A few helpful storage hints and tips, 6 of the best!!

Well actually its 12 as we have 6 things you should do and probably more importantly 6 errors that you need to avoid. It only takes a couple of minutes to read and could save you falling into classic mistakes that people make. Remember we are here to help if you need further advice.

First up is the good stuff you should do

1) Have your dress cleaned by professional dry cleaners that specialise in wedding dress cleaning. Stains that are not visible now reveal themselves over time plus the cleaning fluid acts as a deterrent to any wandering insects.

2) Follow some simple storage rules avoiding light, heat and damp especially.

3) Store the dress in a warm dry spare room.

4) Always store your dress in a PH neutral container and pack with acid free non-dye tissue.

5) Your storage box should be sturdy enough to protect from accident, light eliminating and breathable. Our wedding dress boxes fulfil all the above criteria and contain no windows or metal staples that can rust over time

6) Wear white cotton gloves to pack your dress as this will save any grease, dry/dead skin or dirt etc transferring to your garments. Once packed away you should check on the dress every six months to ensure nothing untoward is happening and repackage once a year to prevent any creases becoming permanent.

Now the things bad things you need to avoid

1) PVC plastic covers are not suitable for long term storage.

a) They do not allow for changes in humidity; in the extreme this causes condensation on the inside of the cover leading to dampening of the fabric and the growth of mould.

b) They do not protect the fabric from fading and damage from light.

c) PVC covers begin a process of disintegration after several years; particles from the plastic will affect your dress.

2) Normal cardboard boxes contain levels of acid that will transfer to your dress causing discolouration/yellowing.

3) Wardrobes, drawers, suitcase linings and dyes form other fabrics will all affect the pure fabric of your wedding dress if they lie next to it. It is always best to separate a wedding dress from other items and to encase it in an acid free environment.

4) Never wrap your dress in black or coloured tissue paper. This paper contains dye that will transfer. If light must be eliminated it is always better to place the dress in a genuinely dark environment than to surround it with darkened materials. Tissue paper should be white and acid free.

5) Don’t store your dress long term on clothes hangers. This places stress on the seams and the will alter the shape of the dress over long periods.

6) Don’t store your dress in the attic or cellar. Damp, humidity variations and insects can damage a dress even if you think it is well protected.

Congratulations you are now all set to pack and store your beautiful garments and keep them pristine for many years to come.

If you need us for help or advice.... 01452 226449