Where can you get your wedding dress cleaned after the wedding?

The dress has been with you all day. For the wedding, on the grass for the photos, at the table and on the dance floor until late at night. Then it is completely normal that it bears the mark of that afterwards. Soil on the trail, makeup on the neck, a stain of red wine somewhere on the skirt. Some of it you can see right away, and some will only appear later.

Therefore, cleaning is the first thing we recommend when the wedding is over.

Cleaning and steaming at our shop in Hvidovre

We clean and steam wedding dresses in our shop in Hvidovre. Before we do anything, we look through the dress: what it is made of, what details it has and where the stains are. Then we clean it, and afterwards it is steamed so that the fabric falls nicely again.

Cleaning and steaming costs from DKK 650. The final price depends on the fabric, the size and how much work is needed, and you will get the price before we get started.

If you live in Greater Copenhagen, we can collect the dress from you and bring it back for DKK 250. Then you don't have to lug around a large and delicate dress in the car or train.

Why a wedding dress can't just be washed

A wedding dress is sewn completely differently from ordinary clothes. There are often several layers and the fabrics are delicate: silk, satin, tulle and lace. Many dresses also have pearls, stones, sequins or embroidery which can cause damage if handled incorrectly.

Therefore, you cannot clean all dresses in the same way. The method must suit the fabric and the details, and sometimes the washing instructions included with the dress. That's why we always see the dress through first.

Don't wait too long

It's tempting to hang the dress in the closet and deal with it later. But stains from soil, make-up, food and drink settle in the fabric the longer they are allowed to sit. Sweat and sugar from drinks can be invisible at first and turn into yellow spots over time. The sooner the dress comes to the cleaners, the better the chance of getting it completely clean.

Should the dress be kept or sold?

Many people want to keep the dress as a keepsake. Some will pass it down to a daughter or niece one day, and others will sell it to a new bride. Either way, it's a good idea to get it cleaned before putting it away. A clean dress lasts better in the closet and is much easier to sell.

If you want to know more about storage and sale, we have written a guide on what to do with the wedding dress after the wedding, and you will find more short answers in our FAQ about the time after the wedding.

It's the details that are difficult

It is rarely the fabric itself that causes problems. It is the pearls, stones and sequins, the fine lace and the many layers of tulle. Different materials react differently, which is why we look at each dress individually. We have sold and tailored wedding dresses for over 10 years and have our own tailor in house, so we know the delicate dresses inside out.

Does your dress need cleaning?

If the dress has been used for a wedding, party or photo shoot, it is a good idea to have it looked at before you put it away. Even if it looks clean. There is almost always something in the tow, and stains from skin, make-up and drink are not always visible.

Cleaning and steaming of wedding dresses from DKK 650.
Collection and delivery in Greater Copenhagen: DKK 250.

We are a Danish shop in Hvidovre near Copenhagen. Contact us and we will arrange how the dress will arrive.

Contact us about cleaning

Good advice on cleaning, step by step

What do you do with the dress after the party is over? Here's what you need to know about cleaning, step by step. We are a Danish shop with wedding dresses, and this is the same advice we give our own brides.

When should the wedding dress be cleaned?

Within two to four weeks. You can't see what damages the dress the most at first: sweat, sugar from drinks and fat from skin and make-up. After a few months, it turns into yellow and brown spots, and then they are difficult to get out. If the dress is to be sold, stored or altered, the first thing you do is clean it.

How to prepare the dress for cleaning

1. Hang up the dress as soon as you take it off. Do not leave it curled up in a bag.
2. Go through the dress in daylight. Look especially at the hem, the train, the armpits and the front of the lap.
3. Attach a small note or safety pin to each stain and write down what it is.
4. Take off loose items: belt, brooches and detachable sleeves. Bring them in a separate bag.
5. Drop off the dress with us in Hvidovre, or have it picked up if you live in Greater Copenhagen. You get the price before we get started.

What can the fabric withstand?

The dry cleaner chooses the method, but it helps that you know what your dress is made of.

Satin and crepe	Gets watermarks easily. No water on stains, not even on the day. See our satin wedding dresses.
Lace	Tolerates cleaning well, but the edge can fray. Point out places where the lace is loose. See lace wedding dresses.
Tulle	Quickly turns grey at the bottom. It must be steamed, not pressed, otherwise the skirt loses its shape. See princess wedding dresses.
Pearls and sequins	Can be glued on. Say this when you drop off the dress, because some agents dissolve the glue.
Simple dresses	Easiest to clean and store because there are fewer layers and no decorations. See simple wedding dresses.

Stains on the day itself

Dab with a dry white cloth and leave the rest. Don't rub, and don't use water or soap, because on satin it gives a ring worse than the stain. Grease stains can be covered with a little powder. Grass at the edge can wait until the dress needs to be cleaned. No guest sees a stain on the tow, and most things can be cleaned if they leave quickly.

What should you ask before the dress is cleaned?

Whether the people cleaning it have worked with wedding dresses before, ideally in the same fabric as yours. What the price is, and whether it can go up once they have seen the dress. How long it takes. At our shop we look through the dress with you before giving a price, and cleaning and steaming start at DKK 650.

Can you clean a wedding dress yourself?

No. A washing machine can destroy corsage, pearls and tulle all at once, and even a gentle hand wash in the bathtub can cause streaks in an ivory dress. What you save is not worth the risk.

After cleaning: keep, sell or remake

Take the dress out of the plastic bag when it comes home from the dry cleaners. Plastic keeps moisture in and can turn the material yellow. Place the dress in acid-free tissue paper in a box or cotton bag and put it in a dark and dry place. Not in the attic and not in the basement. If you want to sew it into something new, talk to our tailor. More advice on the time after the wedding is under the wedding dress after the wedding.