Can I store my wedding dress in a plastic box?

Buying a wedding dress is one of the most significant and expensive purchases you will ever make. You can't just throw your dress in the closet after the big day without giving some care to cleaning, preservation, and storage.

Now is the time to stock up on the best solutions for both long-term and temporary wedding dress storage.

In case you are unsure of where to begin, we have provided an overview of the fundamentals of wedding dress storage so that you may make an informed purchase and preserve your stunning gown for years to come.

If you're looking for storage, the first thing to decide is how long you need it for (more than a year or shorter than a year) (up to 30 years). A high-quality garment bag is sufficient if you simply need to store your gown temporarily (maybe while selling it or waiting to handle the preservation process).

Try to find pH-neutral fabrics, sturdy fabrics that won't shred or tear, or muslin bags, which are often used for preserving textiles.

You can use a solid cardboard box or a sweater bag (make sure it is acid-free) and line it with tissue paper for safekeeping. Dresses, especially those with elaborate embellishments like beading, should be folded in half lengthwise and then laid flat in the box. Accordion-fold the dress with tissue paper in between each fold if it is quite lengthy. Make sure you do this with every item of clothing and stack them in the box.

Do not expect miracles from low-quality clothes

Keep in mind that high-quality fabric will last for a very long time without much wear and tear. Also, no matter how well you take care of them, low-quality textiles will wear out quickly. To put it simply, it will turn yellow. A hole will suddenly form in it when it wears down or the folds collapse.

Don't give in to the temptation of a bargain price on clothing. Verify the fabric's quality, the durability of the stitching, and how simple it is to care for. Looking at the price is OK if you plan on tossing the garments after a few wears or if you need disposable garments for soiling labour, but if you want garments that will last, invest in quality.

Get everything in order before you put it away

Before putting an item away, make sure to remove any pins or brooches. It's possible that the pins will corrode and make holes in the fabric.

Don't toss clean items in with dirty ones while doing laundry, and don't store items that might bleed together if you have any reason to suspect they would do so in the bin or the closet. This is how I managed to ruin a lovely white tunic. After being in the laundry with a pink scarf, it came out stained pink.

Don't put your shoes in the closet with your clothing. If you must, at least keep them in a shoe bag.

Check to see if your closet can accommodate all of your garments. An overloaded closet is hardly the ideal foundation for a well-organized home. You can't expect delicate clothing to withstand being stuffed and thrown around carelessly.

Keep your clothing out of direct sunlight for extended periods of time.

Tackling the laundry before putting it away

Keep only clean clothes in the closet. Eventually, the fibres will be destroyed if you hang on to a dress that is stained with food and other grime. It's best to clean your dress, either by hand or by taking it to a dry cleaner, if you don't plan on wearing it for a while. There will be some unseen patches with dirt in your dress that you may not be able to clearly detect.

Send it to a dry cleaner and they will clean it and store it for you in a box. Dry cleaning may be required for delicate fabrics like wool and silk.

If you're feeling brave, wash the garments by hand. However, if the dress has a lot of embroidery, you should not try this (check out this post on hand washing clothes to see which are the clothes you can easily wash at home and which you cannot). Worrying about the embroidery thread breaking is unnecessary.

Make sure there is no soap left on the clothing after washing them at home. Gradually, the fibres will be destroyed by the soap residue. Your treasure will be fine after five washes.

Keep in mind that you shouldn't bleach any of your whites or other delicates. Over time, bleach will turn the fabric yellow.

Wash delicate items by hand in cold water; distilled water might be beneficial for a rare or expensive garment. Use a detergent that has a neutral ph and no added scents. If you don't want to wear out the fibres in your clothing, avoid vigourous scrubbing. If you want your garments to last as long as possible, avoid tumble drying them.

Learn how to get the most wear out of your lingerie and bras by reading this page.

If you're looking for information on how to wash your delicates, then you should read this post. It's possible that the delicate fibres of your clothing will remain undamaged if you soak them frequently to replace the agitation you give them during regular washing.

Do you know that you can use a hand vacuum to remove dirt and debris from clothes that can't go in the washing machine? Keep a protective sheet or screen over the cloth to prevent harm when vacuuming if it is particularly delicate.

Tips for Organizing Your Space

Take care to maintain a sanitary and dry environment in the storage space. You really shouldn't keep your expensive wardrobe in the damp cellar.

Look at the humidity level inside the closet; if it's too high, there will be condensation and mould. Eventually, mildew will appear.

