Embellished clothing can be difficult to care for, especially when it comes to sequins. Although a sequin dress may be attractive, the finish of these spangles can be very fragile. Sometimes people prefer to have these pieces professionally cleaned, but there are many ways that cleaning and care can be done at home. For instance, turning the garments inside-out and washing them on a delicate cycle can help keep the colors bright and the sequins intact. Letting them dry flat also can help prevent the garments from wrinkling without melting or breaking the sequins in a dryer.
Considering that sequined dresses are often reserved for formal occasions, they usually do not require frequent cleaning. Spot-cleaning is typically all that is required and can easily be done by placing the sequin dress on a dry towel and dabbing a stain with a washcloth soaked in lukewarm water. When the entire dress needs to be washed, it may be placed on a delicate cycle in the washing machine with a mild, alkali-free detergent. To help keep sequins in place as well as to keep the colors bright, the dress may also be turned inside-out and placed in a pillowcase prior to washing.
A sequin dress may also be washed by hand. This can be done by filling a bathtub with cold water and a mild detergent, slowly submerging the dress into the water, carefully scrubbing between the sequins with a soft-bristle toothbrush, then rinsing thoroughly. To dry the sequin dress by hand, place it between two dry towels and carefully press. It is usually not a good idea to wring it out, as this can cause the sequins to tear away from the garment.
Many feel that a sequin dress should be stored in a flat position instead of folded or hung up. Folding may cause the dress to become wrinkled and may make it more likely the sequins will be stressed and crack or break; hanging the garment for an extended period may cause it to stretch, which can cause the sequins to become loose or even fall off entirely. In many cases, leaving the dress flat is not possible, so it may be gently folded with no other garments placed on top if it, then temporarily hung to help work out any wrinkles. Should a few sequins become loose, they can easily be repaired with a thin, matching thread and fine needle.