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How is my wedding gown cleaned?
We apply mild chemicals by hand to remove stains from your wedding gown, and then we rinse your wedding gown in clean solvent that removes all of the chemicals so that your wedding gown Is thoroughly clean and ready for pressing.
Is wedding gown preservation safe?
Once your wedding gown is clean and pressed, we layer it with acid-free tissue to prevent sharp creases and fold your wedding gown into an archival-quality wedding gown preservation chest. The chest, too, is acid-free, which means that all of the acidic content was totally removed at the time the chest was manufactured—not just neutralized. pH neutral chests can reacidify, and the acidic content will yellow your gown. Our completely acid-free chest also keeps your wedding gown safe from the air and light that yellow gowns.
Is your wedding gown cleaning and preservation process unlike what other cleaners do?
Ordinary dry cleaning does not dissolve latent stains that contain sugar and dry clear without leaving a stain that can easily be seen. Examples of sugary latent stains are those caused by spills of things such as soda, wine and cake. We take an additional action to be certain we have dissolved all stains, seen or unseen, because untreated latent stains left behind by ordinary drycleaning turn an ugly brown as they age. Once a latent stain has caramelized into a nasty splotch, it requires a special, more expensive process called color restoration to dissolve it.
Is your wedding gown preservation process eco-friendly?
Any cleaning process creates carbon emissions whether they are from the solvent or from the electricity used to run machinery or from driving your car to and from the cleaner. We calculate the carbon emissions from the beginning to the end of the preservation process, double them to be sure we included everything, and buy carbon offsets from Carbonfund.org to account for all carbon emissions from the entire preservation transaction. In turn Carbonfund.org finances reforestation projects worldwide.
Why is your wedding gown preservation chest better for my wedding gown than others?
Trees contain lignin, a naturally-occurring acidic substance. During the paper-making process, still more acid is added to facilitate the manufacture of tissue and paperboard. Most wedding gown chests are only pH-neutral, which means that a neutralizer has been added to counter balance the acidic content of the finished product. However, the neutralizer is water soluble, and pH-neutral tissue and paperboard will reacidify and yellow your gown. During the manufacture of our trademarked ZeroCarbonTM MuseumCare™ wedding gown preservation chests, all acid is removed. Our wedding gown preservation chests cannot reacidify or yellow your wedding gown.
Do you vacuum seal my wedding gown preservation chest?
Fabric likes to “breathe” with changes in heat and humidity, and so-called vacuum sealing (shrink-wrapping the preservation container in plastic) not only prevents breathing but also locks in humidity and can cause mildew. The combination of humidity and an electrostatic charge generated by the plastic cover also sets creases in the folds of the wedding gown that cannot be removed with pressing.
What else can I preserve with my wedding gown?
It is safe to store accessories made from fabric, things such as your veil and tiara, petticoat, handkerchief, gloves, and garter, with your wedding gown but not shoes. The components of your shoes may emit fumes that will yellow fabric. There is an additional charge for packing anything separately from your wedding gown and veil.
Is there a window in the wedding gown preservation chest?
We do have windows for your wedding gown preservation. The windows are made from a chemically-inert, oriented polyester that will not impact your gown, and you can see through them. The windows keep oils, greases and volatile aromatics away from your wedding gown.
Is there a guarantee?
We give you a written international guarantee that your gown will not yellow or have caramelized sugar stains. However, we cannot guarantee non-fabric decorations. Non-fabric decorations may be cleaned, but they may not be serviceable; that is, they may deteriorate or discolor as they age.
Can I open my wedding gown preservation?
Opening your wedding gown preservation will not cancel the guarantee, but careless handling can create problems. If your wedding gown is soiled by excessive touching or an accidental stain, it should be recleaned and represerved.
Where should I store my preserved wedding gown?
Avoid storing your preserved wedding gown anywhere there are extremes of heat or humidity. Avoid storing it against an outside wall which may be damp, especially if it is below ground.
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