Image of winter coats hanging on a clothes rack.

You wear it almost every cold day, but when is the last time you cleaned your go-to winter coat or jacket? While cleaning your outerwear may be the last thing on your mind until noticeable stains or an unpleasant odor pop up, it’s actually a good idea to clean your coats and jackets on a regular basis. Here are some essential tips about when and how you should give your outerwear the care it needs to keep looking good over the seasons.

My coats and jackets don’t seem dirty. Do I really need to clean them?


Even if there is no visible dirt on your favorite coat or jacket, having it cleaned regularly can go a long way in prolonging its life and making sure it looks good for a long time. It is especially important to make sure that your items are as clean as possible before you store them away for the warmer months, as even invisible debris such as tiny crumbs or perfume could attract moths or other vermin that damage your garments. 

How often should outerwear be cleaned?

Outerwear comes in many different fabrics. The material of your coat or jacket is one of the most important things to consider in determining how often it should be cleaned. Heavier items like down coats or items made of leather or wool probably only need to be cleaned once or twice a season, depending on how often you wear them. Lighter items like fleece jackets should be cleaned more often, after five to ten uses. Finally, a rain jacket that you use year-round should be cleaned at least once a month to ensure that it stays clean and fresh. Of course, as mentioned above, all of these items should be cleaned before they go into storage for the summer. 

How should I clean my outerwear?

Many types of coats and jackets can be cleaned at home; according to the instructions on the tag, you can just pop them in the washing machine or wash them by hand and hang them to dry! However, special items like wool coats or jackets with embellishments should be brought to a dry cleaner to make sure that they are not damaged. Other items with special fabrics, like leather jackets, also require special care and must be brought to an advanced cleaner with the knowledge and tools necessary to clean leather

Don’t let a trip to the dry cleaner deter you from caring for your outerwear in the best way possible. With services like Crest Concierge Home Delivery, you could have your wool coat dry cleaned without ever leaving your home. Let Crest Advanced Dry Cleaners take care of the hassle so your jackets and coats will keep looking good every winter for years. Do you have questions about how to care for your outerwear or any other dry cleaning-related concerns? Contact Crest today!

Image of woman wearing a red holiday sweater.

Dry Clean Your Holiday Sweaters at Crest Advanced Dry Cleaners

The holidays are upon us, and whether you’re wearing a Santa suit to a Christmas gathering, an “ugly” holiday-themed sweater to a party with friends, or a glimmering gown to a New Years’ event, you’ll surely want to look your best as you spend time with friends and family this festive season. Here are a few of our best tips on how to make your clothes shine!

Dry Cleaning is the Way to Go

For any of your best looks, dry cleaning is a much safer option than simply throwing the garments in the washing machine. It will protect delicate fabrics from decay, and go a long way in prolonging the life of your festive attire. Even if you only wear that Menorah sweater once a year, having it dry cleaned will make sure it’s wearable for many seasons to come. After all, you wouldn’t want to realize that your merriest outfit is too faded to wear a day before the party and be forced to brave the crowds at the mall!

Make That List a Bit Shorter

While the holiday season is one of the best times of the year for us all, there are a few downsides. Running around trying to procure gifts, purchase groceries for extravagant meals, and meet friends can be tiring. The last thing any of us wants to do is laundry, yet we seldom have time to make the trip to the dry cleaner. With helpful services such as Crest Concierge Home Delivery, having your clothes cleaned to a professional standard is as simple as ordering presents online. No matter what your normal clothes-cleaning routine is, that can be one item crossed off your to-do list, giving you more time to focus on the wish list.

At Crest Advanced Dry Cleaners, we do our best to make dry cleaning as simple as possible to fit into your busy schedule. If you want to impress your friends and family with your sparkling and jolly apparel this holiday season, contact Crest Advanced Dry Cleaners to learn more about our helpful services or come in to one of our many convenient locations today.

Image of a woman's arms selecting from pastel colored sweaters on a clothes rack.

Trust Crest to Dry Clean Your Favorite Sweaters

Fall is here and as the weather gets cooler, you’ll be thinking about pulling your best winter sweaters out from the back of the closet. While do-it-yourself wool cleaners are marketed as an attractive option, dry cleaning is the best way to get the dust and moth balls out of your finest wool garments. Here’s why!

Retaining Color and Texture

Washing wool items at home without paying careful attention can cause them to quickly lose their color. The advanced techniques used by professional dry cleaners are carefully engineered to protect the pigments in your clothing, protecting them from fading. These same techniques go  a long way in keeping your garments soft and snuggly too!

Achieving a Deeper Clean

Dry cleaning is the best way to get all of the residual grime out of your wool clothing, especially after a long summer of disuse. Dry cleaning processes will get your sweaters clean with very little risk of shrinking, stretching or other damage.

