You took your favorite dress to your Dry Cleaner for a professional clean and when you got it back, it was damaged.

Should your dry cleaner reimburse you for the damage?

Yes, he should if it was the Dry Cleaner’s error.  Every garment comes with a care label.  The care label is placed in a garment by the manufacture of the garment advising on how the item should be washed.  Following the manufature’s cleaning instructions is imperative to maintaining the garment’s integrity and ensuring it looks “like new” after a cleaning. 

All dry cleaners are required to launder or dry clean the item according to the care label.  If the dry cleaner did not follow the care label then most certainly your cleaner should reimburse you the value of an item if it’s returned damaged.  But be prepared, the value of the item, and what you will be reimbursed, is not what you paid for it years ago.   

Think of your clothing as cars with speedometers.  Dry cleaners use the National Fair Claims Adjustment Guide to determine the value based on the garment’s original price, age and condition when they must pay a claim.  It’s impossible to be reimbursed for exactly what you paid for an item.

Classic Cleaners will always yield to the care label instructions when cleaning a garment.  There have been very few instances in which a customer requests that we detour from the care label.  If that happens, we consult with the customer to explain possible outcomes and we ask the customer to sign a release. 

There’s been many general articles written trying to convince the consumer that dry cleaners are out to get you and your money.  In reality, if that were true, no dry cleaner would be in business for long.  Once the entire neighborhood/town/city found out a Dry Cleaner’s customer service was bad and the cleaning was of poor quality, they would refuse to patronize that Dry Cleaner and the company could not sustain. 

Classic Cleaners has been in business 28 years.  Our #1 job -and objective - is to help you maintain your wardrobe in like new condition for as long as possible.  It’s in our best interest to provide the highest quality care to your garments, households, and specialty items; as well as provide the highest level of communication and customer service to our customers.  Our focus is to professionally clean your items the way the manufacturer has advised so they look great year after year.  

If you’re ever in doubt or have questions regarding our cleaning methods, please ask the manager at the store you frequent or contact us anytime.  And, check out our post the truth about professional dry cleaning for more information.

-S.O.

Our business depends upon keeping your clothing looking its best. Yet misinformation continually creeps into media reports.  Here are the facts regarding the most frequent areas of misinformation.

FICTION – Drycleaning wears out clothes. It’s better to clean infrequently.
FACT – Regular visits to our business keeps garments looking fresh and extends their useful life.

Spots and stains allowed to remain without treatment will gradually oxidize, set, and become permanent. We are trained and equipped to deal with stains, and if anyone can safely remove them, we can.

Also, putting clothes away without cleaning them almost guarantees some discoloration or oxidation of stains. Drycleaning will remove perspiration and body oil. That’s a good thing because these two elements contribute to stains and fabric degradation – and will eventually produce a lingering odor if left untreated.

FICTION – Pricing discriminates against women.
FACT – Prices are based on our costs of doing business without regard to gender, race, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, or sexual orientation, of the person who owns or wears the garment.

We strive to charge the same for all garments of a similar type.  However, customer care associates are instructed to check closely for any detail that may require specific handling requirements and to charge for that item accordingly.

FICTION – All stains can be removed.
FACT – No they can’t.

Whether it’s a new garment or a treasured, well-worn garment, it’s no fun when there is a spill on clothing.  We understand, and will always use our best efforts to make that accident go away. Sometimes it’s pretty easy – sometimes not.

Either way, we have the professional expertise to do the job.  (Meet our stain removal specialist here).  Successful stain removal depends largely on the nature of the stain, the type of fabric, and the colorfastness of the dye. Some fabrics and dyes simply will not withstand the use of cleaning or stain removal agents. Some stains, like ink and dried paint for example, can be impossible to remove.

FICTION – The damage is your fault because it was just fine when I brought it in.
FACT – We strive for error free operation, but mistakes can happen. When we’re wrong we will make it right.

Statistics from the International Textile Analysis Laboratory (ITAL) demonstrate that the overwhelming majority of problems are the result of improper care instructions or damage that is not readily visible caused by consumer use. We rely upon a determination from ITAL to resolve where responsibility should be placed if a question arises as to responsibility.  We will always take responsibility for any problems we may have caused and take the appropriate measures to rectify the situation for our customers.

