What if the dry cleaner ruins your clothes?
Though many garments can be cleaned and pressed at home, using the services of a professional drycleaner is simply a must to properly care for most of today’s fine garments. The look and lifespan of your clothes can be greatly enhanced by having them serviced regularly by a clothing care expert.
However, not all drycleaners are created equal. The drycleaning industry has transitioned through many major changes over the past 50 years, some for the better and some for the worse. The good news is that there have been significant advances in the machinery and the chemicals used by drycleaners. Good drycleaners are doing a better job nowadays! The bad news is that while the number of drycleaning stores has been growing, the number of true clothing care experts has been shrinking. Servicing fine garments properly is not simple and there is a shortage of experienced talent in the drycleaning industry. This has lead to an unfortunate trend. According to the “DryCleaning & Laundry Institute”, an increasing number of garments are being damaged by inexperienced drycleaners!
So, what can you do to protect yourself? Here are three steps you can take before a problem arises…
1. PICK A GOOD CLEANER – To find a good cleaner go to 1-800-DryClean.com or call 1-800-379-2532. If there isn’t a 1-800-DryClean franchisee servicing your area, the next best place to look is on the Drycleaning & Laundry Institute’s (DLI) website. The DLI provides its members with advanced technical training on expert clothing care. Members are educated on the latest industry information, cleaning techniques, solutions for problem garments, finishing procedures, new regulations, and operating information. If members need help, DLI’s experts are just a phone call away.
2. GET TO KNOW YOUR CLEANER – Just like a good barber, a good cleaner will make an effort to get to know their customers. Not all customers are the same. Each one has individual preferences and special needs. Your cleaner should be interested in your unique needs. By establishing a relationship with the owner or manager of your cleaner, you will open up the channels of communication and fair much better if a problem arises down the road.
3. HELP THE CLEANER HELP YOU – Be sure to look over your clothes before you send them to the cleaner. If you notice anything that needs attention, like a stain or some repair work, point it out to the cleaner when you drop off your clothes. Especially, when it comes to stain removal, the more information you can give the cleaner, the better service he can provide you. This simple step will also greatly reduce the “blame game” if damage shows up after the clothes are cleaned. You want the cleaner to know that you routinely inspect your clothes before sending them in.
Even the best cleaner will occasionally damage garments. A certain amount of mechanical action is necessary to effectively remove the dust, body oil, and grime that build up on your clothes as you wear them. So, what should you do if your favorite cleaner ruins your shirt? By doing the following you will increase the likelihood of a positive outcome…
1. INFORM THE CLEANER ASAP – Bring the problem to the cleaner’s attention as soon as possible. Often garments that appear to be hopelessly damaged can be fixed. For example, residual soap stains on cotton shirts often appear to be burn marks, but they can be removed relatively easily. As time goes by, all stains become harder to remove, so immediate action is necessary.
2. REMAIN CALM & PATIENT – Having one of your favorite garments damaged can be very upsetting. However, there is no need to become overly frustrated before you talk to the cleaner. Most reputable cleaners take great pride in their work, they value their customers and they are very interested in keeping them happy. They don’t want to lose your business. Showing your frustration to the cleaner is usually unnecessary and can be very counterproductive. A little kindness, respect, and patience will go a long way and often makes a big difference in how the cleaner reacts.
3. LET THE CLEANER SUGGEST A SOLUTION – Rather than immediately make a demand for cash reimbursement. Give the cleaner some time to resolve the problem and let him suggest a solution. You may be surprised at the options that are available. For example, the cleaner may be able to contact the manufacturer and order an identical replacement garment for you. Cleaners are also often able to give much larger reimbursements if you are willing to accept a store credit rather than insist on a check.
4. GIVE THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT – Sometimes it’s not entirely clear whether the cleaner is negligent or if the damage was caused by something else. Especially if it’s the first time the garment was cleaned, it’s likely the damage was the result of a manufacturing defect. In order to keep costs low, manufacturers typically do not pre-wash garments before selling them. Sometimes during manufacturing, mistakes are made by humans and/or machines. If a manufacturing defect caused the problem, the garment should be returned to the place of purchase for a refund. Good cleaners will often offer to return the garment to the store for you, free of charge. If returning the garment to the retailer is not possible, you can contact the manufacturer directly. Wearing apparel is covered by the Federal Trade Commission’s Care Label Rule. Garments sold in the United States must have a permanent care label attached. All parts of the garment must be able to withstand the recommended care procedure. All care labels are required to have an RN (Registration Number) identifying the manufacturer. Using the RN, look up the manufacturer on the FTC website. Send the garment to the manufacturer via registered mail, return receipt, and include an explanation for the return.
5. GET THIRD PARTY TESTIMONY – If the cleaner is not eager to find a mutually agreeable solution, seeking an unbiased opinion from a knowledgeable third party should be your next step. 1-800-DryClean national headquarters in Ann Arbor Michigan offers laboratory analysis services for damaged garments through the International Textile Analysis Laboratory. For a fee of $46, they will literally put your garment under a microscope, run chemical analysis tests, and render their opinion on what caused the damage and who is ultimately responsible, all in a detailed summary report. This report can be very persuasive, especially if you end up in front of a judge in small claims court. They will also attempt to repair the damage if possible. To send your garment in for analysis, mail it to: 1-80o-DryClean, Attn: Lab Analysis, 3948 Ranchero Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48108. Please include your contact and mailing information along with a discription of the damage and a check made out to “1-800-DryClean” in the amount of $46 . If you have any questions, please call 888-700-6177 ext 700 and ask for Darrell New. 1-800-DryClean can also provide you with the International Fair Claims Guide for Consumer Textiles Products, which provides guidelines for responsibility for claims adjustment purposes for textile products.
