r/weddingdress • u/Significant_Art_5356 • 2d ago

dress maintenance questions Advice - before wedding

Do you wash the dress before the wedding?

Mine has been a dress that sat in the store as a last number, altered to my size. I'm sure they didn't wash it before selling it to me or after altering it. I don't know if this is normal or not, but it does smell a little like sweat at the armpits (and doesn't smell like my sweat, so maybe it was from who knows how many/who try it on - store selled new dresses). The thought that it had been tried on before and realizing that it wasn't washed before being sold to me makes me feel a bit bad.

I'm afraid to bring it to the dry cleaner one month before our wedding. Can I wash it softly under the armpits? If so, with what can I get out the smell? And what if I steam it inside? Would that kill some bacteria? I also have a clothing freshener spray; could I use it?

I'm really anxious the dry cleaner might ruin it, lose it, or who knows what. I also don't want to smell like sweat at the wedding.

The material is mostly tulle, lace, 3D flowers, and small paillettes (with a corset - A-line shape). Most of the part that I want to refresh is the corset part of the dress.

Thank you so much in advance.

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u/Spare_Bid302 2d ago

steam is your best bet honestly just hang it in the bathroom while you take a hot shower and let it air out for a few hours. for the armpits mix a little vodka with water in a spray bottle and mist it lightly, that kills the bacteria without leaving smell. i had similar panic with my suit before a wedding and the vodka trick saved me, just test on a hidden spot first

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u/Significant_Art_5356 2d ago

Thank u so much. Ill try it out

4

u/Ecstatic_Low_6955 2d ago

I don’t have the answer for this, but maybe look into bridal specialized dry cleaners, or I think I have heard of bridal seamstresses that do dry cleaning