Among minor mishaps that can occur on your wedding day, something
going wrong with your bridal gown might be the worst of it. Whether you
go for one more quick sip of a mimosa before leaving the bridal suite,
drop some food on your lap, or realize makeup somehow got on your sleeve
when you were struggling in the bathroom, discovering a stain on your
dress can feel like a disaster. To help minimize the damage, below are
tips for quickly removing certain stains from common bridal fabrics. 

Photo by Jenny Quicksall Photography; Planning & Design by Bluebell Events

– Lace. You’ll have to move quickly, as the nature
of the fabric means it soaks up spills fast. Rinse with cold water
before applying baking soda to soak up the stain. You’ll have to let it
sit for at least five minutes, which unfortunately will pull you away
from the celebration if the stain occurs during the reception. Once it
has set, rinse it out with more cold water and dab a little detergent or
a laundry pen and lukewarm water. 

– Silk. If a deodorant mark is noticeable on an
off-white gown, a rolled up pair of tights is gentle enough to help wipe
it away after using baby wipes to dab away at the streaks. For alcohol
spills, use a sponge or soft cloth with warm water. Any greasy stains
can be helped with baby powder to absorb the oil. Let sit for up to 30
minutes if you can (and if you’re lucky, the baby powder will match your
dress anyway!), and rinse with a little dishwashing liquid and water. 

– Beading. Embellishments are tricky to clean
because there’s an understandable fear of knocking any beading or
sequins loose. Gently rub with warm water – not hot, or it could melt
any glue used to secure embellishments – and anything on the surface of
beading should come off. The good news is these same tricky-to-clean
embellishments should obscure any stained fabric below.