Tags: damaged clothes, Dry Cleaning, find garment manufacturer, laboratory test
You can comment below, or link to this permanent URL from your own site.
October 21, 2009 at 2:39 PM
This blog is one of the most informative and helpful I have read. I especially enjoyed the section about the origination of words. I plan to refer to this blog for future reference when I have any concerns regarding my clothing. Thank you!!!
October 21, 2009 at 2:47 PM
Thanks, mom.
October 22, 2009 at 1:19 PM
Like the site. Hope it is utilized by others.
May 3, 2010 at 12:21 AM
Very informative and thoughtful site. The only improvement that I could ask for is a description of the kind of damage a dry cleaner can or can not cause. For example: a new item was returned with a 1/4 inch rip near the pant cuff seam, the damage was on the edge of a series of small creases. The owner and tailor are very sure the garment was not damaged beforehand. Your potential responses. The damage was caused by the ?????? process. Where the ?????? caught and ripped the material. This is infrequent, but can be caused by operator error especially with high thread count material. OR The cleaner does not use a process or machine that would cause the material to rip. A series of these examples would help communication between cleaners and patrons.
Regards
May 27, 2010 at 11:12 AM
Hello. I live in Chester nj and have been using a Korean owned cleaners named “my heart cleaners”. They have served me well for a year. Recently they lost a Brooks bros suit. I am heartbroken, it was a favorite. I have repeatedly inquired about a resolution and after many gently inquiries, am getting nowhere. The proposed solutions are “we need more time” and “I don’t know”, hardly reassuring. What is my next move? I think there is a cultural disconnedt as well. Thanks.
June 1, 2010 at 9:41 AM
Hi! It sounds like you have handled this the right way so far. Giving the cleaner your patience and plenty of time to find the lost suit is the right thing to do. However, you can’t wait forever. At some point the cleaner will need to step up and accept responsibility for the loss. Since you have been pleased with My Heart Cleaners up until now and it sounds like you would like to continue using their service, I recommend accepting a store credit with them, rather than demand cash. If you like, I will be happy to email you a claim form that you can fill out and give them.
July 21, 2010 at 11:10 PM
I am in a similar case.Please email me a claim form
December 1, 2010 at 2:47 PM
Hi!
I am having a problem with dry cleaner blaming the damage on manufacturer and manufacturer blaming improper care on me.
Basically, I have purchased a raincoat in March and had it dry cleaned for the first time in November. After the cleaning, tiny little holes started to appear all over the raincoat. Dry cleaner wrote me a letter saying the material and special water resistant top coat were defective and manufacturer should take the blame for the damage. They suggested I bring the raincoat back to manufacturer for reimbursement. The manufacturer denied any such possibility and claimed the damage was probably caused by insects in my closet, which is not the case. I do not have any insects chewing on my clothes in my closet and I do not have any similar damage on any of my other clothes.
What should I do now? Should I send the raincoat for laboratory analysis to get an independent opinion?
December 1, 2010 at 5:59 PM
Yes, I think it’s time for the lab to take a look at it.
February 19, 2011 at 7:47 AM
Hi. I have two dry cleaning issue. Someone spilled bbq sauce on my leather handbag. It was a pretty expensive handbag that my parents bought for me 8 years ago. I found these dry cleaners who advertised that they clean leather bags. I dropped off my handbag and picked it up a week after. When I arrived home to look at the bag, my handbag did not look like real leather anymore. It was spray painted with an uglier brown color. On top of that, the handbag had a lot of charms and gold plated metal which was covered in spray paint, one charm is missing, and one of the charms broke off because I found it in the bag.
The second issue is that when I picked up the handbag, I also picked up a football jersey. The jersey is similar to an authentic but not really but still looks very much like what the pros wear. These cleaners have cleaned the jersey at least 4 times already and had no problem with them what so ever. Recently, they informed me that there was a fabric stain on the numbers which is white. The guy told me that the fabric wasn’t good and there is nothing that they can do and that I should return the item to the retailer. The problem is that the jersey was given to me as a gift from a relative who lives across the Atlantic Ocean. As far as the bag issue. They gave me an “I don’t know look”.
What should I do? I no longer trust these cleaners and I refuse to do business with them. I am really upset about what has happened to my things.
March 1, 2011 at 11:16 AM
Hi Di,
Your handbag may be repairable. It depends on what type of spray they used on it. I recommend sending it to a different cleaner that specializes in leather. I can help you locate one in your area or you can mail your handbag to Ram Leather in St. Louis MO, http://www.ramleather.com, they are the very best leather cleaner in the country.
Your football jersey may be repairable too. I would also take it to a different cleaner. If it can’t be fixed and you are interested in replacing it, you can try locating the manufacturer by using the Registration Number on the care label.
I would also send a claim for damages to the cleaner that did this. I will be happy to email you a claim form. Good luck!
