The lightness and transparency of tulle, as well as its ability to create an airy, weightless volume, make this fabric the basis of festive outfits for the female half of humanity. It is used to make fluffy skirts and petticoats that can turn any young lady into a princess. In addition, you can easily emphasize the solemnity of the event in interior decoration, decorating the halls with flowers and decorations made of tulle fabric, using unusual draperies and design solutions.
Despite all the fabulousness of tulle, caring for it is quite complex and time-consuming. This is especially true for products with fluffy or multi-layered skirts. In order not to get confused at the right moment and know how to wash a child’s tulle dress for an upcoming matinee or photo shoot, or to freshen up a wedding dress before going out, this article has been prepared with valuable recommendations and tips.
Pink skirt made of light and airy material
What kind of fabric is it and what is it made from?
Tulle is a type of mesh fabric. For production, polyester and nylon fibers are used.
This material has a shiny or matte surface, and is covered with embroidery, patterns, gold or silver plating. The assortment includes a variety of shades from pastel to rich. There is a variety of highly stretchable “tulle jersey” with the addition of spandex.
Tulle, characterized by large cell sizes, is used to create voluminous petticoats and various decorative elements. The fine-mesh, softer and well-draped variety is used for sewing dance costumes, ballet tutus, dresses - evening, ballroom, and wedding. It is in demand for making bridal veils, carnival and festive dresses.
Individual elements - bows, flowers, ribbons made from this fabric are used to decorate the setting for banquets and weddings. A veil of airy tulle adorns elegant ladies' hats.
What is tulle
How is Eurofatin different from tulle?
What fabric is called Eurofatin? Soft or hayal tul is a soft mesh with small cells, which is characterized by a lack of shine and the ability to form beautiful folds. This particular material is used for skirts and dresses that are fashionable this season. Its average cost is 160–250 rubles. per linear meter (depending on the manufacturer).
Classic tulle is stiffer, the cells are large. The fabric holds its shape perfectly. If you need to sew a fluffy petticoat or a voluminous decorative element, buy this fabric, especially since its price is rarely more than 100–150 rubles/m. Due to its low cost, classic tulle is often used to decorate children's carnival costumes, in the production of toys and souvenirs.
Rules for washing products
To restore the freshness of tulle products and remove any stains that have appeared, you should follow these rules:
- Given the synthetic base, the use of excessively hot water is excluded. They are guided by recommendations that indicate a temperature in the range of 30-40˚C.
- Before washing, inspect the product and remove removable decorative details - flowers, boutonnieres, brooches, bows.
- You should not use detergents designed for colored textiles for white items.
During the washing and rinsing process, strong friction and twisting are eliminated.
Wash by hand
If a tulle dress or skirt has lost its former freshness during wear, resort to hand washing.
It is better to wash a tulle dress by hand
Algorithm for hand washing small items:
- Pour warm (30˚C) water into an enamel basin - 6 liters.
- Dissolve detergent varieties in it - 2 tbsp. l., selected in accordance with the color of the fabric.
- Soak the product and begin to wash it without twisting or squeezing, rinsing it in a soapy solution. Heavily contaminated areas should be carefully rubbed with your hands.
- Rinsing is carried out first in warm and then cold water, to which an air conditioner is added, which reduces the electrification of synthetics.
For colored products, table vinegar (9%), a teaspoon of which is dissolved in 10 liters of cold water during the last rinse, will allow the richness and richness of shades to be restored.
To wash a voluminous dress, fill the bathtub to a third of its volume with water. Dissolve a product designed for delicate synthetics. Completely immerse the product. Using a soft sponge, carefully go over all surfaces of the dress. Leave it soaked for an hour and then rinse thoroughly.
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If the outfit has a lot of decorative accessories sewn on it, then it is advisable to place it above the bathtub on a hanger. Water with warm water from the shower and wipe the fabric with a soapy soft sponge, removing dirt. Then wash off all the residue, directing the shower jets from above.
How to steam?
