Getting married? Preserve your formal ware!

According to statistics from the US Dept. of Health & Human Services, more than 2.2 million marriages took place in America last year. The peak months were June, July and August with May, September and October close behind. As a result, it's a busy time for your dry cleaner to be cleaning newly-married couples’ formal wear.

The most obvious garment that the cleaner sees: the wedding dress. Wedding dresses have irreplaceable sentimental value for the owner, are usually very expensive, and are virtually impossible to clean properly and safely at home.

But here are some facts that make wedding dresses similar to any other garment brought in for professional cleaning:

The sooner it is brought in, the better. All stains become more difficult, if not impossible, to remove as they age. Time and temperature greatly affect the success of your Nob Hill stain removal technician.

Identifying the stain greatly improves the stain removal success. You can help by telling the customer service representative that the stain is wine, lip-stick, cake frosting, etc.

Most stains are in two predictable areas:
• The front from the neckline to the waist or lap area for food or drinks spilled while eating.
• The bottom hem and train areas from being dragged across the floor for several hours.

But, there are also some challenges for your cleaner that are specific to formal wear, and wedding gowns in particular. They include having to deal with delicate fabrics like lace and satin weaves, or easily damaged decorations like pearls, beads, or sequins. Lastly, the color white is difficult to completely clean, because
even a shadow of a stain tends to stand out if not completely removed.

You can help the professionals at Nob Hill preserve your precious memories by bringing your wedding gown in as soon as possible for cleaning and packaging (In fact, many brides ask their mother or maid of honor to take the dress in while they are away on their honeymoon.)

Be sure to point out any stains whose origin you can identify. And if you can point out any areas of "Hidden stains" from clear beverages or any areas that may have been spot-cleaned during the reception, this will help prevent these "invisible' stains from re-appearing while the gown is in storage.

With a little teamwork between you and your Nob Hill Garment Care Specialists, your wedding gown can be cleaned and preserved safely--maybe to be worn in the future by your daughter!