Caring for Your Bridal Lehenga After the Wedding

Spot Clean Before Anything Else

After airing the lehenga, check under bright light for any stains such as food, drink, mehendi, or makeup. Clean them off before they become permanent on the cloth.

Wet a white cloth using cold water and dab the stain. Do not rub the cloth because rubbing will drive the stain deeper into the cloth and even the embroidery threads. 

To clean more stubborn stains such as oil or sauce, use a few drops of mild soap mixed with cold water and apply it using a soft bristle brush in a circular motion. Always try the cleaning agent on an inside seam of the cloth before trying the outside.

Always Choose Professional Dry Cleaning

For all lehenga choli designs featuring heavy embroidery, mirror work, zari, gota patti, or sequin embellishments, professional dry cleaning is your only choice. Washing at home – even hand-washing – is too harsh on the hand-worked details and can easily cause shrinkage or alteration of the shape of the skirt.

If you send your lehenga out for dry cleaning, be clear with the cleaners. Let them know that the dress is Indian ethnic wear and features hand-worked mirror work or embroidery. Ask them not to steam press it directly over the handwork and ask them to turn the garment inside out before pressing it at low temperatures. 

If you live in Dallas, Houston, or another major city in the US, try finding South Asian dry cleaning specialists who understand Indian bridal wear materials.

All this goes for your Solea Lemon Lehenga, your Evara Raspberry Pink Silk Lehenga, or your Olive Green Chinnon Kali Lehenga, where you have elaborate hand work done.

Fold, Never Hang for Long-Term Storage

With your lehenga clean and dried thoroughly, the way it is stored decides whether it ages gracefully or not. Brides tend to hang up their lehenga skirts for years on end. Over time, the weight of the lehenga, particularly the heavy embroidered variety, causes the waistband to stretch, and affects the natural fall of the fabric.

Instead, you should fold the skirt, blouse, and dupatta separately. In between each fold, you should insert layers of muslin cloth or tissue paper so that the folds do not cause creases in the fabric. The same material should be used to cover the entire outfit. Do not use plastic bags or airtight containers for storage since the moisture trapped will lead to yellowing of silk fabrics and tarnishing of zari threads.

The package should be stored in a cardboard box lined with acid-free cardboard or in a cotton garment bag. Two or three packets of silica gel should be placed along with the outfit to absorb any excess moisture. The box should be stored away from sunlight and dampness, and kept away from wooden objects which attract termites. You should unpack and air out the lehenga once every three to four months.