There are several options for steaming a dress at home: steam, a steamer, and an ordinary iron with wet gauze.
To rid your wedding outfit of bumps using steam, you first need to fill the bathtub with hot water. The dress is placed on hangers and then placed above the water at a height of twenty-five centimeters. After the wrinkles are smoothed out, you need to hang it out for three to four hours so that it dries completely. How long it will take for the outfit to iron out depends on the density of the fabric. This method has some disadvantages:
- When steam penetrates the fibers of the fabric, it becomes heavier, absorbing a large amount of moisture. This may cause the dress to fall into the water. Care must be taken to ensure that this does not happen.
- If the outfit has an abundance of different rhinestones, it is better not to use this method, as they may come off.
- This method is a bad option for dresses made of heavy material, as well as for dresses with fluffy multi-layered skirts.
Steamer
The most effective and simple method that any housewife can use. A vertical steamer is capable of efficiently smoothing even the most fragile element of a dress. Smoothing occurs as follows.
- Liquid is poured into a special container located in the device. Then you need to turn on the steamer.
- The outfit is placed on hangers to make it easier to iron.
- The steaming process begins from the lower tiers. It is necessary to steam first large areas of the product, and then smaller elements.
- After completing the process, you should leave the outfit hanging for three to five hours.
Steaming occurs in ten to twenty minutes, the device saves time. The device also perfectly fights a variety of microorganisms, gets rid of germs, dust mites and viruses that are on clothes. The dress becomes perfectly smooth, there are no shiny areas on the treated fabric. Smoothes out even the smallest creases.
Iron and gauze
This method is used if the housewife does not have a steamer. It is quite risky, because if you are not too careful and inattentive, you can ruin the dress. The correct mode is selected on the iron (which depends on what fabric the outfit is made of). It is best to use the minimum temperature so as not to harm your clothes. Before starting the process, it is necessary to thoroughly clean the soleplate of the iron, as it should be as clean as possible. In order for the dress to be smoothed out well and not spoiled, you need to place several layers of gauze fabric and iron it from the inside out.
Steaming an outfit with an iron is quite difficult, so it is better to ask someone for help and have a lot of patience.
Washing in a washing machine
When deciding whether to machine wash contaminated tulle products, first study the information reflected on the label. Proceed with the procedure if the permission icon is present.
Machine wash on delicate cycle
Set to delicate mode. The temperature is allowed at 30˚С. Spinning the mesh fabric is not needed, so it is turned off. In units where it is impossible to perform this function, the minimum speed is selected.
Machine drying is contraindicated. A conditioner is added to help soften the structure of the material, preventing wrinkles.
The product is placed in a fabric bag. If tulle clothing contains elements of beads, seed beads, or sequins, then gauze patches are sewn onto them with large stitches.
Detergents
It is not recommended to use tulle powder during the washing process, since there is a possibility that it will not completely dissolve in warm water and will settle in the cells of the mesh fabric, causing it to turn yellow.
More gentle detergent compositions are selected. Most often this is a concentrated gel: Kao Emerl, Care & Repair, Attack Emerl.
Washing gel
Eco-friendly liquid detergents that do not deform fibers are recommended: BIO-Sensitive, Winniʹs, Sodasan, Lion Acron, Dalli fein and color, Lion Akron.
Bleaching things
Airy tulle products can lose their snow-white appearance after some time. In such a situation, bleaching is carried out, choosing oxygen-containing varieties that do not deform the delicate fabric.
Most often, liquid Vanish Oxi Action is recommended, which effectively removes a variety of contaminants.
For items that are not machine washable, soaking is practiced.
Pour warm (30˚C) water into an enamel basin and dissolve the bleach. It is calculated that you need to take 50 ml of Vanish per 2 liters of water. Immerse the product completely and leave for 6 hours. If there are noticeable stains, first apply a small amount of bleach to this area of the fabric, leaving for 5 minutes. The bleached item is thoroughly washed with clean water.
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If machine washing is carried out, then add 100 ml of Vanish in accordance with the instructions.
