At Classic Cleaners, we’re used to answering customers’ questions about their dry cleaning.   Usually the questions are about “shoulds”.

Here are a few examples:

“Should I keep the clothes in the bags once I get them home to keep them clean and nice?”
Classic Cleaners: You Shouldn’t. The plastic bags are to keep the fabrics clean until you get the clothes home (or until we deliver them to your home). The fabrics need to “breathe”.  Hang them uncovered or in cloth bags.

“Should I use club soda on my clothes if I spill something on myself at a party?”
Classic Cleaners: You shouldn’t. Even putting water on some fabrics can change the color.  Best to have a professional assess the stain before putting anything on the fabric.

“Should I bring in both pieces of a matching set or suit even if only one has a spot?”
Classic Cleaners: You should.  If both pieces are treated at the same time, the color is likely to continue to match.

“Should I save up my clothes until I have a load to bring to the dry cleaners?”
Classic Cleaners: Generally, you shouldn’t. First of all, the shorter the time a stain remains on the fabric, the more likely it can be removed.  If you need to wait, don’t pile up clothes in a closed car, where heat and sunlight can fade the fabrics.

“Should I tell the dry cleaner how the stain came about if I remember?”
Classic Cleaners: You should!  Since different stains need different treatment, the more we know about what the stain is and when it happened, the better.

Do YOU have a “should” question to pose to Classic Cleaners’ professionals?  Post a comment or send us an email!
 

by Reb of the Classic Cleaners Blog Team

At Classic Cleaners, we’re history buffs. Did you know that dry cleaning dates back to ancient times?  In the ruins of Pompeii, there were found records of professional clothes cleaners called “fullers”. The Dry Cleaning and Laundry Institute, an authority on all facets of dry cleaning, explains that a type of clay known as “fuller’s earth” was rubbed into fabric to absorb soil and grease.  (Centuries later, the Paris firm of Jolly-Belin was credited with being the very first dry cleaning firm.)

It’s fascinating to learn that fuller’s earth is very much in use today.  In fact, the U.S. is one of the largest exporters of the substance, which is found mainly in southeastern states.  Fuller’s earth has quite a number of modern commercial applications, including:

• Artificially aging the fabric of costumes to make them look older than they really are.
• As an ingredient in cat litter.
• To absorb grease off brake bands and winches of cranes and oilers.
• As a facial mask for skin care.
• To treat burns.
• To decontaminate the clothing and equipment of chemical/biological/radiological/nuclear emergency responders.

While Classic Cleaners history doesn’t go back quite as far as the fullers of Pompeii, our company has quite a story of its own. The first store was opened in January, 1985 in northeast Indianapolis, under the original name Professional Cleaners. Since that very first year, Classic Cleaners has been a member of the Dry Cleaning & Laundry Institute, the premier international trade association for garment care professionals since 1883.

You might say Classic Cleaners are the modern-day fullers of Indianapolis!

–Reb of the Classic Cleaners Blog Team

Despite the name, dry cleaning isn’t actually dry – the process does involve liquid, only that liquid isn’t water.  The basic goal of dry cleaning is the same as with laundry (should we call laundry “wet cleaning”?) – to remove dirt and stains from garments.

Have you ever thought about how washing actually gets clothes clean?  According to scienceclarified.com, most of the dirt that collects on clothing (or on our bodies or on dishes, for that matter) is surrounded by a layer of oil.  That’s the reason washing clothes in water with no detergent would not affect the dirt. (Since oil and water don’t mix, the water could never approach the dirt!)  That’s where detergent  and laundry soap come in – the detergent molecules attach at one end to the oily dirt, with the other end “attached” to the water molecules.  The dirt is “pulled” into the water, and it can then be rinsed right down the drain.

So why can’t we launder all our garments? Certain fabrics (silk, rayon, and wool blends, for example) don’t do well when put into water: 

• The fabric shrinks
• The garment shape becomes distorted
• The fabric fades or changes color because of a chemical reaction

How Stuff Works explains that water molecules interact with certain fibers to make them expand, contract, or change.  Because dry cleaning solutions have a chemical makeup that is different from water, garments typically don’t shrink or fade.  At the same time, though, the dirt and stains “attach” and float off the clothes.

At Classic Cleaners, we know both cleaning and laundry play an important part in protecting your wardrobe.  We carefully check the care labels of your garments and use the dry cleaning or laundering process that will produce the best cleaning results.  We even go the extra mile and clean your garments by hand when needed.  At Classic Cleaners, we keep those molecules marching in exactly the right direction!

—Reb of the Classic Cleaners Blog Team

From March 4 to March 10, 2010, we are offering a very special special! 50% off all men’s and women’s pants. It’s time gather up all of the pants in the house you need laundered or dry cleaned and make them spiffy for spring!

–Matt
The Classic Cleaners Blog Team