ICYMI: Mulberrys Offers Wedding Gown Cleaning and Preservation

Good afternoon!  This week’s installation of the Berry blog is geared towards all you brides and brides-to-be out there…  If you’ve recently gotten married, will be getting married soon, or know someone who might be, then you’re probably wondering what to do with your wedding gown after the wedding.  Most brides want to preserve their wedding gown either as a keepsake or for future family brides-to-be.  There are lots of dry cleaners that offer wedding gown cleaning and preservation, but not all services are the same.  There are some incredibly important factors to consider when deciding which dry cleaner should take on this special task, and which cleaner you want to be a part of your special day. Make sure you ask yourself the following questions when selecting the perfect wedding gown cleaning and preservation service:

1) What solvents will be used to clean the dress?

A number of dry cleaners use a toxic chemical called perchloroethylene to clean wedding gowns.  This poisonous chemical has been proven to be a carcinogen and ground water contaminant.  Not only that, the chemical is far too harsh for delicate or heirloom wedding gowns.  It can often cause beads to dissolve or chip–hardly the kind of thing you want your wedding gown subjected to.  Other cleaners also claim to be green, but use chemicals such as siloxane or petroleum-based solvents in their cleaning.  We would recommend visiting a dry cleaner that uses toxin-free cleaning methods such as wet cleaning or liquid CO2 cleaning.  These gentler, greener methods are more delicate and will leave your gown in pristine condition and free of harsh chemicals.

2) How will my dress be finished?  Will my dress be wrapped in acid-free paper?

When wedding gowns are preserved, they are typically wrapped in tissue paper to protect the gown’s fabric from deteriorating over time.  However, normal tissue paper contains an acidic quality, which actually accelerates the yellowing and aging of the dress.  We’ve seen beautiful gowns practically destroyed by this process countless times, and it breaks our hearts because it cannot be reversed.  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 toxin-free solvents, acid-free paper, and include a satisfaction guarantee. Stop by one of our five Twin Cities dry cleaning locations–Minneapolis, St. Paul, Edina, Eagan, or St. Louis Park–or try out our free home delivery service! We also partner with Forever Bride; check them out.

Hope you have a fantastic week!

Love,

Your Mulberrys Family