Prolonging Life

As with any type of fine garment, the main advantage to having your wool garments dry cleaned is the prolonged life of your clothes. The chemicals used in dry cleaning are specially developed  to clean your items without causing great amounts of lasting damage, meaning your clothes will last much longer. Your sweaters will keep you warm for many seasons to come!

At Crest Advanced Dry Cleaners, we do our best to make dry cleaning as simple as possible to fit into your busy schedule. With free Crest Concierge Home Delivery, your items will be picked up, cleaned, and returned without leaving the house. If you want to get a head start on getting your cosiest sweaters ready for the coldest winter days, contact Crest Advanced Dry Cleaners or come in to one of our many convenient locations today. 

Diverse group of students wearing school uniforms.

Clean Your Student’s Uniform at Crest Advanced Dry Cleaners

It’s the start of a brand new school year, and with it comes lots of laundry. School uniforms, football jerseys, and cheerleading outfits that suddenly need to be cared for. On top of that, parents’ lives become more hectic as the obligations of our children multiply. Finding a stress-free solution to getting everything done during this hectic time might seem impossible, but there are many options available to simplify your life without sacrificing quality. For a reliable, thorough solution to your uniform-cleaning woes, dry cleaning is a great option to consider.

Why is dry cleaning more effective?

Especially if you’re pressed for time, throwing everything in the washing machine might seem like the best way to go. However, for items that are important to you and your family, dry cleaning is truly the best solution to preserve quality, prevent shrinkage, and keep frequently-worn garments practically as good as new. Sporting outfits will shine under spotlights, and daily school uniforms will continue to look fresh and sharp, even as the semesters fly by.

Is it worth adding another errand to my list?

While the thought of having to run around to another location to drop off and pick up your items might be a deterrent, today there is a better option that makes high-quality dry cleaning services available to you, without any stress. The Crest Concierge Home Delivery  service makes it possible for your laundry to be collected from your home, dry cleaned by experts, and dropped back off—no hassle, and no additional cost.

As your kids head back to school, Crest Advanced Dry Cleaners has the solutions to all of your dry cleaning needs. For more information regarding the services available to simplify your life, do not hesitate to contact us.

Image of Embarrassed young woman trying to clean after spilling wine on white table cloth.

Bring them to the experts before your garment is ruined permanently!

In the moments of panic following a catastrophic spill, your first instinct may be to scramble to try to clean your clothes yourself to prevent them from being ruined forever by red wine, cherry juice, ketchup, or whatever else may have fallen. However, while at-home solutions might be tempting due to their immediacy and ease, to truly protect your garments, it’s best to turn to the experts.

Won’t my clothes be ruined if I wait to have stains treated?

A spill happens in an instant, but it is not necessary to try to correct the stain just as quickly. While it is important to treat a stain before it sets, there are many advantages to waiting a bit longer and bringing the soiled fabric to a professional cleaner such as Crest Advanced Dry Cleaners. These establishments are used to handling stained clothing and follow the best possible methods to remove stains.

What is the advantage of bringing stained garments to a dry cleaner?

The dry cleaning process is specifically crafted in order to tackle stains and spots as efficiently and completely as possible. When you arrive at the dry cleaner with stained clothing, make sure to point out the stains so that they can be properly treated by the professionals. At the beginning of the dry cleaning process, stains will be pre-treated with specialized cleaning agents which are developed specifically to remove tough stains. Then, the other cleaning chemicals that are normally used in the process will continue to ensure that your clothes are as good as new.

For the process to be most effective, you should try to get the garments to your professional cleaner as soon as possible. Crest Advanced Dry Cleaners offers many convenience-oriented services to make this easier for you! Our Same Day Advanced Dry Cleaning service ensures that your stains will be dealt with as soon as possible provided you drop the garments off prior to 11:00 AM. Alternatively, with Crest Concierge Home Delivery, we will pick up your clothing from your home, treat any stains and thoroughly clean the garments, and return your items to your door at no additional cost. If you have questions about these services or have stains that need removing, contact us or come in to one of our many convenient locations today.

Image of female arm measuring a shirt for alterations.

You probably love your clothes—after all, you chose to buy them. However, sometimes they don’t fit quite right. Perhaps you lost weight for the summer and you don’t want to replace your entire wardrobe, or you struggle to find clothes in the store that are the perfect size for you. Rather than living with clothes that don’t flatter your figure, however, you can pursue professional alterations! This solution doesn’t appeal to many people, but we’re here to explain some of the many advantages of having your clothes tailored.

Save Money in the Long Run

While the cost might deter some people from having their clothing altered to achieve a better fit, modifying your existing wardrobe to better suit you is a much better, cheaper option than buying completely new clothes in a different size. Minor changes can also make clothes that you think fit you fine much more flattering, transforming rarely-worn pieces into some of your favorite looks.

