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Clothing Care Tips:
Drycleaning
Q. "How often should I dry clean my clothes?"
Well-groomed, neatly cleaned and pressed clothing looks great and can
make a stellar impression. With proper dry cleaning, your clothes will
look better longer. How often you should dry clean really depends on how
often you wear the garment and how well you take care of it between trips
to the cleaners.
Here are a few rules of thumb. If a garment is soiled or affected by perspiration
or odor, it should be dry cleaned as soon as possible. Light color garments
and frequently worn clothes are especially susceptible to dirt and require
more frequent cleaning. Have all matching pieces such as suits cleaned
at the same time. This prevents any inconsistencies resulting from color
changes. Always clean your garments before storing away for a season.
It’s also a good idea to give your clothes a “rest.” Do not wear the same
suit or sport coat two days it a row. By allowing time between wearings,
fabric fibers can regain their resiliency. Use proper hangers and don’t
jam your closets - provide enough room for your clothes to avoid wrinkling
and benefit from the circulation of air.
Proper care and storage will help prolong the life of your white
garments.
- Don't wear a white garment more than once between cleanings or washings.
Soil, body oils, perspiration, liquids and sugars can become "hidden
stains" that are more difficult to remove over time.
- Store your clothing in breathable bags. Remove the garments from the
drycleaing plastic covers. These plastic bags inhibit the fabric from
breathing and can promote the formation of mildew and cause fume fading
that will yellow whites.
- If you own matching sets of white clothing such as suits, sweater sets
or dresses with matching jackets, always have them cleaned at the same
time, whether or not they appear to be soiled. Dyes and fabric finishes
will change over time and with repeated wearing. To keep your matching
sets looking as new as possible, clean them together.
- Follow clothing care instructions. Proper care will help the garment
last longer.
Q. “Does frequent cleaning shorten the life of a garment?”
A. To the contrary, frequent cleaning actually prolongs the life of a
garment. Not only do stains set with age, making a piece of clothing unwearable,
but ground in dirt and soil act as an abrasive––just like
sandpaper––causing rapid wear of fibers. Also, insects are
attracted to soil and can cause further damage.
Research was conducted by the Department of Clothing and Textiles at the
University of North Carolina at Greensboro in cooperation with the School
of Textiles at North Carolina State University at Raleigh. They used the
Kawabata Evaluation System, which was developed in Japan. The research
showed that the various drycleaning processes have no negative effect
on the properties of wool in men’s suiting fabrics.
Q. “There has been a lot in the news lately about a hanger
shortage and its impact on drycleaning prices. Can we recycle our hangers?”
A. Definitely. Anton’s both reuses and recycles hangers. We recently
took an extra step to make it easier for customers to recycle hangers
by introducing a new hanger caddy. This handy storage container lets customers
stack hangers neatly, making recycling easier than ever. Just ask your
customer service person for the free caddies.
By the way, over 3.5 billion hangers end up in land fills every year.
Recycling is the responsible thing to do and we encourage all our customers
to return their hangers to Anton’s.
Q. “Does drycleaning shrink clothes?”
A. Usually not. The drycleaning process is carefully controlled by professional
cleaners.
Q. “I like the idea of same day service, but does it really get
the job done?”
A. Same day service is fine for most clothes without stains. As long as
they are brought by the time specified by the cleaner, the clothes can
be cleaned, dried and pressed and ready for pick up by the end of the
day. Some clothing items do need special attention and require more time.
When in doubt, point out the item and ask your drycleaner.
Q. “Why do some cleaners charge less for a man’s dress
shirt than they do for a woman’s blouse?”
A. About 20 years ago a controversy erupted over gender-based pricing
in the drycleaning industry and the International Fabricare Institute
stated that similar garments should cost the same amount to clean, regardless
of who’ll be wearing them. Men’s shirts are often constructed
in the same simple way – so they can be laundered and pressed on
automated equipment. Women’s shirts that are similarly constructed
and can be laundered should be priced the same as men’s laundered
shirt. If any men’s or women’s shirt needs to be drycleaned
because of fabric, ruffles or ornamentation, it will cost more than a
laundered shirt, but the drycleaning price should be the same regardless
of gender.
Q. “ I don’t like the chemical smell that sometimes
is in my clothes when I get them back from the drycleaner. What is this
and is it harmful?”
