At Heritage Garment Preservation, we can restore your vintage wedding gown or aged garment professionally for you. But if you prefer to do-it-yourself, we will be happy to sell you the preservation supplies. The following instructions are to assist you in your efforts. These instructions include a few household cleaning products that are available at your local grocery or drug store. The suggested chemicals are safe to use when following their instructions. Our restoration experts use professional chemicals to clean and restore your gown as closely as possible to its original condition.

1. Remove metal backed buttons - Metal buttons will rust very quickly in water. Be sure to check the sleeves for buttons also. Lay the buttons out in the sun to naturally bleach them very safely. Or you can try brushing the buttons with cornstarch to clean and mask the discoloration. If cleaning is necessary, clean the buttons separately, then thoroughly dry with a towel and immediately blow with a blow dryer to prevent rusting. Use a rust remover such as Carbona Stain Devils© rust remover if needed.

2. Soak your gown in water - Use a gentle liquid detergent like Woolite©. Be gentle on the delicate fabrics. Line your bathtub with a clean white sheet. Lay your vintage gown on the sheet in a tub full of lukewarm to cool water. Do not use hot water. Lift and move the sheet to agitate instead of the wedding gown itself. Watch much of the yellowing and discolorations disappear into the water. Change the water as necessary. Soak up to 36 hours if necessary.

3. Clean residual stains - Brown spots that are not removed with the soak may be treated with a paste of lemon juice and salt. Check the spot every couple of minutes and rinse it out as soon as the stain disappears or if you see any distress to the gown.

4. Dry the gown flat - Lay your wet gown carefully on a clothes rack, spreading the gown carefully to reduce wrinkles and minimize stress on the gown. Do not lay it on bare wood. Be sure the rack is vinyl coated.

5. Press carefully -

   • Use a clean iron.

   • Start at a low "synthetic" fabric heat. Increase iron temperature slowly. If it starts to stick - stop immediately and lower the heat.

   • Press layered gowns one layer at a time.

   • Press the outside layer "inside out" when possible. Use a thick, cushy ironing board cover and beads and sequins will press into it as you iron (if you iron inside out.)

   • Some vintage fabrics were manufactured with a lot of sizing (a starch like substance) and after cleaning they may feel limp. Add fabric sizing as you press to help restore the gown's body.

   • Pressing while damp, or even wet may help to remove difficult wrinkles in fabrics like acetate satin.

6. Replace buttons and make necessary repairs - You may discover some seams that need repairs after cleaning. And some sheer lace fabrics become very brittle and fragile with age and may deteriorate during the washing process. You can repair these by stitching matching tulle behind the lace, following the pattern of the lace to camouflage the stitches.