We’ve said it once and we’ll say it again, the world of dry cleaning is shrouded in mystery and this leads to all kinds of misinformation on what goes into the process and what things need to be dry cleaned. Dry cleaning is an absolute must for certain fabrics and highly recommended for others, but if you’re the type that enjoys doing your own laundry, then what can you handle at home?
Garments made from materials like polyester, nylon, spandex, acrylic, and acetate aren’t in danger from a domestic washer, though the dryer might cause problems if it’s too hot. Giving these clothes a long, low dry is the way to go if you can’t hang dry them.
Painted Fabrics
Whether it’s a hand crafted piece you bought from an artisan or that college intramural shirt you just can’t part with, caring for painted fabrics can be confusing. Because their designs are delicate, many think these garments must be dry cleaned. Similar to our advice on synthetic clothes, beware heat and hang dry whenever possible to preserve the painted designs.
Knit Fabrics
In addition to linens, knit fabrics common in sweaters are another fabrication that folks highly recommend taking the cleaners. Depending on the quality of the garment, though, your cozy sweater may be able to stay at home. They aren’t without their own special care and can’t be treated the same as your jeans or pajamas. Due to this extra care, many find it worth it to bring their sweaters to their local cleaners anyway.
You Should Dry Clean These Fabrics & Garments
Delicate or Speciality Fabric
These materials include things like silk, velvet, wool, and leather. Upscale fabrics— such as chiffon, velvet, and merino wool – should also be brought to a professional cleaning service to preserve their natural luster and form. These are perhaps the fabrics that make most people go, “uhhh…” so it’s just common sense to bring them to your local dry cleaner.
Anything you want to keep its form and color quality
Lastly, anything you want help in making it last should be brought to the cleaners. Expensive professional attire is just one example, but maybe you have a favorite casual shirt that you wear on repeat that we could help with. While everything we listed in that first section doesn’t need to be dry cleaned, it doesn’t mean it can’t be dry cleaned or that other laundry services at your local cleaners would be helpful to you. If you want the best possible care for your garment to increase its longevity, bring it in. Or, if the care instructions on the tag have you feeling overwhelmed, we’d be happy to handle the laundry.
The world behind the dry cleaner’s counter is a mystery to most. This leads to not-entirely-accurate information being spread about dry cleaning. The dangerous part is many of these misconceptions can actually damage your clothes. To help protect your wardrobe, don’t fall victim to believing these misconceptions.
1. Dry Cleaners Don’t Use Liquids
As we’ve said before, it’s called ‘dry cleaning’ because there is an absence of water. However, the cleaning solvent is still liquid. This solvent is often a petroleum-based liquid, perchloroethylene, which dry cleaners refer to as ‘Perc.’ It is a popular option, but we at Crest Advanced Dry Cleaners don’t use that human carcinogen, and instead use our EcoTech System to maintain your clothes.
2. Use Club Soda Instead – It’s Cheaper!
Club soda may be touted as a miracle hack for treating serious clothing stains at home, but it is in no way a substitute for your local dry cleaners. In many cases, it can often make a stain worse. If you encounter a stain, gently dab the excess away and bring the item in to the cleaner as soon as possible. Let them know what happened and they will be able to help.
3. Store Your Clothes in the Bag from the Cleaners
This isn’t necessary. The bag is just to protect your clothes on the trip back to your closet, whether you’re picking them up or having them delivered. Your clothes will come back clean and dry, but the bag may trap residual heat, making the air humid and hostile towards certain garments. Our bags are not meant for long-term storage.
4. Only Clothes Labeled “Dry Clean Only” Should Go to The Cleaners
While your local cleaner may have specialized processes for those clothes that should not go in a domestic drying machine, many offer services for your other clothes. Any garment that you want to last and maintain its quality should be taken to your cleaners.
5. Wait as Long as Possible Before Taking Your Clothes to The Dry Cleaners
This misconception stems from the idea that dry cleaning actually harms your clothes and that it should not be done as frequently as you do your own washing at home. This assumption is false and prolonging the time in between visits can be a costly mistake. Waiting to take your clothes in means wearing them multiple times. This can compound stains and smells that latch onto your clothes, making them more difficult to get out, even at the hands of an expert cleaner. Don’t wait to take your clothes to the cleaners.
There are many bits of common knowledge about dry cleaners that stem from misplaced assumptions. Don’t fall into believing them or your clothes could suffer. Trust your local dry cleaner to help your clothes last and keep you looking smart.
You’re not the first to ask this question, and you won’t be the last. With unfamiliar machinery and a process that shrouded behind other people’s laundry, it’s hard to guess at how dry cleaning works. While it might be mysterious, the process is actually very simple.
