July 2003 Issue
In this months Issue:
Wedding Gown Primer: Getting Ready for the Big Day
Dont Sweat It: Learning How to Stay Dry
Home Laundry Tip
Wedding Gown Primer: Getting Ready for the Big Day
The summer is a popular time for weddings and engagements. Learning about wedding dresses is a great idea, before you even go shopping for one!
Most consultants say its best to begin shopping at least six months before the wedding. This will give you enough time to find the style, fabric and accessories you like. It will also allow enough time for manufacturing and shipping of a dress that will be special-ordered.
Todays brides have a multitude of fabrics (and colors!) to choose from satin, taffeta, chiffon, organza, brocade and lace. Many are accented with beautiful trims of beads, seed pearls, sequins, embroidery, lace and applique. We recommend starting your search by looking through some bridal magazines. Theyll give you some ideas and perhaps help you narrow down what styles you like best.
Armed with that information, you can begin your shopping expedition. Be sure to ask the salesperson whether the dress and trim are drycleanable. If possible, get that information in writing! We often find trim thats glued on, rather than sewn on, does not stand up to the dry-cleaning process. Other trims, such as beads and pearls, can dissolve when cleaned with a solvent. Of course, the focus is on that one special day, but if you want to preserve your investment for years to come, or you want to be able to pass on your dress to someone else, these are important questions!
Many brides choose to wear an heirloom gown. Its a lovely and meaningful gesture, but its important to be prepared. First, you need to allow plenty of time for professional cleaning and alterations that may be necessary. Many fabrics yellow with age, so be sure to check for discoloration. According to the International Fabricare Institute, yellowing of the fabric can be overcome if the gown is carefully wetcleaned by a professional like us.
Dont Sweat It: Learning How to Stay Dry
Americans are absolutely obsessed with controlling body odor. Just walk into any health and beauty aids aisle and take a look at the astonishing number of products offered to take care of this decidedly personal problemroll-ons, powders, sprays and perfumes, to name just a few.
While savvy consumers may be knowledgeable about controlling odor, they often dont realize that theres an even more costly problem: the damage that can occur to clothing because of perspiration.
Heres some useful information from the International Fabricare Institute that should help:
There are two ways of preventing perspiration odor: deodorants, which prevent the development of the odor, and antiperspirants, which actually reduce the amount a person perspires. Some products contain a combination to address both problems.
Deodorants usually contain agents and materials designed to absorb and deactivate the acidity and odor of perspiration. Antiperspirants tend to swell protein in the skin, reducing the pores through which perspiration is discharged and actually decreasing how much you perspire.
Generally, liquid deodorants are more acidic and potentially more harmful to fabrics than stick or cream deodorants. So, if some of your shirts or blouses have stains in the underarm area, its probably a result of the combined effect of perspiration residue and buildup of your deodorant or antiperspirant. When these chemicals are left on fabric, they can turn yellow or brown in color, especially on white or beige colored fabrics. On darker-color fabrics, these stains appear as a white, chalky buildup.
If color change occurs, it usually is reversible if its treated immediately. If you dont deal with the problem right away, however, it may be impossible to remove the stains.
Antiperspirants, which are also very acidic, contain aluminum chlorides, which can damage cellulose fabrics. Garments made of cotton, linen, ramie, rayon or cellulose/synthetic blends may have tears or holes near the underarm area. Usually, the fabric remains intact until the agitation of a laundering process separates and tears the weakened yarns.
Home Laundry Tip
In the old days, no one thought too much about protecting his or her skin from the suns rays. Nowadays, suntan lotion is a product thats used often at this time of year, but it can produce some pretty nasty-looking, greasy stains on clothing.
If the stain is still wet, sprinkle the area with baby power and let it sit for a few hours. Brush off the powder and then apply petroleum jelly and undiluted dishwashing liquid into the spot. Then just launder according to the care instructions, and you should be all set.