Whilst lace is one of the most feminine, delicate materials around, it’s for this exact reason it’s one of the hardest to clean. Because lace is so delicate and intricately formed, taking care of it requires much more care than other clothing materials such as cotton or denim.
Whilst lace has been consistently seen on many catwalks over the years and is present in a number of today’s top wedding trends, it’s actually been around since the 16th Century. A perfect example of how fashion quite literally comes full circle, lace is considered timeless and, if you want your lace garments to stay in good shape, must be taken care of properly.
So, if you own delicate lace items and aren’t sure of the best ways to clean and take care of them, here’s some top tips on how you can show your lace the love it deserves!
Always read the label
For garments, such as wedding gowns, that have a lot of lace, it’s definitely better to opt for a professional clean. Whilst you can do it yourself, handing the job over to professional is almost guaranteed to significantly reduce any errors.
For smaller items of clothing worn on a day-to-day basis, cleaning them yourself shouldn’t be too much of a problem. But, you must always read the label before going ahead, as some lace garments may come with specific washing instructions.
In fact, some garments may even specify ‘hand wash only’. So, if you don’t read the label and simply throw it into the washing machine with your other clothes, it’s highly likely to be ruined once the wash is over. If a hand wash is specified, use a mild detergent on any dirty areas and gently wipe until clean.
Use a gentle, cold wash
For lacy garments, using a short, gentle washing cycle is essential to ensure the lace stays intact. Cold water and mild detergent will remove dirt whilst still maintaining the garment’s color and shape.
It’s important to include all lace items in washes like this, even if they’re super small and don’t appear significant enough to have an entire wash dedicated to them. Even items like Lacistreet lace extenders need this specific cleaning attention, so it’s essential you don’t forget!
Lay out flat to dry
Once washed, laying your lace items completely flat to dry is essential to ensure they dry evenly and maintain their shape. If necessary, you can even use pins to attach the garment to the surface to make sure it remains flat until dry.
It’s no secret that lace provides the perfect balance of sexiness, elegance, and class, making it one of the most timeless materials used in clothing. But if not taken care of properly, you could ruin your lace before even having the chance to get the best use out of it. So, ensuring to read instructions and keep all washes involving lace cold and gentle are the first steps in helping your lace last as long as possible!