May 6, 2011 at 2:54 PM
Quick question. My dry cleaner is claiming I “over-sprayed” a chemical on a 100% yellow cotton polo which now has light brown and tan stains all over it after it had been dry cleaned! I don’t use harsh chemicals around my house and my dry cleaning clothes are kept in a separate area from my normal laundry. The two other cotton shirts are fine that I picked up. Any suggestions?
May 9, 2011 at 8:30 AM
Hello,
It certainly is possible that the cleaner is responsable for this damage. However, based on your discription and the cleaner’s explanation, I doubt that it’s due to any negligence on the part of the cleaner. This may be an “invisible stain”. As unlikely as it sounds, there is a type of stain that doesn’t appear until “after” the garment has been cleaned. Unfortunately, there is no quick and easy way to determine the real cause of the damage. If you like, we can send your shirt to the DLI’s Garment Analysis Laboratory. They will literally put your shirt under a microscope and run tests on the fabric damaged areas. Email me at darrell.new@1-800-dryclean.com if you are interested. Thanks for your question!
June 13, 2011 at 10:04 AM
We just got your yellow shirt back from the lab. The lab tested the stains and discovered they can be removed using “rust remover”. Your cleaner should have a bottle of it.
May 20, 2011 at 5:48 PM
Hello,
I purchased a bright white linen jacket last year from Talbots (a women’s better clothing store). I bought it for a particular event and did not wear it again in 2010. This year I lamented having paid as much as I did, considering I only wore it once, and vowed to wear it more this summer. Since it’s linen, it needed to be steamed out, and after only wearing it once, the collar was a little soiled, so I took it to a local cleaners I’ve used for several years. When I picked it up, the jacket was pinkish/dingy – not at all the bright white it originally was!!
I took it back the next morning along with the matching belt to show how the color was drastically different. They sent the jacket off to the plant be cleaned again and this time included the belt as an example of how bright the jacket should be.
When it came back it looked even sadder than before. As if it had been cleaned and pressed even harder. But the color was still dingy with a pink undertone. The owner suggested hand-washing but I declined because i don’t think soap alone will remove the obvious garment dye that has been absorbed into the jacket. Besides, the label says DRY CLEAN Only.
There is probably a language barrier, but nothing she said in explaining the problem or recommended solutions made any sense to me. The plant owners suggfest that if I get it dry clean several more times that the colors will be ‘better’ (faded?).
I am very disappointed that they haven’t been able to bring this jacket back to white, and all they are offing is to repeatedly dry clean until it fades to white. If you were a doctor and your coat looked like this, you would throw it away rather than be seen wearing it. I know I will never wear it again. So I asked if they would reimburse me for the cost (I thought I remembered it costing $125). She refused saying they would only MAYBE pay $50. Well, today it looks like something that was found in a 2nd-hand store, that might have once cost $50. But I cannot replace this jacket for $50.
The owner gave me the name and contact info for the owners of the cleaning plant and said I should call them. – but first she wanted to call and explain to them what I’ve said. It’s possible they don’t speak english very well. I said I’d call them. I left with the jacket and its pristine white tie- belt which is made from the same fabric.
I made a trip to the store where I purchased the jacket and after explaining what happened, they used my phone number to track all the purchases I’ve made in the past year and found the white linen jacket bought in April 2010 for $149. It’s the closest I can show the true cost, since I don’t have my receipt for the jacket from a year ago.
What would you recommend that I do?
Thanks
May 24, 2011 at 11:41 AM
Hi Janet,
It sounds like the cleaner must have cleaned a “red” colored garment with your jacket and some of the red dye transfered to your jacket. The cleaner should accept responsiblity for the damage, however they are correct that drycleaning it a few more times may remove all of the red dye. So, I would recommend letting them at least try to remove the dye. If they can’t return your jacket to the same color as your belt, then they should offer to reimburse you for the suit. If they don’t want to pay you the $149, they should at least offer you a store credit.
December 1, 2011 at 11:29 PM
I also have a similar problem- I dropped off my off white coat, it had some makeup stains by the collar and a few dark spots near the cuffs, when I went to pick it up the coat looks nothing like it did before! It looks dirty and dingy, even the inside lining has gotten a darker shade. The drycleaners are blaming me and not taking responsibility for it, I bought it from the US banana republic store but I live in Canada. I told the drycleaners I have pictures of this coat which he told me was useless and instead called me a stupid b*tch, then charged me twice the amount than the reciept he originally gave me. He told me every reciept has a statement which allows him to charge more, which also includes a customer signature which I did not sign. I paid over $150 for this coat and he won’t own up to his mistake. How should I go about this situation? Will pictures be good enough evidence plus the coat in the state it is in?? Please help me, I want to teach this guy a lesson, no customer deserves to be sworn at.
Thanks
December 10, 2011 at 1:26 PM
It is truly amazing how poorly some businesss owners treat their customers. If I may speak for all of the adult behaving, responsible, honest, and professional drycleaners in our industry, please accept our deepest felt apology for being exposed to this type of childish rude behavior. This type of conduct is a major embarrassment for everyone of us. And its over such a simple problem, “redeposition”. Its actually quite likely that cleaning your coat again, but this time using clean solvent, will return your coat to like new condition. I recommend taking your coat to another dry cleaner. Tell them exactly what happened. Its very likely they will be able to fix your coat. As far as proving the damage goes, having the photo is helpful, but the coat itself shoudl be evidence enough. The cause of this exact type of problem is routinely determined by the Drycleaning & Laundry Institute’s Garment Analysis Laboratory. Though no longer available to the public, members of the DLI can send garments to the lab for testing. We are a member in good standing with the DLI and I will be happy to send in your dress to the lab for analysis, if need be.