How to maintain the shape and fluffiness of tulle
To ensure that items retain their shape for a long time, clothes are stored straightened on a hanger. Alternatively, you can use the old method of starching the hem. It will effectively preserve the fullness and volume of the skirt. You can use starch only for clean things! You can starch the hem as follows:
- The solution is prepared from potato, rice or corn starch. For a liter of water for light items, take 5 grams of starch, for heavier and tougher items - 10 grams;
- A tablespoon of starch is thoroughly dissolved in a glass of water and then 0.5 liters of boiling water is added with constant stirring. The composition is put on fire and cooked under the lid until it becomes transparent. Strain the solution;
- The resulting solution is poured into cold water and a skirt or petticoat is lowered there. After a few minutes, take out the clothes and lightly wring them out using squeezing movements. Do not twist the material!;
- After this procedure, give it the desired shape and leave it to dry, hanging the product from your belt. The dried outfit is finally ironed or steamed.
Drying
Washed and rinsed garments and other tulle products are not wrung out. They are placed above the bathtub on hangers to allow water to drain.
Can be attached directly to the rope using clothespins. In this case, the item is hung by the belt or shoulder seams to avoid noticeable marks from clothespins after drying.
You can dry the skirt in a straightened state on a horizontal plane, placing a terry towel under it. Avoid exposure to midday sunlight and exposure to hot streams from heating devices.
A fluffy dress on hangers can stretch out under its own weight, so it is advisable to lay out a wall-mounted slatted dryer horizontally and carefully place it on it.
How to dry a fluffy dress
Iron a tulle veil
Tulle is a light, airy fabric with a rigid structure that holds its shape very well. And if wrinkles have formed on it, it’s not easy to get rid of them, because, for example, you can burn a veil with an iron.
How to smooth out wrinkles on a veil:
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- Gently wash the veil by hand . You can soak it in water with fabric softener for 15 minutes.
- Dry in a vertical position . Do not squeeze - let the water drain on its own.
- Make sure the soleplate of the iron is clean . Otherwise the veil will get dirty.
- Turn on the equipment to the minimum temperature . This is the “synthetic” mode.
- Straighten the veil. Lay the item out on an ironing board and place a gauze cloth on top. Iron each section in turn.
After ironing, hang the veil vertically so that the fabric does not wrinkle.. Photo: vipfata.com.ua
Ironing
If necessary, you can iron the tulle product using an iron without steam through a thick cotton napkin. The temperature is set to no more than 100˚C.
First, they tidy up the bodice, then move on to the bottom. If there are sleeves, then before ironing, put a special device inside, which is included with the ironing board. To prevent them from becoming wrinkled in the future, insert tubes folded from white thick paper.
It is easier to refresh a voluminous dress and restore smoothness more easily if you use a steam generator. It will remove creases and make clothes look fluffy. The steam has a gentle effect without deforming the delicate fabric. The ironed product is placed on hangers.
In the absence of a steam generator, people's advice will come in handy. The bathtub is filled with hot (about 100˚C) water, closing the door to the room. When it is filled with steam, hang the clothes, keeping them in such conditions for two hours.
How to iron tulle at home
Any fashionista in whose wardrobe a tutu skirt made of tulle occupies a special place will confirm that it is incredibly difficult to deal with folds in this fabric. Light and delicate mesh requires special care, since without certain precautions it can easily be damaged. However, you won’t have to go out in public wearing a wrinkled skirt, since it is still possible to smooth out the tulle.
The methods that housewives use in everyday life will not surprise anyone today - these are smoothing with an iron and steaming with a steam generator. But in the absence of the latter, folk craftsmen save themselves with the help of tricks that are not inferior in efficiency to special ironing devices. So, you can smooth a tulle skirt using the following means:
- an iron equipped with a delicate ironing function;
- steam generator or steam iron;
- steaming in the bathroom or over a pan of boiling water;
- hairdryer
If we are talking about a wedding dress made of tulle, then in addition to the listed funds, the bride will have to arm herself with patience, since the whole process will take at least an hour. We will describe each smoothing method in detail.
