Dress Care After Prom: How To Clean Your Ball Gown When Prom Is Over
The dance is over and here you are looking at a formal dress made with special fabrics and you have no idea how to care for it. If your dress can only be dry cleaned and has any stains, take it to the dry cleaner immediately.
If your dress is made from washable fabric, read the garment care label and follow the instructions on the label. If you have acquired a stain on your dress and the garment is washable, pre-treat the stain as soon as possible. Never iron a stained area or dry the garment until you have removed all of the stain, as this could cause the stain to set. Always test stain removers in a hidden area of the garment before using them in a prominent area. When removing a stain, always pat the area dry with a clean white towel. Use a mild cleanser on any stains first, and move on to other stain removal aids if necessary. If you need to rub the area, do it from the back of the fabric rather than from the front. Make sure to rinse any stain remover from the dress before washing. If your dress is free of stains, you can clean the underarm areas to remove any deodorant residue instead of washing the entire dress.
If you feel that your dress needs to be washed completely or if your prom dress is beaded or adorned with sequins, it is best to hand wash it with a mild cleanser. Fill a container large enough to hold the dress. If you don’t have a large enough container, you can use your bathtub. Add enough mild cleanser to make the water a little lather. Put the gown in the soapy water and dip it in and out, shaking it gently with each movement. Pay special attention to the underarm areas making sure to remove any sweat or deodorant residue. Change to clean water and rinse in the same way. Experts recommend rolling the dress in white towels to remove excess water. Roll out the robe and shape it, then let it dry completely.
To store your dress, it is best to fold it with tissue paper between the folds in a nice sturdy box. If you choose to hang your dress, never hang it by the straps, as this can distort the shape of your dress. Fold the back of the waist area through the hanger and store it in a garment bag. When you hang it in your closet, make sure it doesn’t pile up between other items as this will cause wrinkles that could be very difficult to remove later.
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