May 23, 2011 at 2:18 PM
Hello,
A Dry Cleaner ruined my wife’s dress, a very expensive one. Insted of taking out a stain, they crated more bad stains (actually the colors may have run) and made a whole in the dress. They decline any responsability, claiming they have no knowlege whether the whole was there before, and they are not responsible for the way chemicals work on fabrics. They are rude and, on top of everything, demand payment for dry-cleaning to even return the dress.
Any advice? What can I do?
Thank you in advance!
May 24, 2011 at 12:03 PM
Hi Oleg,
When a dry cleaner receives a stained garment from a customer, they are faced with two opposing desires. On the one hand, they want to remove the stain for the customer, but on the other hand, they don’t want to damage the garment in the process. Unfortunately, not all stains can be removed from every garment, so damage does sometimes occur when attempting to remove a stain. In general, I am very forgiving and understanding with the cleaner when it comes to stain removal. If they damage the garment while attempting to remove a stain, I usually let it slide.
In this case though, claiming that they had no knowledge of whether the hole was there before is no excuse. They should have inspected the dress before AND after cleaning, so they should know whether the hole was there before or not. In addition, for them to claim that they are not responsible for the way chemicals work on fabrics is ridiculous. They should pre-test chemicals before they use them on fabrics to make sure that they will not cause damage.
I recommend presenting them with a damage claim. I can email you a damage claim template if you need one. darrell.new@1-800-dryclean.com
If they refuse to pay the claim and they are unwilling to offer you a store credit, then I recommend sending your dress to the lab for analysis.
June 3, 2011 at 12:34 AM
I have a slipcovered white linen sofa. I have had the sofa for 2 years and have taken it to be drycleaned several times. I took it to a new local cleaner who said, “we clean these all the time”. I picked up the slipcover today and went home and many of the seams are ripped apart or stressed. The owner actually said, “You have the slipcover that needs to be sewn” which I replied, “no, my slipcover doesn’t need to be sewn.” Nothing else was said except that they were bagging it for me…I was disturbed that they let me take it home knowing the condition they had caused. I took it back very soon after and they claim that they can restretch the slipcover and resew the seams. Not sure how this will work since the fabric is frayed where the seams broke. They told me they washed it in the machine and that ys common practice for linen. What do I need to do if this doesn’t fix it?
June 3, 2011 at 9:07 AM
Hi Katie,
It’s good that they are admitting that the damage happened while the slipcover was in their possession. If it can’t be fixed, they should offer to reimburse you for your loss. If they don’t offer it, you should insist on reimbursement. I can email you a claim form, if you like.
June 15, 2011 at 1:10 PM
Hello,
My mom took a white suit to the cleaners to be cleaned about a week and a half ago. She has taken this suit to that dry cleaners before and didn’t have any problems. This time when she got the suit back, the lining in the jacket was horribly ripped. She pointed it out to them and they told her that she would have to pay for it. She didn’t feel like she should since it was their error. They told her to come back today so she could talk to the manager. She did and she said it didn’t go well at all. The manager accused her of calling him a liar, yelled and fussed back at her, and said that she shouldn’t stomp and throw a tantrum like she’s a 3 year old. Needless to say, she came home crying. She said she know it was the cleaners who messed it up because she said if you bring in an already damaged garment, they tag it as damaged. They did not tag her jacket. The way she said the manager carried on, he hardly wants to reimburse her. She feels like she was treated unfairly.
June 15, 2011 at 3:21 PM
This type of rude unprofessional treatment of customers is an embarrassment to every good cleaner in the industry. If I may speak for our industry, please tell your Mom that we sincerely apologize. Unfortunately, there are far too many uneducated, low class, buffoons managing dry cleaning plants nowadays. If you like, we can send it to the lab for analysis for her. The lab can possibly determine what happened and hopefully the cleaner will respect their findings and agree to reimburse her. Please email me at Darrell.new@1-800-dryclean.com if you want to go this route.
July 28, 2011 at 7:07 PM
I recently picked up a suit that I had cleaned and it has black spots all over it like mold. They aid they have no idea how it happened and would reclean it for free. I went back today and the spots did not come out and they told me it was the interfacing that caused the damage. I dont understand that theory at all. So I guess I will be talking to the manager tomorrow!
August 3, 2011 at 6:13 PM
Hello,
I recently left my wedding dress into the dry cleaners, they said it would take a week. When I went back the next week they told it had not been cleaned yet and was I in a hurray for it, I explained I was selling the dress and they told me to come back next week. My husband picked up the dress and when he brought it home I have discovered that the flower on the back of the dress is gone and it actually looks like it has been cut off. This has totally ruined the dress and if they had of told me this would have happened I would never have left in to be dry cleaned. Do I have any rights?
August 5, 2011 at 1:45 PM
You do have rights. However, taking off ornaments prior to cleaning is common practice. Have you asked them if they have it?
