Don’t you hate it when you get a brand new wrap dress and then stain it immediately after it’s bought? We sure do! Thanksgiving dinner can be a pretty messy occasion if you’re not too careful with your food—accidents can happen especially where your beautiful convertible wrap dress is concerned!
This year, let’s keep the food off of our clothes and on our plates. Here are some Thanksgiving stain care tips for the most troublesome foods to get out of our wrap dresses.
Turkey gravy
A juicy turkey only looks good when it’s on the table—not when the gravy splashes on your clothes! Most gravy stains are combinations of fats and proteins. Luckily, gravy is an easy stain to remove from a convertible wrap dress.
Start by removing any excess gravy or even turkey by lifting it off with a dull knife—do not rub it into your dress! When it’s time to wash your dress, be sure to pretreat the gravy stain using a stain remover or a heavy duty laundry detergent, one that contains enough enzymes to break the fats and proteins down. Wash it out in the hottest water recommended for the fabric your dress is made of (this can differ from dress to dress, just like your style).
Always check the stained area before you toss your dress into the dryer. The heat may make the stain from the gravy impossible to remove, especially from synthetic fabrics like polyester! Retreat your wrap dress in the wash before you dry it, if necessary.
Cranberry sauce
Like most berries, cranberry stains can look nasty if left alone for too long! Whether it comes out of the can or you stewed it yourself using your family’s recipe, cranberry sauce is a notoriously difficult stain to remove, wrap dress or no.
The best way to remove a cranberry sauce stain is to deal with it as soon as possible. If the sauce spills on your convertible wrap dress while you’re still enjoying your meal, simply use a spoon or the dull side of a knife to lift away and remove any solids in the sauce. Again—and we need to repeat this—never,
ever rub the stain into the fabric, because that will only push the stain deeper into your wrap dress and make it difficult—even impossible—to remove. Once you’ve removed the solids from the cranberry sauce, blot the stained area with a white cloth that’s been dipped in plain cool water.
When Thanksgiving dinner is over, you’ll need to do a bit more work to remove the stain. Flushing it out is key to this care tip. Soak your dress in an enzyme-based stain remover or a bit of heavy-duty laundry detergent for 15-30 minutes before placing your dress in the washing machine. For a homemade option, try a solution of 1 tablespoon white vinegar, one-half teaspoon of liquid laundry detergent, and 1 quart plain cool water.
Rinse the fabric off as recommended by the care label or per Emily’s recommendations (call her if you’re not sure before you have Thanksgiving dinner! It never hurts to be prepared), using cold or warm water. Repeat treatment on the stain if it’s especially troublesome.
Red wine
The most infamous stain of all! A glass of red wine can be lovely when you drink it, but it’s a terror to white dresses and linens everywhere! However, that doesn’t mean it has to be. Like coffee and tea, wine contains a naturally occurring plant dye called tannins, which can be easily removed so long as you use the correct approach.
As soon as the stain happens, grab a clean paper towel and blot the stain with it (i.e. hold it down on to the stain and lift to absorb the excess liquid). Do this until all the extra wine is absorbed in the paper towel. DO NOT RUB AT THE WINE STAIN! And don’t use a coloured cloth or towel, because the dye of the coloured material might actually transfer into your stained fabric (and we don’t want that!!).
If you don’t have time to do more next, you should at least blot the area again, this time using a clean white cloth dipped in plain water. This will dilute the stain from the fabric. Then, take some plain table salt and sprinkle it over top of the stain. This will help the salt absorb the dye from the wine.
After dinner, lift the salt off of your dress and then run the stain under cold water to release any additional wine from your dress’s fabric’s fibres. Pre-treat the area with a stain remover or liquid detergent. Place your dress in the washing machine and use the hottest water that the fabric will tolerate. Hang your dress up to dry when done. Keep your dress out of the dryer in this case; doing so will prevent any remaining tannins from setting into your wrap dress’s fabric.
Butter
What’s a Thanksgiving dinner without some butter on our green beans or spread on hot rolls? That butter can cause some problems if it plops onto your wrap dress though! The grease from dairy products are the culprit behind butter-related badness.
If it happens, just say calm and lift the dollop of butter away with the edge of your knife (again, no rubbing!!). Sprinkle the greasy spot with a bit of cornstarch or baking soda until dinner is over and you have time to work on the stain.
Use an enzyme-based cleaner and the hottest water suitable for your wrap dress’s fabric to remove the butter stain. The real key with this one is to check the stain before you put your dress in the dryer. That’s because the high heat is what can set the stain and make it so tough to remove! Save yourself some trouble and retreat it again if it’s still present, and before drying.
Pumpkin pie
Unlike cranberries, it’s not the pumpkin part of pie that you need to worry about in terms of stain care. It’s okay if a little pumpkin works its way into your convertible wrap dress’s fabrics. No, the real thing to worry about are the ice cream, whipped cream, or cream cheese used to either make or accompany this Thanksgiving tradition! This is another stain that will require your attention once you’ve reached the laundry room.
When the stain occurs at dinnertime, again, remove any excess solids and blot the stained area with a white cloth dipped in plain cold water. When you get to the laundry room, work a stain remover into your dress’s fabric. The stain remover should be enzyme-based or use a tiny bit of liquid detergent. Work the liquid in with your fingers or even a soft-bristled brush. For best results, you must let your wrap dress sit for about 10 to 15 minutes before washing in hot water (only if it’s safe for your garment though!).
You’re ready to enjoy Thanksgiving, leftovers and all! Need an easy-to-wash dress for the holidays?
Check out our online shop; there are all sorts of possibilities for the holiday! Each one of our convertible wrap dresses comes with a laundry bag for your convenience. For more tips on cleaning your dress,
check our FAQ page. Happy Thanksgiving!
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