1. Your clothes get tagged.
When you first drop your clothes off (or have them picked up), the dry cleaners tag and inspect them. The tags help ensure your clothes stay and are washed together. It also helps in retrieving your clothes once they’re ready for pick up/drop off.
Tagging allows the dry cleaning staff to clear your pockets of anything you wouldn’t want washed (Hello, missing airpods!) and note any pre-existing damage such as missing buttons. We take it a step further at Crest Advanced Dry Cleaners to note specific details about the garment, such as the clothing brand and color, which is packed into a barcode unique to that item.
2. Your clothes are pretreated.
If, during the inspection, the cleaner notices any stains, this is when they will be pretreated. It’s best if you alert your cleaner to the stain and, if possible, let them know the cause so they know how best to treat it.
3. Your clothes are washed.
This is where we tell you the “dry” part of “dry cleaning” isn’t entirely true. Clothes do become wet at the dry cleaners, but it is due to a cleaning solvent, not water. This solvent can differ from place to place, like how Crest Advanced Dry Cleaners use GreenEarth, a solvent free of “perc” or perchloroethylene, a human carcinogen.
To clean your clothes, dry cleaners load your garments into their washing machine and rinse it through with their solvent. This gentle cleaner will remove surface stains as well as prevent any stretching or shrinking like a domestic washing machine might cause.
4. Your clothes are checked.
While the washing process is gentler than the machine found in most homes, there is still a chance of a button getting lost or a thread being snagged. After they come out of the machine, clothes are inspected for such damage, but also any remaining stains.
5. Your clothes are pressed.
Once they pass quality control, your clothes are pressed to remove wrinkles. Sometimes this is simple ironing, but other times, special forms are used to help important garments keep their shape.
These general steps aren’t specific to Crest Advanced Dry Cleaners. Most dry cleaners will stick with this process to best care for your clothes. However, if you have special care instructions for your garments, it’s worth investigating what makes your local dry cleaner unique.
Moving to a new city? There is always a laundry list of things to get done after your move but we think your laundry shouldn’t be on that list. Here are 5 things we think you should look for in a dry cleaner.
Customer Service: Look for a company that puts you first! Customer care plays a major role in your satisfaction of a company. We will always work to make you feel valued because we know that great customer service starts with upheld promises.
Green Dry Cleaning: Find a company that cares for the environment. Eco-friendly dry cleaning services are important not only for keeping our environment clean but also for providing you with a safe and residue free clean for your garments.
Expertise: We understand that your clothing is important to you and it takes trust to leave the cleaning to us. Choose a company that has years of experience under their belt and trained professionals that understand every detail of the dry cleaning process. We offer many other convenient services, including wedding dress restoration and specialized alteration services in addition to dry cleaning, to provide you with well-rounded expertise.
Convenience: Does your dry cleaner offer free pickup and delivery? We think that your dry cleaning shouldn’t be a worry. Pickup and delivery are a just a small fraction of the convenient services we offer, making dry-cleaning a stress free process for you.
Quality of Work: Choose a cleaner that takes care in cleaning your garments. Your clothes should come back feeling and smelling fresh and ready to wear, without any residue or chemical odors. We suggest using a test garment when trying a new cleaner to be certain the garment is cleaned to your standards.
Whether you’re moving or just haven’t found a preferred dry cleaning service yet, use these tips to find the best cleaner for your needs. Happy searching!
Bedding can be quite an investment. Knowing the proper way to care for your bedding will bring you years of use for your favorite linens. Here are our tips:
Don’t Eat in Bed: It’s tempting to curl up to a movie and bowl of popcorn in bed, but no matter how careful you may be, crumbs and drips always seem to find a way onto bedding. Many times, bed linens are made from fabrics and materials that make it difficult to spot treat. Save yourself the trouble of stained or crumb filled bedding and keep snacks away.
Comforter Cover: If your comforter is not overly decorative or ornamental, use a comforter cover. It will protect your bedding from wear and is easier to clean as it is smaller and less bulky than a full comforter, protecting you from allergens and dust.
Wash Schedule: Nothing beats the feeling of fresh sheets. Creating a washing and care schedule for bedding linens keeps dirt and dust from making a permanent home in your bed.
Pillow Talk: The right pillow can make all the difference in the world when it comes to a restful nights sleep and when you find the perfect pillow you want to keep it for years. A pillow cover will protect your pillow from dust and stains while still maintaining comfort. In addition, regular wash cycles for your pillow will keep them fresh and fluffy.
Upgrade Bedding: Create a comfortable place to rest. Using higher quality linens allows for more comfort at night for more refreshed mornings. When searching for new linens, look for fabrics that are breathable and allow easy airflow. If you have concerns about allergens, organic cotton or linen-cotton blends without dye are great options.
Here at Crest, we provide expert dry cleaning services to keep your beautiful bedding bright and cozy for years.
Why choose Crest Advanced Dry Cleaners?
