Whoa!!!! Steam cleaning my dress? $$$$$

[Lanie]

I''m getting my bridal portraits done next Thursday, and I''m looking to have my dress steamed to get out the wrinkles. Not cleaned, not heirloomed...JUST STEAMED.

One place quoted me $130! Another just quoted me $150!!!!

Is this normal????

Can I just get a hand steamer? My dress is satin.

 

[Lanie]

Called another place and they quoted me $275.

 

[meresal]

LOL!!! What's funny, is those places use the steamer you can get at BB&B for $25 dollars. It's a standing one, and we just hung the dresses from a door frame and spun it as we steamed it. At least, that is what our salon used, and it does a great job. I have the steam burn scars to prove it.

Go buy your own, or try calling the place where you bought the dress. I would just buy your own, that way you can use it before the wedding as well.

ETA: I apologize, it looks like they are about $75. Here ya go.
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&sku=14716050
another: http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=16022039

 

[Lanie]

You already had yours steamed Meresal?

Is a hand steamer okay on satin?

The place where I bought my dress only does steaming if you get your alterations there too. What a bunch of poo!

 

[meresal]

Date: 5/8/2009 9:37:29 AM
Author: Lanie
You already had yours steamed Meresal?

Is a hand steamer okay on satin?

The place where I bought my dress only does steaming if you get your alterations there too. What a bunch of poo!

The salon is steaming mine when I pick it up before my bridal pictures on Monday.
I''ve neer used a hand steamer? I''m not sure how they work?

That does stink that they only steam it if you have the alterations done there. Did they steam it for you when you bought it?

 

[meresal]

Oooh, found another one... $39!!
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&productId=100072113&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=100072113&cm_mmc=shopping-_-google-_-D29X-_-100072113

In case you can't tell, I am totally into this, because I am looking to buy one currently. I wear shirts and suits everyday that need steaming quite often, so I would jsut tuck this away in my closet for almsot daily use. I also plan on using it before the wedding, since I'm not sure that my dress salon will do it again.

 

[Lanie]

Yeah, they steamed it when I bought it, but it has been in a garment bag and the train has been smooshed in there. I''ve been reading online of lots of girls who buy hand steamers and they had success, but I''m just scared.

 

[Lanie]

Thank you for the links!

Are you getting your bridals in Houston or Dallas? I''m having mine here. I don''t know where though, yet. My photographer said he knows the perfect place.

 

[meresal]

I'm having them done back in FW at the church. I don't really have any ties to things here in Houston, and I want them to be pretty traditional, so we decided the church was best.
With the hand steamer, I would just be worried it wouldn't be hot enough for stain. If you have seen other good reviews then definitely try it! Let me know how it goes.

 

[lliang_chi]

Lanie & Mere, I''d go with the better hand steamers. They don''t leak water as much. Just make sure you use FILTERED water & steam it well before you need to wear it. That way if any water does leak on it, 1) it''s filtered & clean and 2) It''ll dry by the time you need to put it on. Also make sure the steam gets good and hot, so pour the filtered water in it, turn it on and come back after 15-20 mins.By then you should have enough steam built up to avoid water drippage.

Lanie, you should be fine with satin.

 

[wannaBMrsH]

Lanie, I use my steamer on an almost daily basis and I have used it on many formal dresses in the past. Here are some of my tips:

1) Buy a steamer that has a water reserve, you don''t want to have to keep refilling the container and waiting for it to heat up, it will make the process that much slower.
2) Buy material called "cheesecloth" and wrap it around the head of the steamer. This will diffuse some of the direct heat on the dress and also won''t leave any off color marks even if it rubs (because the cheescloth is a white color)
3) Steam the dress from the inside.

I hope this is helpful. Good Luck!

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Wow, I''m getting my dress altered (halter straps, bra cups sewn in, and hemmed) and it includes a steam and press (and clean possibly), and it only came to 180$ and I had YARDS of silk on the dress.

I''m amazed that''s how much it costs to just get it steamed!

I actually just ironed my dress once, lol, it was fine, just a pain. My dress is a very simple one though without layers.

 

[Lanie]

Lliang-Chi and WannaBeMrsH -- these are great tips. Thank you so much!

MakingtheGrade -- It sounds like you got a really good deal! My dress shouldn''t be too much to steam either. It has a long train, but not too many folds.

 

[Sabine]

I took my dress to a a regular cleaners (although I had to find one that did the cleaning in-house instead of sending it out because I was on a time crunch), and they steamed my dress for $70. I thought that was bad enough! If I was doing it again, I''d buy my own because even just hanging it up after it was steamed caused a few new wrinkles to appear.

 

[PilsnPinkysMom]

Date: 5/8/2009 11:27:25 AM
Author: wannaBMrsH
Lanie, I use my steamer on an almost daily basis and I have used it on many formal dresses in the past. Here are some of my tips:


1) Buy a steamer that has a water reserve, you don''t want to have to keep refilling the container and waiting for it to heat up, it will make the process that much slower.

2) Buy material called ''cheesecloth'' and wrap it around the head of the steamer. This will diffuse some of the direct heat on the dress and also won''t leave any off color marks even if it rubs (because the cheescloth is a white color)

3) Steam the dress from the inside.


I hope this is helpful. Good Luck!

Is cheesecloth available at just about any craft store???

 

[OUpearlgirl]

You can hand steam satin! I can''t believe places actually charge that much!

 

[lliang_chi]

Cheesecloth should be available in any craft store or even cooking stores. They use it in cooking a lot: CHEESEcloth. You should be able to find it easily.

 

[Lanie]

Update: I am in the process of steaming my dress right now. It will take me a couple of nights, but so far it seems to be working.

The cheesecloth was like $1.29 at a craft store (you have to ask for it...it wasn''t on a bolt at the place I went). Interestingly enough, it''s used for wet cheeses like mozzarella. Never knew and I cook a lot!

I borrowed a hand steamer from my mom and it''s taking a Loooooong time, but those darn cleaners aren''t going to charge me an arm and a leg!

Thanks again ladies for the input!