Red wine (in moderation) is good for you…. or so I’ve heard. I repeat this over and over so, I hope it’s true. Cranberry is definitely good for your kidneys, this I know is true.  But what do you do when a glass of Red wine spills down the front of your very expensive white silk bridal gown? Or if your semi-healthy cranberry/vodka  cocktail is knocked over with a disastrous result?

Lets face it – no one plans for accidents and sometimes even your best efforts cannot remove a stubborn stain. No matter what happens keep the day in focus but, try your best to be prepared. hen al else fails, try these tips:

BLOT- never rub because it causes the dye to sink into the fibers. Most fibers are treated with chemicals -most notable formaldehyde. This is especially true nowadays when so  many gowns are made overseas. The fabrics are treated with chemicals to preserve them during the shipping process and quite honestly to keep foreign contaminants our of the U.S. Rubbing the stain penetrates the barrier and almost certainly seals the stain permanently. DO NOT RUB.  Take two pieces of absorbent cloth, one in the inside of the garment and one on the outside and blot until there is no residue on the cloth.

RINSE – once the liquid  has been blotted and the surface is almost dry, hold a clean cloth under the garment and soak it with club soda. Try to do this without having the club soda run down the front of the gown. Repeat the blotting process until nearly dry again.

DUST – dust the remaining spot with cornstarch, talcum powder or salt. This will absorb the remaining liquid and then be easily brushed off. Do not rub the salt into the stain. DO NOT EVER RUB satin fabric, it will permanently ruin the finish.

DEAL – with whatever is left of the stain as best you can and more importantly RUN to the dry cleaner as soon as you can after the wedding.

There are of course, a lot of other stain removal ideas ( in no particular order)and a lot of other stains. Spaghetti sauce, chocolate, ink, marker and other mutli-colored food satins.

Bleach Pen or Shout – use according to directions

White wine – only to be used over a red wine stain to dilute the red pigmentation

Vinegar – in place of club soda. If you don’t mind your gown smelling like vinegar.

Wine away – a more eco-friendly option to bleach.

Last but nor least lets talk about fabric’s mortal enemy: Candle wax. Lets say you are lighting a Unity Candle and OOPS- the candle wax drips down the front of your gown. Don’t touch it until it hardens.  Freeze with ice and then scrape off whatever is on the surface. You should not try to use anything on your own since the products used to remove the remainder of the wax are highly flammable and leaving it will not make it worse.

If all else fails and you are left with a slightly stained gown for the remainder of your reception, I advise what one reader suggested: Own it! You can’t go back in time and you can’t spend your entire evening obsessing about something so unimportant. Look into the eyes of your loved one and remember what really matters.

-Penny Frulla for Bridal Expo Chicago