We’re happy to answer any questions you may have about how we clean your clothing, households and specialty items.  We’re proud of the quality of our services and our attention to detail and we’ll always tell you the truth about prefessional dry cleaning.

- S.O.

You can consult “Google”, YouTube, blogs, and Pinterest for stain removal tips but we’re going to tell you the best stain removal tip you need to know:  Identify the TYPE of stain. 

Before you can treat the stain, you need to identify which of the four types of clothing stains (oil, protein, tannin or dye) you have on your hands.  If your stain is a combination stain (gum, crayon, lipstick, chocolate) then treat the oily part first.

Oil based stains:  butter, margarine, mayonnaise, cooking oil, deodorant, car grease, gasoline, ointment, and hair oil.

These stains sit deep in the fabric and can’t easily be removed.  You can pre-treating the stain with a spray stain treatment or stain stick. These products have solvents that will break down the stain.  Soak the clothes in the hottest water the fabric can tolerate.  Be certain to re-treat if there are traces of the stain before drying!

Protein stains: dairy, baby food, bodily excrement, blood, glue and mud.

Scrub the grime off with either a fork or spoon then soak items in cold water.  Hot water will fix the protein stain into the cloth.  Scrub the items with your hands and use a heavy-duty laundry detergent.  You may need to do this more than once, especially if it’s a dried stain.  If the stain remains, bleach may also be used if it will not damage the clothing item.

Tannin stains:  wine, tea, tomato juice, soft drinks, fruit juice, alcohol products, berries and coffee.

These stains should be washed in hot water with detergent. Do not try to pre-treat these items with regular soap, as it will help to set the stain. Bleach must be used on old tannin-based stains.

Dye stains:  blueberries, cherries, powdered drink mixes, permanent markers, ink, grass and mustard.

These stains spread fast and are the most difficult to remove. If you treat the item right away you can wash it with hot water.  Use a pre-treatment product and then rinse the item thoroughly. You may have to do this several times.  White items can be bleached, and some stains can be lightened with rubbing alcohol if the fabric will allow it.

It’s not rocket science but it is a science.  Not all stain remedies are created equal.  It’s important to identify the stain before choosing a cleaning product and a wash cycle.  Always obey the care label on the item.

When you visit Classic Cleaners you can trust your pesky stains to our trained stain removal specialists.  They are equipped to handle the task of making your clothes look as good as new – just be sure to tell them what type of stain is on your item!!

- S.O.

Shoes can say a lot about a person and if you’re wearing suede shoes, you may be expressing that you’re confident in your style and you aren’t afraid of the extra care it takes to maintain such a shoe.

We say that because there’s a bit of a risk involved in wearing these vulnerable shoes.  Why?  The special finishing techniques used on the suede leather make it much softer and more flexible but it also leaves it porous and susceptible to dirt and grime.

To clean suede shoes, first read the manufacturers directions.  Not all suede is created equal.  Some suede shoes are made of synthetic material so always read the directions first.

You will need:

* Suede Brush
* Suede Eraser
* Sharp Blade
* Sponge
* Towel
* Suede Protector

To remove general dirt and mud:

* Let the shoes dry first then go over the shoes with a clean towel or suede brush * To remove general dirt and mud.
* Go over the entire shoe in one direction only.
* Go over any bad spots with the suede eraser to transfer most spots to the eraser.
* Rub back and forth over a scuff with your suede brush.
* Apply suede protector

To remove water marks:

*   Wet the entire shoe down with a damp rag.
*   Wipe any excess water off with a sponge.
*   Stuff the inside of the shoes with a shoehorn or white tissue to retain their shape while they dry.
*   Once dry, brush them in one direction with a suede brush to restore the nap.
*   Apply suede protector

With the proper care, suede shoes can maintain their appearance for many wears.  And, if you’d like us to clean them for you, we specialize in shoe cleaning for all types of leather.  Check out our page for more information on our shoe cleaning.  Bring them into us or leave them for your route driver, to pick up and deliver back to you for free, along with the rest of your clothing and household cleaning.

- S. O.