August 24, 2011 at 6:14 AM
Good Morning,
I took my comforter to a local cleaners so that they could clean and remove any feathers attached. I have just been diagnosed with asthma so I needed it cleaned before putting it back on my bed. My comforter is a black and white Damask print and when I picked it up it looked dingy and grey; like it had been put into the dryer. I returned home only to retrieve the matching pillow to show the cleaner the difference in color. The cleaner stated that she would consult with her boss regarding my comforter. Is it fixable? Also, can the claim form be e-mailed to me.
August 25, 2011 at 10:46 AM
Hello,
It sounds like either “redeposition” or dye transfer. If its redeposition, recleaning it in clean solvent should fix it. However, if its dye transfer then very little can be done. If this is the first time you’ve had the comforter cleaned, you should be able to return it to the store for a refund, if its dye transfer.
September 19, 2011 at 3:04 PM
Hello,
I have a wool jacket with a vinal trim. When I brought it to the cleaners, she asked if it were leather and I said no. When I went back today, she said the material was ‘hardened to plastic’ in the dry cleaning process. The coat is tagged with “Dry Cleaning Only”. Is the cleaner responsible?
Thanks for your help.
September 29, 2011 at 10:45 AM
In general, cleaners are not responsible for damage if they follow the care label instructions. However, the instructions are sometimes wrong, so an item like yours (expensive and rarely cleaned) should always be “pre-tested” prior to cleaning to see if the garment will hold up during the cleaning process. Do you know if they pre-tested the fabric?
September 19, 2011 at 5:04 PM
I took my custom-made velvet draperies to the local drycleaner. All was fine, apparently, until they tried to press the drapes in the iron press. The iron burned the velvet fabric as well as discoloring it in the spot where the iron press was used. The drycleaner immediately stopped trying to use the press at that time and called me in to show me the ruined drape. My question is, what exactly is the drycleaner responsible for? The fabric has been discontinued, so it’s not an easy fix. Is the drycleaner responsible for full replacement of the draperies including labor or just the cost of the new fabric? I have already been told they will try to help if they can, but that if they are asked to pay for this mistake, it will likely put them out of business! I feel bad, but shouldn’t someone be responsible for this mistake? What are my options?
September 29, 2011 at 10:56 AM
Velvet fabric can be very difficult to safely clean and press. Items, like drapes, that are rarely cleaned are often damaged in the cleaning the process. Custom made items are notorious for not holding up well during cleaning and pressing. For these reasons, your cleaner should have asked you to sign a release before attempting to clean your drapes. Even though it will be difficult to arrive at an exact cost, since you made these drapes yourself, the cleaner should be willing to reimburse you for the full replacement cost. However, I do recommend accepting a store credit rather than demand cash.
September 28, 2011 at 5:00 PM
I recently had several shirts embroidered for our company. To replace them is about $80 – $100 each after embroidery. 7 shirts all have similar stains in similar places. In a calm manner, I requested resolution. The local lab says “overspray of a substance. Because these are uniform shirts, it is most likely a substance used in the workplace”. The shirts have not been used for work, only for sales and show. I never get my “pretty boy shirts” dirty and could not get all of the stains in the same place if I tried. One other shirt has black lint inside the collar… we would never wash light colored shirts with black and these shirts have only been taken care of by the dry cleaner. The shirts are cotton dress shirts. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
September 29, 2011 at 11:04 AM
I agree. The fact that all seven shirts have the same stain in the same place virtually proves that the cleaner caused the stains. However, these types of stains can typically be removed relatively easily. I recommend taking the shirts to a different cleaner to see if the stains can be removed.
September 29, 2011 at 5:59 PM
Thank you kindly for your confirmation on the issue. Reality checks help… I took everything to a drop-off location, so, still waiting for the owner to call back. Thank you once again, sir.
October 21, 2011 at 9:15 AM
Hello,
I bought a lovely and (originally) expensive coat at a consignment shop and took it to a very reputable dry cleaner for cleaning. The fabric was velvet with a quilted lining. The coat came back and the velvet was completely melted and dissolved everywhere except the pockets! The dry cleaner said he used the exact same solvents that were recommended in the cleaning tag on the coat and that he has seen this kind of thing happen with items made in China. But this coat was made in Italy by a well known UK manufacturer (though I suppose the fabric could have been made elsewhere), anyway, it was not a cheap coat. The dry cleaner says it’s not his fault, and I should contact the manufacturer. I paid $75 for the coat but it’s original price is probably in the $700 range. Have you any suggestions?
October 25, 2011 at 12:54 PM
Hi Frances,
This type of damage does sound like a manufacturing defect. The coat’s care label should have a registration number you can use to find the manufacturer. I would start there. Please let us know how it goes and thank you for your post!
October 31, 2011 at 10:59 AM
I recently had an alpaca and wool sweater cleaned and was shocked to find that it came back with two holes in it. I’m assuming that there were some stains that they were trying to remove, but I didn’t expect holes!! Not only was I disturbed by their poor handling of the garment but the fact that the cleaner did not have the courtesy to call me and let me know what had happened also shocked me. I guess they decided to put the ball in my court and if I didn’t complain they could go on their merry way doing irresponsible work!
November 9, 2011 at 11:36 AM
You are right. The cleaner should have noticed the holes and told you about them. How big are the holes? Where are they located on your sweater?
