The short answer is, “Dry cleaners charge more for extra large shirts because they cost the cleaner more to process.” Here’s why… About 80% of the cost of production in processing a shirt is the cost of labor. Most of the labor is spent on pressing the shirt. The dry cleaner uses special presses designed specifically for [...]
Archive for the ‘Clothing Care Tips’ category
Why do dry cleaners charge more for extra large shirts?
January 6, 2012How to Find the Garment Manufacturer
July 13, 2011The Federal Trade Commission, FTC, requires that every garment manufacturer who imports to, or manufactures clothing in, the US must register with them. The FTC also requires the manufacturers to attach a care label to their garments. In addition to instructions on at least one safe method of cleaning the garment, each care label must [...]
Why does dry cleaning turn clothes dingy gray?
June 2, 2011If you are a frequent dry cleaning customer, you may have noticed that sometimes your lighter colored garments come back dingy or grayish in color after dry cleaning. This problem is most often caused by a process called “redeposition”. The cause of redeposition is very similar to what happens to bath water when you take a bath, you become cleaner and the [...]
What’s an “Invisible Stain”?
May 27, 2011As unlikely as it sounds, there is a group of stains known as “Invisible Stains”. Most invisible stains are caused by either food, oily substances, or beverages. Although quite visible while its still wet, after it dries it becomes invisible. Later on, with exposure to heat or the passage of time, a yellow or brownish stain will appear. [...]
What is Wedding Gown Preservation?
December 28, 2010Few things are as cherished as a wedding gown. After the wedding, most brides will choose to preserve their dress as a keepsake, with the hope of passing it down to a daughter or close family friend. In order to preserve it properly, the gown must first be professionally cleaned. While a gown may not appear soiled, it is [...]
Comforters: Why some stains come out & some don’t?
December 28, 2010It’s a very common problem. When you have your comforter cleaned, some of the stains come out but some don’t. Why? The most likely reason is time. When it comes to stain removal, time is the biggest factor. The age of the stain often determines whether its removable or not. If treated quickly enough, in the hands of [...]
Can you unshrink clothes?
December 15, 2010Sometimes it is possible to reverse shrinkage. It all depends on the garment’s fabric. Some fabrics are much easier to unshrink than others, but with all garments, the goal is to ”relax” the fabric’s fibers. For dry clean only garments, applying steam is the most effective method to relax the fibers. In the dry cleaning industry the process is known as “blocking”. [...]
Does Dry Cleaning Kill Bed Bugs?
October 13, 2010Yes! Dry cleaning does kill bed bugs. Hot water washing and high-temperature drying will also be sufficient to kill the bugs. The temperature in the cleaning process must reach a minimum of 120°F (49º C) for 20 minutes. Heat from steam finishing will also kill the bugs. Toys, backpacks, or other small items can be placed in [...]
Is starch bad for my shirts?
March 25, 2010Most cleaners offer different levels of starch for their laundered shirts. The choices are typically; no, light, medium, and heavy. I recommend choosing “no starch”, for several reasons. 1. Comfort - Using no starch on your shirts is much more comfortable than using starch. Starch will make your shirts feel stiff, may cause itching, and it will prevent the fabric from breathing. [...]
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