How to iron a tulle dress with an iron
Any modern iron has a mode switch, which every housewife should be familiar with. For delicate tulle clothing, only the delicate mode with a minimum heating temperature is suitable. If you have to deal with creases on a wedding dress, then for ironing you will additionally need:
- ironing board;
- special stand for smoothing sleeves;
- thick fabric;
- soft towel;
- sheets of thick paper.
Before starting the procedure, you should carefully inspect the soleplate of the iron. If there are any marks on it, you will have to get rid of them, otherwise the outfit will be hopelessly ruined.
Start smoothing the dress from the top, since processing the skirt is much more difficult and takes longer. The bodice often has embroidery or beads - they are covered with a soft towel to prevent the delicate details from melting.
Then they start on the skirt. This is the most labor-intensive process, since the skirt is usually decorated with numerous ruffles and folds. The bottom of the dress begins to be smoothed from the front, and then the back is processed. The tulle must be covered with a thick cloth so that the sole of the iron does not come into contact with the fragile mesh. The ironed parts are inspected and, if necessary, the iron is passed over them again.
When most of the work is left behind, the dress is straightened out on the board so that the skirt can be carefully inspected. If everything is in order, then it’s time to pay attention to the finer details of the outfit. For the sleeves you will have to use a small stand, which is usually purchased complete with an ironing board. The sleeve is pulled onto a stand so that the iron can be passed over it. It is important not to forget about thick fabric that protects the dress from the heat of the iron!
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To prevent the sleeves from becoming wrinkled again, tubes are rolled out of plain paper or loose cardboard. They are inserted into the sleeves of a hanging dress.
How to steam a tulle skirt
Such a convenient household assistant as a steamer exists in dozens of different variations: vertical steamers, steam brushes, steam cleaners, irons with a steam function, more advanced irons with steam generators, and so on. When you have to deal with clothes made from delicate fabrics, any of the listed devices will do. However, professionals do not recommend using a regular iron with a steam function, especially ironing and steaming at the same time.
To achieve excellent results with any steaming device, just follow these simple instructions:
- Carefully hang the product, smoothing it with your hands;
- Process large items of clothing;
- Work on small details - sleeves, collar.
Any of the modern household steamers is suitable for large tulle products - wedding dresses, curtains. The versatility of these helpers also lies in their effectiveness, because steamers can handle the most difficult creases.
How to steam a tulle dress in the bathroom
Back in Soviet times, fashionable young ladies got used to smoothing delicate fabrics by hanging clothes made from them over a boiling kettle or pan. The ladies were resourceful, and the steam from boiling water did the job perfectly. You can arm yourself with this method today, but if you have to deal with a wedding dress made of tulle, then you can’t get by with a saucepan. This means that you will have to put the dress in order in the bathroom.
- Having tightly closed the door to the bathroom, the bathtub is filled with hot water;
- The dress is hung vertically, not far from the steam source;
- After a couple of hours you can check the result! By the way, you can also smooth a veil for a wedding dress in a similar way.
Hairdryer
A hair dryer is another resourceful way to get rid of wrinkles on delicate fabrics. In addition, every lady can find a hairdryer. In addition to a hair dryer, you should use a spray bottle.
- The product is hung on a hanger;
- Take a hairdryer in one hand, and a spray bottle filled with plain water in the other;
- Spray the fabric a little and then dry it with a hairdryer turned on at medium power;
- With particularly difficult folds, the procedure is repeated several times.
The advice regarding the power mode is not given in vain - too hot air can damage the fabric. A flow of cold air will not work in this case either, since the entire procedure should operate on the principle of conventional steaming with a steam generator.
If you don’t have a spray bottle at home, you can try looking for a bottle with a spray attachment among your cosmetic supplies. Surely, among the many bottles and jars, there will be an almost empty bottle of cosmetic oil or hair spray. The main thing is to wash the bottle thoroughly so as not to leave stains on your clothes.
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