How to Care for Satin Bridesmaid Dresses?

Satin bridesmaid dresses are an elegant choice for your event. However, there are specific characteristics of the fabric to keep in mind. It is a textile that requires specific care in order to ensure it continues to look its best.

Keep reading; get more on the best ways to care for your satin bridesmaids dresses!

What is Satin

Satin is a manmade, synthetic fabric. It is often confused for silk, as both fabrics share characteristics. Satin is also popular for its ability to drape elegantly and its wrinkle resistance. As it is a synthetic fabric, there are certain things to consider when caring for the fabric, which we will go over in more depth below.

Characteristics of Satin

Satin is usually known for being a fabric with a shiny face. Not everyone is aware, though, that there are lots of options and types of satin! It can be shiny or matte, and there are many different weights of satin as well.

Results of Improper Care of Satin Bridesmaid Dresses

If you do not care for satin properly, you will see it reflected in the garment. Below, we will go over some common effects of improper satin bridesmaid dress care.

Pilling

One of the typical damages we see to satin fabric is pilling. Pilling can occur on a satin garment when it undergoes wear and tear. This is common with synthetic fabrics, so in order to avoid it, you need to be sure you are taking care of your satin garments properly.

Improper care can speed along the pilling process and also make it more noticeable on your satin bridesmaid dress!

Snags

Snags and warping can happen when you are not careful with satin. The fabric is prone to snagging already. This is why it is so important to be gentle when washing your satin bridesmaid dress!

Hand washing and dry cleaning can help mitigate snags. Washing a satin bridesmaid dress in the washing machine can be too rough, which then can cause snags or warping.

Shrinkage

When you apply high heat to satin, a common result is shrinkage. Of course, we do not want our satin bridesmaid dress to shrink! This can cause all sorts of fit issues.

Satin is a synthetic fabric, and synthetic fibers are often more prone to shrinkage. The degree of shrinkage that you experience will vary depending upon the fiber content of the satin you are washing.

What To Avoid When Caring for Satin Bridesmaid Dresses

Just as there are ways to care for your satin bridesmaid dress, there are ways you should not wash your dress, either. Read on to learn what you should avoid doing!

Regular Washing Cycle

Don’t simply throw your satin bridesmaid dress in the washing machine and use the same settings that you would for all of your other clothes. Satin is more delicate and a regular washing machine cycle could ruin your dress!

This could happen because the heat is too high, which can affect the quality of the fabric. Another thing that could happen is that the force of the spin and rinse cycles could cause damages to the weave such as snags or pills.

High Heat

As we mentioned above, high heat could damage satin. It can shrink the fabric or cause warping and other such damage! This applies to washing machine heat and heat from the iron, too.

If you are ironing your bridesmaid dress, be sure that you have your iron set on low. You should also test the iron on the inner side of the fabric first. This will help you avoid damaging the visible side of the fabric.

Frequent Washing

Satin is a delicate fabric and cannot stand up to too frequent washes. You should avoid washing your satin bridesmaid dress too often. Only wash it if it has become soiled to keep the integrity of the garment intact!

When you do decide to wash your satin bridesmaid dress, make sure to use one of our recommended methods that are gentle on the dress.

Best Ways to Care for Satin Bridesmaid Dresses

If you follow these instructions to take care of your satin bridesmaid dress, you can make sure the garment does not become damaged! Proper care is key to the longevity of your satin bridesmaid dress.

Hand Washing

One of the easiest ways to wash your satin bridesmaid dress at home is to wash it by hand. You can place the dress in your bathtub or sink and gently wash the dress in cold water.

If there are any stains on the dress, apply stain remover first. Test the stain remover on the inner part of the fabric to ensure that it will not damage the dress, such as causing discoloration. If no discoloration occurs, you are free to use the product on your satin bridesmaid dress.

Add detergent to the water and gently scrub your dress to hand wash it. Then, replace the dirty water with clean water and rinse the dress to remove any detergent.

Machine Washing

Some satin bridesmaid dresses can be washed in the washing machine. However, since satin is a synthetic fiber, you need to be sure to wash your dress on low heat. Set the cycle to delicate as well. This will ensure that the dress is not damaged by the heat or by the power of the washing machine.

Low Heat or Hang Dry

Once your washing machine cycle is complete, do not dry the dress. It is safer to hang your satin bridesmaid dress to dry instead of applying more heat in the dryer.

Professional Dry Cleaning

Last, but not least, is professional dry cleaning! While you can’t do this at home, it is the safest way to wash your satin bridesmaid dress.

All you have to do for this is find a local dry cleaner in your area. They will have the expertise to clean your satin garment without any errors or damages. This is especially important if your satin bridesmaid dress contains silk, which should not be washed at home by someone who is inexperienced!

The best part about professional dry cleaning is that you can drop off the dress and do not need to think about it until it is time to go back and pick it up!

Conclusion

When you spend money on a satin bridesmaid dress, you want it to last! In order to ensure that your dress can make it through the long haul, you need to educate yourself on proper care guidelines.

The best way to wash your dress is to hand it over to a professional. However, if in a pinch, you can gently hand wash and hang dryyour garment, too!