First off, congratulations! You’re married and on your way to a lifetime of happiness. But before all that begins, you’ve got to figure out what to do with that beautiful gown. Most brides want to preserve their wedding gown either as a keepsake or for family brides-to-be. While a number of dry cleaners offer wedding gown cleaning and preservation, not all services are the same. Here are three great questions to ask when deciding which dry cleaner should take on this special task:
1) What chemicals will be used to clean the dress?
A number of dry cleaners use a chemical called perchloroethylene to clean wedding gowns. This toxic chemical has been proven to be a carcinogen and ground water contaminant. Not only that, the chemical is far too harsh for wedding gowns, often causing beads to dissolve or chip–hardly the kind of thing you want your wedding gown subjected to. Other cleaners claim to be green but use chemicals such as siloxane or petroleum-based solvents. We would recommend visiting a dry cleaner that uses toxin-free cleaning methods such as wet cleaning or liquid CO2 cleaning. These methods are more delicate and will leave your gown pristine and free of harsh chemicals.
2) Will my dress be wrapped in acid-free paper?
When wedding gowns are preserved, they are typically wrapped in tissue paper to protect the gowns fabric from deteriorating. However, often this tissue paper contains an acidic quality, which actually accelerates yellowing and aging of the dress. We’ve seen beautiful gowns practically destroyed by this process countless times. Make sure that your dry cleaner is specifically using acid-free paper.
3) Will these services be guaranteed?
Due to the delicate materials and details of the dress, handling these garments may lead to a larger price tag. Make sure you find a dry cleaner who is willing to stand by their work; if you’re not happy with end result, the service should be redone, no questions asked. Unfortunately, not every dry cleaner believes in that philosophy. But we certainly do at Mulberrys!
In terms of wedding gown cleaning and preservation services, Mulberrys offers the trifecta: we use toxic-free chemicals, acid-free paper, and include a satisfaction guarantee. Stop by one of our 6 Twin Cities dry cleaning locations–Minneapolis, St. Paul, Edina, Eagan, Minnetonka, or St. Louis Park–or try out our free home delivery service!