A. Dry cleaning uses a chemical solvent (instead of water) that removes
dirt and stains without shrinking or damaging fabrics. Some cleaners may
“filter” chemicals or use the same chemicals repeatedly. At
Anton’s, we recycle chemicals using a sophisticated distillation
process. We are one of a few cleaners to use totally clean solvent with
each load of clothes. We also randomly test cleaned garments with a halogenated
detector to ensure there’s no measurable residue when you pick up
your order.
Q. “Are all cleaners about the same? Frankly, I tend to
go to a store that’s close to where I live or work.”
A. Convenience is certainly a major consideration in selecting a dry cleaner.
That’s why there are so many stores in a community. Frankly, all
cleaners are not the same. Some are more experienced than others. Some
are very particular about having the latest cleaning equipment, while
some are less committed to the best possible processing of clothing. Also,
there are cleaners that are “production-driven.” Their primary
interest is in getting the most garments done as fast as possible. While
many cleaners operate their own cleaning plants, many others have a third
party do their work. If in doubt, ask questions. You want your clothes
to get the best possible care.
Q. “Last fall I put away a suit in a cedar chest I had worn
just once after having it cleaned. Yet, when I took it out this spring
to have it cleaned, it came back with holes all over it. My drycleaner
told me these were moth holes. Can this be right?”
A. You’re not alone. It’s a common occurrence. Wearing a garment
once is all it takes. In just one wearing, perspiration, body oils or
small food stains can be left in the fabric. And that’s all it takes
for moths to feast on a garment. The rule is simple: clean clothing before
storing.
Q. “I notice that Anton’s offers storage service.
If clothes are cleaned before they are stored until I need them late in
the fall, won’t they need to be cleaned again?”
A. As we indicated in the previous question, the rule is to clean clothing
before storing. Along with a potential moth problem, there are also stain
issues. For example, if you’ve put away a light colored sweater
for months without having it cleaned, you may have been surprised to see
a spot appear. It was invisible when you put it in the drawer or storage
box. But months later, there it was.
We clean all clothing that is stored at Anton’s. The garments are
hung on hangers and placed in our dust-free, temperature-controlled vaults.
Although the ideal environmental conditions in our vaults make re-cleaning
unnecessary, we press them so they are fresh and perfect when you call
to let us know you are ready to pick them up.
Q. “Why do white ‘dryclean-only’ become dingy
looking after drycleaning?”
A. Although this is a common problem, it is not necessary. Dirty solvent
generally causes it. You want to be sure you go to a drycleaner who uses
fresh, clear solvent at all times. There is no excuse for less than bright
whites.
Q. “What is wetcleaning?”
A. Drycleaners have a number of processes for cleaning clothes including
drycleaning, laundering and wetcleaning. Drycleaning uses solvent to remove
soils and stains from the fabric in specially designed machines. Drycleaning
gets its name because the solvent contains little or no water and does
not penetrate the fibers as does water.
Professional cleaners use laundering for shirts and other “washable”
items. Special detergents, additives, and finishes, not available for
the home, are used. Anton’s, for example, is one of a very few area
drycleaners licensed for Sanitone products that are formulated to give
laundered clothing a “bright” look.
As far as wetcleaning is concerned, the American Association of Textile
Chemists and Colorists defines professional wetcleaning as “a process
for cleaning sensitive textiles (e.g., wool, silk, rayon, linen) in water
by professionals using special technology, detergents, and additives to
minimize the potential for adverse affects. It is followed by appropriate
drying and restorative finishing procedures.” Professional wetcleaning
should not be confused with laundering, although it is. In general, one
of the downsides to wetcleaning is that it can cause significant changes
in texture and garment size, including shrinkage and stretching, meaning
many garments require longer finishing time.
The wide array of textiles available today requires both training and
experience to clean them properly.
Q. “What can I do to help prevent moth damage to my clothing?”
A. The best way to prevent moth damage is to have clothes cleaned before
storing them away. This will remove the stains that may attract moths,
as well as kill any remaining larvae. Also, cedar chips or mothballs can
be placed in the storage to help repel moths.
Q. “Why are my clothes not as clean as they should be after washing?”
A. Since most of us have so little time, we try to get everything done
as quickly as possible––including the laundry. Although today’s
detergents are highly efficient, certain stains require pre-treatment
or soaking in cold water before washing. All this takes extra time.
You can try adding a limited amount of extra detergent, reducing the size
of the load and using a longer wash cycle. You may also want to use a
chlorine or “all fabric” bleach. If you do, be sure to test
the fabric for colorfastness first.
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