s

Download My Book: The 100 Best Vintage Shops Online

Looking for something?

Common Questions

  • How to Thrift Store Shop
  • Vintage Style for Beginners
  • Thrifting for Beginners
  • How to Date Clothing as Vintage
  • 10 Careers in Vintage Fashion
  • 13 Tips for Identifying Vintage Labels & Tags

Stay Connected

I'll tell you where to find the best vintage online

Sammy Davis Vintage

More about Sammy

Hi! My name is Sammy and I created this website as a place for myself and others to share their love for finding, selling and styling vintage. I believe that all woman can make vintage fashion a part of their wardrobe, and I hope that you’ll join me on this journey as we spread vintage love together!
  • Home
  • Popular
  • About
  • The Book
  • Thrifting
  • Vintage Style
  • Dating Vintage
  • Advertise

Let’s Connect

Looking for something?

© Sammy Davis Vintage, 2011-2022. All rights reserved.

Disclosure Advertising & Privacy Policy · DMCA. In full disclosure, this post may contains links to help support my site! Advice on this site will always free, but free won’t pay the bills!

Posting....