3 Best Ways to Clean a Christening Gown Properly

Your child’s christening gown is an incredibly special garment, so what do you do if it gets dirty, or if you want to preserve it after the ceremony? This article is dedicated to cleaning a Baptism gown and how to preserve them for as long as possible.

The article also goes through some of the mistakes that people usually make while cleaning so as not to ruin your costly gowns. Here’s how to clean a christening gown, and how to store it afterward.

1. Dry Cleaning

A very good method of cleaning a christening gown is through dry cleaning. This is because most gowns are made of difficult to wash materials such as silk, which will be ruined if exposed to water. Dry cleaning uses various chemicals to treat the material and remove dirt, oil, and other stains.

Make sure that you research the dry cleaner you intend to use – you may even ask the cleaner if they have worked on christening gowns in the past or worked with similar materials. Be sure to ask about their spot-testing techniques and communicate any concerns you have ahead of placing your order with them.

As a quick note, so-called “green” dry cleaners may use water to process their items – keep this in mind and avoid these cleaners if this is part of their process, as it can ruin the garment.

2. Hand Washing

If you have an outfit that is made of easier to wash materials such as cotton, you may opt to hand-wash your gown. If you choose to do this, be extremely careful!

Follow these steps:

1. Wet the gown in warm, but not hot, water.
2. Wash with a gentle, dye-free and lightly scented or unscented detergent.
3. Rinse the garment several times in clean water.
4. Roll the garment in a towel and gently squeeze to remove excess water – do not wring!
5. Unroll the garment and lay it flat on a towel to air dry completely.

Make sure that your garment is 100% dry before storing, and that it isn’t laid on anything with dyes that may bleed into the fabric while it’s drying.

3. Storing the Gown

Once your gown is completely clean and dry, you should store it appropriately. If the gown is being used, hang it and cover it with a garment bag. If the garment is not going to be used any time soon, then you might store it wrapped in acid-free paper in a non-airtight box.

It’s best to store your garments either flat or hanging, so as to prevent folds or wrinkles that might weaken the fabric. You’ll want to keep the stored garment in a cool, dry, dark place like an interior closet, and keep with it a card that details when the gown was purchased (and who it was purchased for, if you like), what it’s made of, and appropriate care instructions. Read our blog about Christening Gowns: Tracing the Evolution from Traditional Styles to Modern Trends.

Conclusion

Still looking for the perfect christening outfit? Carriage Boutique has a wide range of options from classical gowns to modern two-piece ensembles that are sure to match any church and community. Check out our lineup of classic christening gowns and see if your child’s special outfit is there.