How to Wash a Wedding Dress with Eucalan

You spend hours searching for the perfect dress: looking through magazines, figuring out your style, the details you can’t live without and then finally deciding which dress was the right one for you. But now your wedding day has come and gone. Luckily, you have a multitude of photos and memories to always remind you of your special day. To remind you of how beautiful you looked in your wedding dress and how it made you feel.

So now it’s time to properly care for the garment that you so meticulously chose for your big day. It can come as a bit of a surprise when your beautiful dress has a dirty hem, grass-stained train, or cake-speckled bust.  And while you may not want to wear your dress again, you do want to clean and preserve it so it will keep it looking beautiful for years to come.

Preservation kits can run you anywhere between $250 and $400. Though some dry cleaners offer specialized wedding cleaning services, they are expensive. They also use harsh chemicals that can damage delicate embroidery, sequins, and beadwork.

But did you know that you can actually clean and preserve your wedding dress yourself? No one will take more care in cleaning your own dress than you. By using Eucalan, the process is far less expensive and significantly better for the environment. Eucalan is non-toxic, biodegradable, free of optical brighteners, phosphates, synthetic fragrance and dye – so it’s a perfect choice for ensuring the preservation of your wedding dress for years to come.  

Washing your wedding dress is so much easier than you’d think! We can walk you through the whole process step by step:

1. Add Eucalan to your washing machine or bathtub filled with tepid water.
2. Immerse your dress in the water and allow it to soak for 15 minutes.
3. Add Eucalan full strength (straight from the bottle, not diluted in water) to tough stains and rub gently with a soft bristled toothbrush until stain disappears. Your train and hem will likely need the most effort.
4. Squeeze your dress gently with your hands to incorporate soap and water through the fabric.
5. Soak the dress for an additional 15 minutes.
6. Eucalan does not require rinsing, but if you wish to, give it a gentle rinse under fresh tepid water.
7. Remove from water and squeeze gently or spin out excess water.
8. You may roll your dress in a fresh, clean towel, but be sure to go slowly and so any embellishments don’t stick to your towel fibres.
9. Hang your dress to dry, away from direct sunlight or heat.

If you are still counting down the days to your wedding, it’s worth keeping some Eucalan stain treating towelettes in your emergency bag. These handy wipes make it quick to clean up any little bits of make-up, food, or grass and such from outdoor photo shoots. Give one to each member of your wedding party, as well – catch stains before they set to keep everyone looking their best!

We hope we’ve given you some tips and tricks on how best to clean and preserve your treasured dress. If you love all things wedding related, you should also check out our Wedding Pinterest Board!

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5 Ways to Ease the Back to School Transition

This post originally appeared on our blog in August of 2021 but we’ve updated it to make it more relevant to you today!

Even though we’re enjoying these last few long days of summer, school bells will be ringing before we know it. While many things have not changed (sharpen those pencils, get those spiral-bound notebooks ready!), your “back-to-school” routine comes with new challenges each year. Today we’ve collected 5 tried and true tips we hope will help you prepare for the new school year ahead!

Tip #1: Adjust that bedtime routine.

Getting a good night’s sleep is vital to your children’s success at school. While summer breaks may have meant later bedtimes, there’s no time like the present to try and readjust to a healthy routine. Young children (ages 6-12) need anywhere between 9 and 12 hours of sleep a night. Even those teenagers (ages 13-18) who like to stay up late could use a solid 8 hours of sleep (and 10 is better). Start your evenings by dimming the lights, turning off electronic devices and limiting caffeine. If your children respond to scents, try using Eucalan in our Lavender scent to launder bed linens. Lavender essential oils aid in relaxation and can also improve the quality of their sleep.

Tip #2: Stock up on school supplies.

Get your homework stations ready, and provide your kids with all the supplies they’ll need for the school year. Check with schools first to see if they have any school supply lists. Many students will need access to a computer or tablet to complete lessons and/or homework assignments. Headphones are a must so everyone can listen to their own content without disturbing others. Then stock up on supplies appropriate for the age of your student, like ​​pencils, erasers, pens, calculators, crayons/markers/colored pencils, glue sticks, paper and notebooks. If you want to keep supplies tidy, check out our Back to School Pinterest board for ideas on homemade or upcycled caddies.

Tip #3: Create a comfortable, distraction-free study space.

Whether it’s buckling down and starting homework, or trying to engage in virtual learning on a cold weather day, your student needs a place where they can concentrate on their schoolwork.  If your living space permits, it’s best to create a permanent work space. A dedicated space gives your student a place that feels comfortable and familiar while escaping the hassle of constantly shuffling supplies. We perused Pinterest and found tons of great inspiration for workspaces, including 35 Homeschool Room Ideas for Small Spaces from Homeschool Superfreak. The ones below are our favourites for repurposing small spaces into lovely learning environments.

Tip #4: Create a morning checklist.

Let’s face it, after summer camp and vacations we’re all rusty at packing up supplies and ensuring we have everything we need. Create a quick morning checklist that can live on the fridge or a whiteboard. Include items to pack like homework, notebooks, water bottles, lunches or snacks, computers or tablets, their charging cords, clothes and equipment for extracurricular activities, and anything else that can be easily forgotten. 

Tip #5: Maintain that flexibility.

The past few years have taught us that we have to roll with the changes, and no one is more resilient than our children. Try modeling an open mind and flexibility as situations and plans change. Encourage your child to communicate openly with teachers and school administrators about questions and concerns and, if necessary, help them find counseling or other opportunities to maintain their mental health. Speaking literally, everyone benefits from some physical activity and flexibility. Keeping limber with yoga or taking a short walk outside does wonders for the mind, body and spirit and can help build reserves to draw on in stressful situations. 

We hope we’ve given you a few ways to better prepare for the school year. Do you have more ideas? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below, on Instagram (@eucalan or using the hashtag #eucalan) or in our Facebook Group!

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