Improve Your Look

Even though you will ultimately be wearing the same things, you will be surprised at how much of a difference alterations can make in terms of your presentation. Having well-fitting clothes can be a major indicator that you care about your appearance, a valuable trait both professionally and socially. Spending a bit extra once can earn you a lot of points in how people perceive you.

Bring Your Wardrobe Up to Date

Having your clothes tailored can not only make a difference in terms of fit, but also style. As the trends change, your wardrobe will become outdated. A few alterations, such as shortening hems or adding darts, can make a world of difference in getting you back on-trend—without buying completely new clothes each season.

There are many steps to properly caring for your wardrobe. Once you have attained the fit that you want, it is essential to maintain it. The best way to keep your clothing in excellent condition is to trust professionals, such as those at Crest Advanced Dry Cleaners, to clean them. Dry cleaning will prolong the life of the clothing that you put a lot of effort into selecting and altering.

Image of Multi-Racial Group at the Prom

The academic year is coming to a close, but before summer break begins, formals, proms, and other exciting events are prompting everyone to dress their very best. At these events, however classy they may be, there are many opportunities for your new, sparkling formal wear to become dirty. Be it a catastrophic spill or normal dirtiness accumulating throughout the evening, you’ll want to make sure that your best outfits return to your closet as fresh as they were when you left the store with them. The best option for this is dry cleaning.

Why is dry cleaning better than washing my formal attire at home?

Dry cleaning is more gentle on clothes, especially delicate fabrics, than your washing machine. This means that whether you are washing a dazzling gown crafted from satin and lace or a high-quality tuxedo, dry cleaning is undoubtedly the best choice to maintain the quality of the piece over time. A professional dry cleaning will prolong the life of your pieces and keep them fresh whether you plan to wear them again or simply keep them for the memories.

Is it worth the trouble? That prom dress will never be worn again.

Maintaining formal gowns, prom dresses, and tuxedos in pristine condition is key; these items hold memories that will last a lifetime! When you or your loved ones are remembering key moments in life, having a material reminder that is as fresh as it was on the day will be priceless. With the customer-oriented, professional services offered by Crest Advanced Dry Cleaners, preserving those special moments does not have to be another tedious chore. With Crest Concierge Home Delivery, our experts will pick up, refresh, and return your formal attire and any other items you need cleaned. If you are ready to bring your gowns and tuxedos back to life or you have any questions about the services offered by Crest Advanced Dry Cleaners, contact us or come in to one of our many convenient locations today.

 

Image of clothes rack with many pairs of jeans hanging on it.

Dry Clean Your Jeans at Crest Advanced Dry Cleaners!

We’ve heard of many ways that people care for their jeans: washing them in salt and vinegar, spot treating only, line drying until they’re 90 percent dry and then wearing them until completely dry – even throwing them in the freezer. Good grief! Think of it this way: if you throw a dirty old sock into the freezer, it still comes out a dirty old sock…just colder. Freezing your jeans does not eliminate bacteria, and it certainly won’t remove soil, grime, or stains. Your jeans might emerge odorless, but as soon as you put them on again, the heat and moisture from your body will reanimate the bacteria that was lurking there all along. Save your freezer for your TV dinners; your jeans need to be properly cleaned.

To Wash or Not to Wash?

That is the question that elicits so much bitter disagreement among denim enthusiasts. The never-washers will do anything (or rather: nothing) to make sure their beloved jeans won’t shrink, stretch, or fade. They prefer a hands-off approach to preserve the denim and dye. Of course, it’s a personal preference, but we happen to think that the excess buildup of oil, dirt, and every day grime can also diminish the integrity of the fiber and the look of your jeans.

For those who like to wear clean pants (moms everywhere rejoice), there are some tell-tale signs that it’s time to take action. Sooner or later you’re bound to create a mess or brush up against something you’d rather not have. While you don’t need to wash your jeans after every use, you may want to consider it when:

  • Your jeans smell
  • There is visible dirt or surface staining
  • They begin to droop or stretch in high-movement areas like the knees and seat

For casual jeans, the solution can be as easy as tossing them into the washer on the gentle cycle. For designer jeans, you’ll want to take extra care to protect your investment.

The Dryer = The Enemy

It would be good to establish a certain fact at this point, one that even the most bitter jean-wearing rivals can agree on: throwing your denim in the dryer is never a good idea. Pricier pairs of jeans, especially designer jeans or those with dark dye, will come out looking very different from how they went it. Shrinkage and fading are amplified by the heat of the dryer, which you’ll certainly notice the next time you wear your jeans.

