With the end of Holy Week, it is time to take in the Nazarene tunic (remember to clean it beforehand) and take out the flamenco dress to prepare for the April Fair, which this time it is in May. Next, we will give you some tips and steps to follow to clean the flamenco dress and take it as new to the Real of the Fair.
The ideal is to clean the suit always before storing it, since all the dirt that it has will grow more difficult to remove with the passage of time. Even so, if you have done this, it is likely that the suit is not impeccable and you have to give it a little clean up so that it remains unspotted.
Many people resort to dry cleaning for these cases, but it is not really necessary, since it is not too complicated and can be done perfectly at home. Also, by doing this, you can save some money, which it is always helpful.
General recommendations to clean the flamenco dress
As we said before, it is best to clean the flamenco dress as soon as possible. Always check the manufacturer’s instructions before doing anything, since they are the ones who know best how to treat the fabric and the dye of the suit.
In the event that the dress is torn by some part or you need to make a patch, it is best that you do it before you start to clean it, since in the process it may spoil even more unintentionally. You should also be careful with small details, such as jeweled embroidery or sequins. This is best washed by hand individually.
The last recommendation that you have to take into account before starting with the cleaning is to remove the petticoats, in the case that your suit has. This way you avoid any possible color transfer. Better safe than sorry.
How to wash the flamenco dress
Once all these steps are done, it’s time to start washing the flamenco dress. The first thing is to turn it over to put it into the washing machine. Put a glass of vinegar and a little salt in the drum, that will help to strengthen the colors and protect the tissues. With this mixture, you have to use a short pre-wash program without temperature.
Next, we will perform another wash, this time short and with cold water, adding a neutral liquid detergent for about 30 minutes. The last thing left to do is to centrifuge before taking it out. If you want to starch the suit, a good trick is to add a cup of sugar inside the softener box.
How to dry and iron the flamenco dress
Once finished, all that remains is for the suit to dry. It is best to do it outdoors and in a shady place. Hang it as it is, that is, inside out. It is not advisable to use the dryer in this type of garments.
The final step that remains for you to be ready to go to the Fair is to iron the suit. It is advisable to do it, once again, with the dress inside out. Do it at an average temperature in a normal way and then pass the iron through the flyers individually. If you want to know how to iron the flamenco dress in depth, you can read our recommendations here.
Following these easy tips you will have your flamenco dress as new to go to the Fair for another year without having to spend money or take it to any dry cleaners. Remember that once the Fair week has passed, you should clean it again so it does not get damaged too much. If you also wear a manila shawl, here we leave you the steps to follow to clean this delicate garment.
As for the way of keeping the flamenco dress, it is best to do it in a large enough cupboard so that it does not bend or wrinkle, and do it in an individual case or a garment bag to protect it as much as possible from the dust.
