Does Your Wedding Gown Smell Funny?

Typically there are two things that will make your wedding gown smell funny. First when it’s brand new from the bridal store. Since almost all wedding gowns are made in China and then shipped to the U.S. they are chemically treated in China. To keep unwanted insects from being accidentally transported the wedding gowns are chemically treated to kill these insects. The insects may not be in the wedding gown itself, but might have gotten into the plastic bag, or on the outside of the bag.

Most brides would describe the smell as being a bit fishy. Not so much like rotten fish as just kind of fishy. It’s an unusual odor, you’ll know it if you have smelled it.

Don’t be alarmed or scared about some insect eating your wedding gown or crawling around inside. The manufacturers are very careful to have a clean environment when producing their wedding gowns. Obviously everything has to be extra clean to keep your wedding gown clean and beautiful.

It’s a requirement of all garment and fabric imports from any foreign country. It’s a good precaution, so if your wedding gown has a peculiar smell, be glad.

Usually by the time they arrive in the U.S. the wedding gown doesn’t smell any more because the smell has dissipated. A quick spray of a fabric care product like “Febreeze” will do wonders.

The second time a gown may smell is if or after it has been dry-cleaned.

The older the dry-cleaning solvent the more it picks up various smells and the more concentrated the odors become. Local dry-cleaners place various fabrics and garments in together to be cleaned. This can transfer odors from one garment to another.

There are special filters on dry-cleaning equipment. They are designed to keep the solvent clean. However the longer they go between cleaning the more concentrated the solvent smell. Filters are expensive and each time they are changed a considerable amount of solvent is wasted. Cleaning solvents are expensive, so using them to the max is important for the profitability of the dry-cleaner.

Dry cleaning smell can also be removed using a commercial fabric spray. It is best to follow directions by the manufacturer.


By Erlene Clifton