Ensure that the location you've picked is far away from any kind of heat source.

Do not hang your gown for an extended period of time if you intend to save it. The fabric will wear down from being hung after a while. It's best to lay the garments flat in a closet or drawer.

In the event that your closet contains any metal, you should avoid letting your garments hang on it. Keep your clothing by lining them with muslin. Hang your clothes on wooden hangers instead of metal ones.

Clothes should not be stored in plastic boxes since they will sweat. Plastic bags are not suitable for long-term storage of clothing since they off-gas dangerous chemicals and substances.

To pack up the garments, you may want to use some roomy and pristine cardboard boxes. Make sure there are plenty of vents in the container. Unfortunately, some moths will find their way into some of the cardboard boxes. You should stay away from them.

Tissue paper with a neutral ph that is free of acid and lignin should be used to line the box, preventing the fabric from coming into touch with the cardboard. Washable thin muslin or mull fabric can be be used instead. The garment should be kept, and the tissue or fabric should be placed over it.

Dresses should be packed loosely and not crammed into their respective boxes. They should be wrinkle-free and laid down flat, as the fibres may eventually break down in areas where there are deep wrinkles. It's smart to pull it out every so often and rearrange the folds for maximum effectiveness. This would prevent the folds from becoming permanent. Instead of folding their clothes, some people choose to roll them to prevent wrinkles.

Zippered fabric bags are another option for storing delicate gowns safely out of sight.

Do not pile heavy items atop lighter ones in your closet, since this will cause the lighter items to sag.

Stop and prevent moth attacks

See to it that the storage area is bug-free. Little insects called cloth moths and carpet beetles lurk in the shadows of closets, where they feast on the fibres of clothing and carpets. Unsightly holes are left in their wake. Until you start seeing holes in your clothing, they are difficult to detect.

However, once you notice the moths, you should take swift action to eradicate them. Get out the vacuum and sucking tool and get rid of every last bit of their footprint. Burn the vacuum bag if you can't get rid of it right away.

It is recommended to keep a sachet of mothballs inside the closet as a preventative precaution against fabric moths. These balls, or paradichlorobenzene crystals to use their scientific term, must be stored in a locked closet in order to be effective. Avoid having them come into contact with the garments.

Advice on storing mothballs away from clothing.

• Use a small sachet and hang it from the closet rod inside a box with holes to disperse the aroma around the room ( this is important – the vapour kills the moths).

The awful mothball odour can be mitigated by storing them alongside a sachet of herbs like orange peels and lavender sprigs. Since the herb sachet probably won't be enough to deter insects, mothballs are a more practical addition.

Long-term storage requires a garment box or a garment bag designed for storing bridal gowns. You'll also need plenty of acid-free tissue paper, which you'll use to line the inside and outside of your dress to keep its shape and shield it from dust and moisture (dust, moths, moisture, light, etc.).

However, there are businesses that offer wedding dress preservation services if the thought of doing it yourself is too daunting. Here are two places you can send your dress to have it professionally preserved and returned to you within a few weeks, ready to be put away.

Conclusion

Buying a wedding dress is one of the most significant and expensive purchases you will ever make. You can't just throw it in the closet after the big day without giving some care to cleaning, preservation, and storage. Now is the time to stock up on the best solutions for both long-term and temporary wedding dress storage. Before putting away your clothes, make sure to remove any pins or brooches. Clothes should be kept out of direct sunlight for extended periods of time.

Don't put your shoes in the closet with your clothing if you can, or at least in a shoe bag. Washing delicate items by hand in cold water might be beneficial for a rare or expensive garment. Use a detergent that has a neutral ph and no added scents. If you don't want to wear out the fibres in your clothing, avoid vigourous scrubbing. Tissue paper with a neutral ph that is free of acid and lignin should be used to line the box.

Washable thin muslin or mull fabric can be be used instead. Do not pile heavy items atop lighter ones in your closet, since this will cause the lighter items to sag. It is recommended to keep a sachet of mothballs inside the closet as a preventative precaution against fabric moths. These balls, or paradichlorobenzene crystals to use their scientific term, must be stored in a locked closet. Long-term storage requires a garment box or garment bag designed for storing bridal gowns.

