Home Garden

How to Dry Clean a Dress With Beads

Dry cleaning kits offer an alternative to professional cleaners that can be cost and time effective. However, these kits aren't always the best option. For example, you cannot clean antique, vintage, damaged or heavily soiled dresses at home. These items are best left to the professionals as heavy-duty, dry cleaning solvents are difficult to find, expensive and dangerous to handle. Instead, use home kits between visits to the dry cleaners or to launder lightly soiled dresses.

Things You'll Need

  • Dry clean kit
  • Dryer
  • Padded dress hangar
  • Needle
  • Thread
  • Steamer/Iron
  • Ironing table
  • Blanket
  • Towel
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Instructions

    • 1

      Spread the dress on a table or other flat surface. Place stain absorbing pad inside of the dress under any visible stains and locations prone to staining such as the collar and underarm.

    • 2

      Push the tip of the cleaning solution bottle against the stain. Squeeze gently, and apply slight pressure stroking the tip against the stain. Avoid repetitive circular motions; this can wear and discolor the material.

    • 3

      Blot the now-moist, stained area with a clean absorbent pad.

    • 4

      Dispose of used absorbent pads.

    • 5

      Flip the dress ove,r and repeat to remove stains on the back.

    • 6

      Turn the dress inside out, and seal it inside of the provided dry clean dryer bag.

    • 7

      Place the bag in the dryer. Run the dryer as directed by the kit.

    • 8

      Remove the dress immediately. Turn it right-side out and hang it up in a low traffic area, where it will be undisturbed.

    • 9

      Repeat the dry clean process if stains or odors remain. Consider bringing the dress to a professional cleaners.

    • 10

      Inspect the dress for rips or loose beads. Use the needle and thread to tack down loose beads.

    • 11

      Use a clothes steamer to remove wrinkles. Pass the nozzle of the steamer over the dress while it is hanging up. Use an iron if you do not have a steamer. Lay the dress on a clean ironing table. Cover the dress with a blanket or towel, and then iron the wrinkled areas using the medium heat setting with firm pressure.