November 5, 2011 at 4:55 PM
I sent 5 cocktail dresses, 2 party dresses, 1 toddler dress, and 2 long sleeve shirts to the dry cleaner… I picked it up today and 3 of my 5 cocktail dresses where ruined, the toddle dress and the 2 shirts where also ruined… They r trying to fix it but more all of the garment were new… What do i do?
November 9, 2011 at 11:33 AM
Please discribe the condition of the ruined items. It sounds like something may have happened to an entire load of clothes.
November 19, 2011 at 6:30 PM
I took three leather purses to a dry cleaner and asked the employee if they could be cleaned safely?
She said yes and explained the process to me. I asked are you sure they won’t ruin them? She laughed and told me they will be ok.
I went to get them and the leather was stiff and discolored one. The other no difference. the other bag looked like a bleached mark and also the leather felt funny. The owner won’t work with me. What can I do????
November 24, 2011 at 1:40 PM
It sounds like the cleaner used the wrong type of solvent to clean your purses. This damage is obviously their fault. They should at least offer to give you a store credit. When they spoke with you, did they at least acknowledge that they caused the damage? What exactly did they say? If necessary, we can send your purses to the lab for analysis, to prove to them that they are responsible for the damage.
November 22, 2011 at 5:30 PM
I brought in a once worn Mabitex khaki pants with 3 spot stains that appeared to be from red wine. When I went to pick it up they showed me that in place of the stains, there are now noticeable dark spots on the khakis and they said they couldn’t remove them. They said they would trying some other things during the weekend and I am supposed to pick them up this week. If they cannot remove these stains what are my options?
November 24, 2011 at 2:00 PM
It sounds like their efforts to remove the stain has caused these dark spots to appear. This may or may not be due to negligence on their part. The lab may or may not be able to determine whether they were negligent. Are you sure the original stains were actually from wine? Did you tell the cleaner that you thought the spots were wine stains?
When attempting to remove a stain, the cleaners are caught between two opposing desires. On one hand they want to remove the stain, but on the other hand they want to avoid causing additional damage to the fabric in the process. At what point to “give up” in their efforts to remove the stain is often unclear. Of course, as the consumer of drycleaning service, we want the cleaner to remove the stain completely without causing any damage to the fabric. Unfortunately, depending on the stain and the fabric, that is not always possible. If they cannot remove the stain, they may offer to reimburse you for the damage they caused. If they don’t, there is very little you can do to force them to compensate you for your loss. After all, the wine stains were there before they cleaned the pants. I assume they offered you no type of guarantee that they could successfully remove the stains. Correct?
November 23, 2011 at 3:20 PM
Hi
I dropped off a silk shirt that had metallic bugle beads and other silver beads. I picked up the shirt and the bugle beads are clear and the silver beads are blk. The metallic was melted off. I didnt look at the shirt when I picked it up but should have known better since they charged me $14 for 2 shirts. What recourse do I have?
November 24, 2011 at 2:07 PM
Take the shirt back to them and show them what happened. If they did not follow the care label instructions, then its their fault and they should be willing to reimburse you for the damage they caused. If they did follow the care label instructions, this problem is a manufacturing defect. In that case, the retailer where you purchased the garment should be willing to reimburse you for the loss. If not, the cleaner may be willing to replace the beads for you, free of charge. You may be able to find very similar, if not the exact same beads at your local fabric store.
November 29, 2011 at 11:52 PM
Hi,
I had several items laundered at a dry cleaner. So when I went to pick them up I asked to go through my order and count the items. They went over it with me and skipped one of my dresses on the order. They told me I had everything. I noticed and told them I was missing a dress. They said they would have it later in the day. I came back and they told me the item had been damaged. They said that the beading had melted. I have a feeling they knew it was damaged and wanted me to leave with out the dress. I had the employee write another order just for the dress so I could have record that it was not picked up. I would assume that since they have not let me see the dress it is most likely in bad condition. They told me that they would call me when it’s ready. How do I proceed from here and what is a reasonable solution? I don’t want to be taken advantage of.
Thanks.
November 30, 2011 at 11:08 AM
Hi Tera,
Even though they have handled this problem very poorly, the damage may or may not be due to negligence on their part. If they followed the care label instructions, this is actually a fairly common type of manufacturing defect. Was this the first time you cleaned this dress? If they are unable to fix your dress, I recommend taking it back to the store where you bought it for a refund. You should also use a different dry cleaner in the future.
December 1, 2011 at 1:22 AM
Thank you for the quick reply. I have had the dress dry cleaned before with no problems. I finally got to see my dress and strangely the beads did not melt but instead they showed me the white part of the dress turned brown… They said they used a stronger perc formula than most dry cleaners and that’s why it turned brown. I don’t know if that’s true but they are going to take it to another dry cleaner that uses “green” techniques. If the dress is not fixed are they responsible?
Thanks.
December 10, 2011 at 1:05 PM
I’ve never heard of “stronger perc”, but I have seen dirty perc cause fabric to turn dingy, and dye or ink contaminated perc change the color of the fabric. The manner in which they are handling this simple service issue makes one think they are not being completely honest about what happened to your dress. Guilty of negligence or not, if they cannot repair your dress to your satisfaction, they should offer to reimburse you for the loss.