Content Summary

1. Buying a wedding dress is one of the most significant and expensive purchases you will ever make.
2. You can't just throw your dress in the closet after the big day without giving some care to cleaning, preservation, and storage.
3. Now is the time to stock up on the best solutions for both long-term and temporary wedding dress storage.
4. In case you are unsure of where to begin, we have provided an overview of the fundamentals of wedding dress storage so that you may make an informed purchase and preserve your stunning gown for years to come.
5. If you're looking for storage, the first thing to decide is how long you need it for (more than a year or shorter than a year) (up to 30 years).
6. A high-quality garment bag is sufficient if you simply need to store your gown temporarily (maybe while selling it or waiting to handle the preservation process).Try to find pH-neutral fabrics, sturdy fabrics that won't shred or tear, or muslin bags, which are often used for preserving textiles.
7. Make sure you do this with every item of clothing and stack them in the box.
8. Do not expect miracles from low-quality clothesKeep in mind that high-quality fabric will last for a very long time without much wear and tear.
9. Don't give in to the temptation of a bargain price on clothing.
10. Verify the fabric's quality, the durability of the stitching, and how simple it is to care for.
11. Before putting an item away, make sure to remove any pins or brooches.
12. Don't put your shoes in the closet with your clothing.
13. Check to see if your closet can accommodate all of your garments.
14. Keep your clothing out of direct sunlight for extended periods of time.
15. Tackling the laundry before putting it awayKeep only clean clothes in the closet.
16. Eventually, the fibres will be destroyed if you hang on to a dress that is stained with food and other grime.
17. It's best to clean your dress, either by hand or by taking it to a dry cleaner, if you don't plan on wearing it for a while.
18. If you're feeling brave, wash the garments by hand.
19. Make sure there is no soap left on the clothing after washing them at home.
20. Wash delicate items by hand in cold water; distilled water might be beneficial for a rare or expensive garment.
21. If you don't want to wear out the fibres in your clothing, avoid vigourous scrubbing.
22. If you want your garments to last as long as possible, avoid tumble drying them.
23. Learn how to get the most wear out of your lingerie and bras by reading this page.
24. If you're looking for information on how to wash your delicates, then you should read this post.
25. Do you know that you can use a hand vacuum to remove dirt and debris from clothes that can't go in the washing machine?
26. Keep a protective sheet or screen over the cloth to prevent harm when vacuuming if it is particularly delicate.
27. Tips for Organizing Your SpaceTake care to maintain a sanitary and dry environment in the storage space.
28. You really shouldn't keep your expensive wardrobe in the damp cellar.
29. Do not hang your gown for an extended period of time if you intend to save it.
30. It's best to lay the garments flat in a closet or drawer.
31. Keep your clothing by lining them with muslin.
32. Hang your clothes on wooden hangers instead of metal ones.
33. To pack up the garments, you may want to use some roomy and pristine cardboard boxes.
34. Tissue paper with a neutral ph that is free of acid and lignin should be used to line the box, preventing the fabric from coming into touch with the cardboard.
35. The garment should be kept, and the tissue or fabric should be placed over it.
36. Dresses should be packed loosely and not crammed into their respective boxes.
37. Instead of folding their clothes, some people choose to roll them to prevent wrinkles.
38. Zippered fabric bags are another option for storing delicate gowns safely out of sight.
39. Do not pile heavy items atop lighter ones in your closet, since this will cause the lighter items to sag.
40. Stop and prevent moth attacksSee to it that the storage area is bug-free.
41. Little insects called cloth moths and carpet beetles lurk in the shadows of closets, where they feast on the fibres of clothing and carpets.
42. Unsightly holes are left in their wake.
43. Until you start seeing holes in your clothing, they are difficult to detect.
44. However, once you notice the moths, you should take swift action to eradicate them.
45. Get out the vacuum and sucking tool and get rid of every last bit of their footprint.
46. Burn the vacuum bag if you can't get rid of it right away.
47. It is recommended to keep a sachet of mothballs inside the closet as a preventative precaution against fabric moths.
48. Avoid having them come into contact with the garments.
49. Advice on storing mothballs away from clothing.
50. Long-term storage requires a garment box or a garment bag designed for storing bridal gowns.
51. You'll also need plenty of acid-free tissue paper, which you'll use to line the inside and outside of your dress to keep its shape and shield it from dust and moisture (dust, moths, moisture, light, etc.).However, there are businesses that offer wedding dress preservation services if the thought of doing it yourself is too daunting.
52. Here are two places you can send your dress to have it professionally preserved and returned to you within a few weeks, ready to be put away.