Your wedding dress is part of your story. From walking down the aisle to dancing the night away, your gown likely picked up a few marks along the way.

And while the big day is over, taking care of your dress is just beginning.

Here’s how to clean, protect, and preserve your wedding gown the right way, so it stays as beautiful as the day you wore it.

Why Cleaning Your Dress Matters

Even if your gown looks clean, there may still be hidden stains, like sweat, makeup, food, wine, or dirt from the dance floor. These can darken over time and become much harder to remove if you wait too long.

Most wedding dresses are made with delicate fabrics like lace, silk, or tulle. That means they need special care, especially if they have beads, sequins, or embroidery.

Experts recommend cleaning your dress as soon as possible after your wedding, ideally within a few days.

Some Stains Need Special Care

Not all stains are the same. Some common ones you might not even notice at first include:

• Makeup and perfume near the neckline and straps
• Sweat marks inside the bodice or under the arms
• Dirt and grass stains on the hem or train
• Spilled drinks or food from the reception
• Wine or lipstick, which can leave long-lasting color behind

Trying to remove these stains at home without the right products could damage the fabric—or set the stain deeper.

Why You Should Go to a Professional Cleaner

Unless your gown is very simple (no beads, lace, or delicate materials), it’s best to take it to a professional dry cleaner who specializes in wedding gowns. They’ll know how to treat tricky stains and work with delicate details without causing damage.

When you visit the cleaner, make sure to:

• Point out all visible stains
• Mention any loose threads, buttons, or trim
• Ask what cleaning method they’ll use based on the fabric

Some designers use glue to attach embellishments. If your cleaner doesn’t know this, the glue could melt or leave marks during cleaning. Always ask questions!

The Power of Wedding Dress Preservation

Cleaning is just the first step. If you want your dress to last for years, or even pass it down someday, you’ll want to preserve it properly.

This doesn’t mean hanging it in your closet in a plastic bag. In fact, that’s one of the worst things you can do! Plastic traps moisture, which can cause yellowing or mildew.

Here are some tips on how to store your dress:

1. Use a museum-quality preservation box.

Standard garment bags or plastic bins don’t offer long-term protection. At Vogue Cleaners, we use a lignin-free, acid-free preservation box, the kind used by museums to protect historic textiles. It keeps your dress safe from yellowing, fading, and damage caused by light, dust, and time.

Each box includes:

• Archival-grade tissue paper to wrap and pad the gown
• A muslin liner to help cushion the fabric
• Cotton gloves so your dress can be handled safely later on
• A storage guide with tips on how to care for it over time

This premium box helps protect your dress for up to 25–30 years or more if kept in the right environment.

2. Wrap it with special tissue paper.

Regular tissue paper or colored wrapping paper can damage your dress over time. These papers may contain acids, dyes, or rough fibers that can cause stains, yellowing, or snags.

Instead, use archival-quality, acid-free, and lignin-free tissue paper. This kind of tissue is soft, neutral, and safe for delicate fabrics. At Vogue Cleaners, we use it to gently pad and wrap the gown, especially in areas like the sleeves, bodice, and hem, where creasing or beading damage is more likely.

Tissue is also placed between any folds to prevent hard lines and to help the dress keep its shape inside the preservation box. This small step makes a big difference in protecting your gown over time.

3. Minimize folding.

Too many folds can cause long-term damage, especially to delicate fabrics like silk, lace, or tulle. Folds create pressure points that weaken fibers over time and can leave deep creases that won’t come out later.

When packing your dress, try to fold it as few times as possible. If folds are needed, place archival tissue paper between each fold to cushion the fabric and prevent hard lines. At Vogue Cleaners, we carefully shape each gown inside the box to avoid sharp folds and support its natural shape.

4. Pick a cool, dry, dark spot.

Where you store your gown matters just as much as how it’s packed. Avoid attics, basements, or garages. These areas tend to have humidity, temperature changes, and sometimes pests, all of which can damage fabric over time.

The best place to store your preserved dress is an interior closet in your home where the temperature stays steady. Keep it off the floor, out of sunlight, and away from heat vents. A shelf in a bedroom closet works perfectly.

5. Store accessories separately.

Even though it’s tempting to keep everything together, your veil, belt, headpiece, or other accessories should be stored in their own containers.

Items with metal parts (like clasps or pins) can tarnish and leave stains on the dress if stored together. Heavy accessories can also leave pressure marks or snags on delicate fabric. Wrap each piece in archival tissue or place it in a separate acid-free box or fabric pouch.

At Vogue Cleaners, we can pack your veil separately or guide you on how to store it safely at home.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Caring for a wedding gown isn’t always intuitive. Some choices that seem harmless, like using a plastic cover or hanging the dress in a closet, can actually cause long-term damage. To keep your gown in the best shape possible, here are some common mistakes brides make and how to avoid them:

Waiting too long to clean

Even if your gown looks clean, hidden stains like sweat, oil, or clear drinks can darken over time. The longer you wait, the harder these stains become to remove. Aim to have your dress cleaned within a few days after your wedding. Fast action gives professional cleaners the best chance of removing every mark without harming the fabric.

Using bleach or harsh chemicals

Bleach and strong stain removers can seem like a quick fix, but they’re too harsh for delicate wedding fabrics. They can discolor or weaken materials like lace, tulle, or silk. Always use mild, fabric-safe solutions, or better yet, trust a professional cleaner who knows how to treat different types of stains safely.

Hanging your dress long-term

It’s fine to hang your dress for a few days after your wedding. But for long-term storage, hanging puts stress on the seams and shoulders, especially for heavy dresses. Over time, this can cause the gown to stretch out or even tear. Instead, store your dress flat in a preservation box with proper tissue padding.

Using plastic garment bags

The clear plastic bag your dress came in is great for short-term travel, but not for storage. Plastic traps moisture, and over time this can lead to mildew or yellowing. It also doesn’t allow the fabric to breathe. For safe storage, use an acid-free preservation box or a breathable cotton garment bag designed for heirloom items.

Skipping yearly checks

Even if you’ve packed your dress perfectly, it’s smart to check on it once a year. Look for new stains, moisture damage, or creases that could become permanent. Gently refold the dress in a slightly different way each time to prevent stress on the same areas. Make sure your hands are clean and dry, or wear white cotton gloves for safe handling.

Wedding Dress Cleaning Doesn’t Have to Be Stressful

A wedding gown is one of the most meaningful pieces a person may ever wear and figuring out how to care for it after the celebration can feel overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to be.

At Vogue Cleaners, we’ve worked with dresses from all kinds of weddings, from simple ceremonies, grand ballrooms, backyard elopements. And we treat each one with the same care and respect, because we know how much it matters.

Whether you’re hoping to preserve your dress for decades, pass it down one day, or just want to keep the memory intact, we’re here to help you do it right.

Preserve the Magic of Your Big Day

At Vogue Cleaners, we specialize in wedding gown cleaning and preservation. We’ll treat your dress with the same care you did when you picked it out. From delicate lace to detailed beadwork, we know what it takes to protect your gown for years to come.

Schedule a pickup or sign up for Vogue Valet today!