The Solution is Simple: Dry Clean

By now we know that washing isn’t automatically the enemy of your jeans, but how you wash can be. Avoid the fuss (and potential damage you could cause) by bringing your jeans to the garment care specialists at Crest Advanced Dry Cleaners. We’re experts in preserving the shape, fit, and color of your designer jeans. We clean the denim as gently as possible. Our advanced dry cleaning method uses a non-abrasive, odorless silicone solvent that carefully restores your jeans to their cleanest without any damage. And it’s environmentally friendly, too! When you drop off your clothes with us (or if we pick them up from your front door), we’ll pre-treat any specific stains or areas needing attention – a critical step that’s missed if you’re relying on a washing machine to clean your jeans. Maintaining the integrity of a denim garment is tricky business. Don’t take the risk. Trust your designer jeans to the best at Crest!

Guest contributor: Nathan L., Alexandria, VA

Image of Man Skiing Down Mountain

On the slopes in my dry cleaned ski apparel. Thanks Crest!

Every year I head up to Vermont for a ski trip with my college buddies – and every year I come back with a pile of soggy ski wear. I’m no Bode Miller, but I like to think I tackle the slopes pretty well and handle the powder like a pro. That is, until I get back to normal life and am faced with stacks of dirty ski gear and apparel. A number of people tell me they never wash their ski wear or, if they do, they wash it very infrequently. Dry cleaning? Never, they said.

While it’s true you don’t need to wash your ski wear after every adventure down the mountain, I just couldn’t get behind the idea that it never needed to be washed. The best ski apparel is breathable, and these fibers can easily become clogged with sweat and grime – not exactly something I want against my skin after festering for a year. That left me with one question: if I wanted to wash my ski wear, how should I do it?

Ski clothes are big and bulky. The coin-operated washers and driers in my apartment building basement just aren’t up for the challenge. What’s more, a lot of powder detergents, fabric softeners, conditioners, stain removers, and bleach, combined with the heat and motion of the wash cycle, can degrade both the clothing material and the special polymers used for waterproofing. That means the investment made in good-quality gear (and believe me, ski apparel isn’t cheap) wouldn’t last more than a couple seasons. I needed a better solution.

Enter: Crest Advanced Dry Cleaners. I’d been taking my suits and dress shirts to Crest for years (I know they deliver, but it’s no trouble to drop off my stuff on the way to work). So, after last year’s trip with the boys, I asked them what they thought about dry cleaning ski wear. Most dry cleaners shouldn’t attempt it, they said (most cleaners use harsh chemicals that strip the waterproof coating from your apparel). But most cleaners aren’t Crest. Their advanced dry cleaning method – using a non-abrasive, odorless silicone solvent – carefully restores clothes to their cleanest without any damage. And it’s environmentally friendly, too!

Needless to say, I now leave all my ski apparel with Crest after my annual venture north. Clean ski gear that lasts from season to season? Yes, thank you.

Additional helpful tips:

  • Make sure you thoroughly go through your pockets before dry cleaning your ski wear. There are a bunch of hidden zippers and compartments where you can forget lip balm, tissues, cash, hotel room keys…you get the idea.
  • Remove (cut off or untie) any lift tickets or passes.
  • Store your ski wear after dry cleaning in a cool, dry place, so it’s ready when you next hit the slopes.

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It’s almost spring, and that means that it is almost time to pack up the winter coats! If you are like many others in this area, you likely have at least one wool coat hanging in your closet. These are warm, durable, and often very stylish. However, these coats require special care to make sure that dust and dirt are cleaned off properly. You can find many articles online about taking care of wool coats, but there are two main things you need to know.

Good Care Ensures Long Wear

Properly taking care of your wool coat will lengthen its life span dramatically. It is worth the effort to maintain these. After all, wool coats are an expensive investment, often a lifetime use purchase. Be gentle with these coats, storing them properly and they will serve you well. Part of taking good care of your coat involves cleaning them properly. A mere brush with a lint roller doesn’t quite cut it. Often, small particles of dust, food residue, and bacteria can find their way onto the coat and never make it out. However, wool coats cannot simply be cleaned in a washing machine. The heat and motion of the washer and dryer damage the coat and give a high possibility of shrinking. Dry cleaning ensures proper cleansing of wool coats. With a good dry cleaning, a wool coat can appear brand new! This is why Crest Dry Cleaners is often trusted with winter coats at the end of the winter season.

You Can Help Prevent Moth Problems

As mentioned above, dust particles, food residue, and bacteria can linger on a wool coat, making it a breeding ground for different types of bugs. This includes moth larvae, notorious for eating holes into wool clothing. Moths can completely ruin expensive wool items, rendering them useless. Since it is time to pack up the coats for the spring season, properly cleaning them is necessary to prevent a moth invasion. This ensures that during the next few months that the coat is unused, it remains safe and clean for the next winter season.

 

Here at Crest Cleaners, we can take care of your wool coats and any other items you need professionally cleaned! Fill out our quick contact form to learn more.