December 13, 2011 at 2:29 AM
Hello Thank you for your help. It’s been 3 weeks and I’m still trying to get the dress back. The dress is two toned so the top is white and the bottom half is black with 3 rows of black beading around the waist. they tried to give it back to me today and the brown part of the dress is now white but the first row of beading has now turned blue. It looks like they might have dipped it in bleach or something. I’ve gone at least 4 times to pick up the dress and everytime it’s not the condition i’ve sent it in. I gave them the address and phone number of the manufacturer which is just a few blocks away. Would a third party analysis help to figure out what they are really doing to the dress? I’m not sure where to go with this. The owner also mentioned to me that they will be closing their business in a few months. Thanks.
December 14, 2011 at 12:33 PM
Hi Tera,
A lab analysis would be informative, however considering everything that’s happened, it would most likely be a waste of money. In the end, this cleaner will either be willing to reimburse you for your loss or they won’t. If they won’t, I doubt a lab report will motivate them to do the right thing, especially considering that they are going out of business soon. If the rest of the dress is okay now, it may be possible to replace the damaged beading. If you can’t find an exact match, you could consider replacing all of the beads. I recommend taking the dress to an alterationist to see if they can replace the beads.
December 15, 2011 at 12:07 AM
Thank you for your advice. Changing out the beading is a really good idea. I wish the dry cleaners I went to was more creative and capable of a solution. It turns out the company isn’t even a dry cleaners. They pay someone else to clean their items for a whole sale price. So they are not experts in the cleaning process or how to salvage/ repair clothing.
This was a pretty long battle but after a very long dicussion they finally they paid me. Whew. Thanks again.
December 16, 2011 at 12:10 AM
Please help! I bought at $1500 wedding dress and my mother brought it to the cleaners in June after my May 28th wedding. In August she picked it up and paid for it, brought it home to me and i was devastated. The dress was now a coffee stain tan, all the pickups in the dress were torn, and the seaming connecting the bodice to the skirt is showing. The 100% silk dress looks kike stained cotten sheets now. I immediately brought it back. They said they would reclean the dress and reimbursed me for the cost of the cleaning. Now, almost 6 months later and several calls, they said my dress was ready to be picked up. I picked up the dress and not a thing has been done to fix it. There are holes where they hung the dress with large safety pins through the silk and nothing was repaired or pressed. I asked the women if I could have the name of her manager or the name of the owner, she flat out told me that she didnt know the name of her manager or the owner and couldnt give me any contact info. Obvisously she was lying.
Not only can i never give my dress to a family member, I can never sell it, or even give it to goodwill. I dont know what my rights are or what my next step should be to get compensated for this extordinary loss. Please, any advice will help.
December 16, 2011 at 3:35 PM
Hello Johanna,
The damage you describe sounds like “redeposition”. Its what happens when garments are cleaned in dirty cleaning solvent. If it is redeposition, there is a very good chance that the damage can be significantly, if not completely, reversed. I recommend sending your dress to a professional wedding gown restoration service. There may be one near you. If not, Ram Leather, in St. Louis MO, http://www.ramleather.com, is one of the very best in the country and their prices are very reasonable. Give them a call and ask for Pat, he’s the owner. Tell him I sent you. If he can’t fix your wedding dress, nobody can. Good luck!
December 24, 2011 at 1:50 PM
Hi and Merry Christmas to you all.
My boyfriend collected my new silk dress from the dry cleaners today, I’ve just got home and took a look at it and it looks like it hasn’t been cleaned! To top it off it has been damaged! It has a 30cm pull in the silk which I swear wasn’t done by me and not there when we dropped it off. Its a new Reiss dress I’ve still got the receipt and I’ve only worn it the once then took it to the cleaners. I’m quite upset as the dress wasn’t cheap and now regardless that they haven’t cleaned it and have charged me for not actually doing anything to it, I’ll not be able to wear it again with out this long and noticeable catch/pull on the dress that can’t be fixed. Where do I stand? Should the dry cleaner pay me for my dress?
December 25, 2011 at 9:07 PM
Hello Jale,
Good dry cleaners routinely reimburse their customers for damage that they cause. It’s simply an expense of doing business. However, this is one of those, “better to use honey, than vinegar” situations. I recommend you take the dress back to the cleaner and tell them what happened. Try to stay emotionally detached and, even though you are rightfully frustrated, do your best to keep a light and friendly demeaner. People tend to treat people in the same fashion as they are being treated. The cleaner should be willing to reimburse you for the cost of cleaning or at least offer a store credit. They should also offer to at least try to repair the snag. (However, snagged silk is usually not repairable to the customer’s satisfaction.) A good cleaner will also offer to reimburse you for the damage you believe they have caused, even if they are not 100% sure that they caused it. Again, its simply part of doing business. Good luck and please let us know how it goes!
