I need to get my corset cleaned however I'm having trouble finding anyone who can clean it! Does anyone know someone who cleans corsets? Preferably in the Liverpool area? If no one knows anyone I'll clean it myself, I just think a professional could probably do a better job.

You would definately want your corset dry-cleaned. Try a cleaner that has alot of experiance cleaning wedding dresses or vintage clothing.

I tried a dry cleaner and was not satisfied that they wouldn't destroy my corset. They pretty much said it was at my risk - which was not good enough for me. It almost sounded like they wouldn't be careful! Maybe I should try a few more - someone else might have more experience.

Travel wash, a flannel and the draining board in your kitchen!

Always done mine that way, cheaper and I'm the only one to blame if it knackers. Just make sure that if it's made from a coloured fabric, that the colour doesn't run when wet by testing the fabric on an inconspicious part.

What kind of material is the corset made of?

At What Katie Did our plain satin corsets can actually be gently hand washed. I take the laces out and woosh them about in the bath with a mild detergent. Then I lay the corset over the bath rack and let it drip dry. My heart still beats faster when I do this, but I haven't ruined anything yet.

If you're not ready to take drastic action then you could try sponge cleaning just the effected area, starting with a tiny bit (to see if the fabric dye's going to run).

However, what is suitable for our corsets is probably not suitable for most!

Things to be aware of:
Some oriental silks are notorious for running as soon as they touch water (the dye, not the corset) and there's no way of knowing before hand.
Obviously anything with a vintage or heavy trim could be similar.
Leather - leather cleaners can be purchased in any supermarket which can be used to clean and shine (but definitely no water!)
Velvet - should be steamed over a kettle and brushed lightly with a baby's brush.
Finally, a lot of corsets are bonded - where 2 or 3 layers of fabric are 'stuck' together to make the corset stronger and although our bonding is washproof I don't know if that's par for the course.

If know which manufacturer made the corset you could email them as they'd know about fabric content etc and should be able to advise.

Katie

Thanks for the advice everyone!

Katie - it is made from satin but it's also covered in diamante (I don't think I spelt it correctly) so I don't want to knock any off it. I was intending to just give it a gentle sponge wash to freshen it up. I'll try emailing the manufacturer as well, since they'll probably know best.

I work part time in a bridal shop, On the gowns we use non-oily babywipes for stubburn stains if this helps.
denise