January 6, 2012 at 5:20 PM
I purchased a wool coat last year. Some of the buttons were loose and came off. The coat had never been cleaned and needed it. I took it to a dry cleaner in my town (a place I had never used before). I picked up my camel coloured coat and took it home. When I took the plastic off, I realized that the coat is threadbare all over with a discoloured mark down the front. The drycleaner is not acknowledging the discolouration at all and is stating that the coat was moth eaten. I paid $275 for the coat and no longer have the receipt. They mentioned sending it to a lab and I told them fine. After a month of hearing nothing, I went into the drycleaners to get an update. I was told that they wanted me to pay $100 to send it to a lab. When I told them no, I asked for my coat back. They told me no. I repeated stated I wanted my property back, that I had paid for the cleaning/repair, and they had no right to keep it. After another 5 demands at this point, I finally got it back. I refuse to pay $100 for a lab to look at the coat. This is their problem, they should be paying for it. What are my rights and options?
January 13, 2012 at 8:57 AM
Hello Deb,
You are correct, they should be covering the cost of the lab. I will be happy to send it to the Drycleaning & Laundry Institute’s lab for only $40. This is probably your best option. If the cleaner is found to be negligent, they should reimburse you for the loss, plus the lab fee.
Unfortunately, there is really no way to force the cleaner to reimburse you. Taking them to small claims court is an option, but even if you win and get a judgement against them, they can still refuse to pay. The court will not get involved in collecting the money owed you.
January 9, 2012 at 1:01 PM
Hi,
I recently had my $5,000 wedding dress dry cleaned. The dry cleaner assured me that this was something they did frequently, and the beading and crystal work on the dress would be fine. They said that they send out the dresses to be cleaned and preserved. They had said that there are only three places in the US that actually cleans the dresses. Well, the dress came back missing a majority of the sequences and bead work. They strapped the dress in the box along a line of beads which upon shipping, has all unraveled. The dry cleaner has offered to send it back to Texas be repaired. The issue is, when it is returned, it will be in a sealed box. I will not be able to inspect the back of the dress to check that it was repaired fully. I am also concerned that the silver thread and replacement beads may not be the same quality. Is it unreasonable to ask the cleaner to have the designer, who is located in the area-NY, to make the repairs at the dry cleaners cost? I would also like it preserved after the repairs are made (I’ve already paid for the preservation). The dry cleaner has admitted that he has never had a dress come back with so much beading missing. I told him not to send the dress back yet, but he doesn’t understand why. Thanks for any help and advice!!
January 13, 2012 at 9:07 AM
Hi Christine,
Having the designer do the repairs is a good idea! The cleaner may actually agree. If not, there may be another less expensive tailor or alterationist near you that the cleaner will agree to use. Either way, the company that did the restoration should be willing to reimburse the cleaner for the repair cost.
January 12, 2012 at 6:53 PM
Hello. In 2008 I purchased a set of custom drapes for $3700. Right before Christmas of 2011 I took them to a dry cleaner to be cleaned. When I went to pick them up they said there was a problem. On one drape the colors bled through to the white lining leaving the one of the set discolored. My husband went to pick them up and did not accept the drapes when they showed him the problem and left them there. We then went back and brought her the original receipt to see if she would replace them. The dry cleaner was a bit surprised at the price, but we told her we would get a new estimate to replace them. When we returned with the new estimate, which obviously is more expensive, she said she would give us $1,000.00 and that the drapes depreciated.
We asked her if she called her insurance company and she would not respond only to say she can give us $1,000.00
This is not acceptable.
What are your thoughts? I appreciate your input.
January 13, 2012 at 9:31 AM
Hi Sherry,
The cleaner is right about the depreciation. According to the Consumer Fair Claims Guide for Consumer Products and Textiles, your lined draperies have an expected life span of five years. Assuming four years of depreciation, your drapes are really only worth $740. I recommend taking the $1000.
By the way, dry cleaners do commonly carry many types of insurance including, general liability insurance, fire insurance, workers comp insurance, health insurance, etc. However, in over 25 years of dry cleaning industry experience, I have never seen insurance available that would cover a cleaner for damage to garments caused in the cleaning process. As far as I’m aware, there are no insurance companies willing to write that type of policy.
January 17, 2012 at 2:48 PM
Hi, I’ve been getting my white shirts serviced by local dry cleaners for about six months and all’ve been fine up to recently till I dropped my wife’s coat for dry cleaning. The main fabric is polyester and the coat’s label reads ”professional dry cleaning only” and that is the type of cleaning the cleaners claim they had applied. But the coat came out ruined, it feels like plastic now, you can’t even bend it, it’s coarse and absolutely unwearable. I brought it to their attention immediately and they said they did everything according to the label instructions. They took it back and said they can only try repairing it using something( the receipt they gave me says ”ok to try plasterizer” – wonder what that means) but they guy who took it back didn’t express much optimism about repairing it. So I don’t expect them to fix it, and if they fail I was wondering what my next move should be? If we find out that the manufacturer is responsible for that, is there any chance to make them(the manufacturers) reimburse it without the proof of purchase, cause we don’t have any receipt as the coat was purchased more than a year ago and we sure didn’t keep it? It’s really frustrating cause we paid about a hundred dollars for that coat and that was my wife’s favorite! I will appreciate any advice cause I’ve never been in such a situation before. Thank you!
January 25, 2012 at 11:00 AM
Good news Ivan, in most cases you do not need a receipt in order to get reimbursement. Rather than contacting the manufacturer directly, I recommend taking the coat back to the retailer where you purchased it. Most large reputable retailers maintain strong relationships with the manufacturers. They will most likely be willing to reimburse you with at least a store credit. They will then in turn seek reimbursement from the manufacturer.