One of the all-time great “songs about ephemeral someones” listed in Erin McHugh’s book Who? asks the question, “Who put the bomp in the bomp ba bomp ba bomp?”; another asks “Who threw the overalls in Mrs. Murphy’s chowder?”

We don’t claim to know the definitive answer to either of those musical mysteries, but at Classic Cleaners we’re always asking “what” and “when”, rather than “who” questions, when it comes to removal of stains on our clients’ garments, bedding, table linens, and window coverings.

And, while Classic Cleaners specialists are armed with many tools, including steam guns, compressed air, specialized brushes, and more than twenty different stain-fighting solutions, in advanced stain removal, the most important tool is information:

• What is the fabric? Different fabrics lose color, fade, or shrink when improperly handled. You may know the general category of fabric, such as cotton, silk, or rayon, but there are many subcategories that dry cleaning professionals recognize, each requiring specialized treatment.
• What made the stain? Different stains require different treatments. Two basic types of stain are solvent-soluble and water-soluble; our stain-removal technicians are trained to administer different processes for each, based on the very latest in dry cleaning technology.
• How much time has elapsed since the staining occurred? It’s best to get stained garments in for treatment as soon as possible.

  So, who DID put that stain in the bomp ba bomp ba bomp? We’ll understand if you’re not sure or don’t want to confess, but please, when it comes to the “what”, the” how”, and the “when” of stains, Classic Cleaners needs to know!

 by Reb of the Classic Cleaners blog team

“Ink is such a tiny word, three letters, but it has played such a huge part on the stage of world history,” muses fellow blogger John Sollars of stinkyink.com. Since the original use of plant substances to draw on cave walls, inks have been refined and developed over the generations, all in an effort to make them more enduring.

Unfortunately, “enduring” is hardly a quality our Classic Cleaners customers wish to see when it comes to ink stains on clothes!  In fact, as Lovetoknowcleaning remarks wryly, “Ink stains are quite common, but that doesn’t make them a cinch to remove,” adding that “there is a variety of inks on the market and each poses a different challenge to remove.”

At Classic Cleaners, we know.  It seems our stain removal experts face new and different ink-related challenges every working day, with today’s culprits as likely to be printer ink and permanent marker as from fountain, gel, or ball point pens left in pockets.

With more than twenty-five years under our belts offering dry cleaning in Indianapolis, we think the Oregon Dry Cleaners Association hits the mark with its list of four DON’Ts
when it comes to ink stains on clothes:

Don’t store.  Never put away a garment with an ink stain on it.  The warmth of the closet can further set the stain into the fabric.

Don’t iron.  Ironing clothes drives stains deeper.

Don’t rub.  Blot rather than rub.  Rubbing spreads the stain and damages the fabric.

Don’t try.  Don’t attempt home spot removal with water, hairspray, club soda, or cleaning fluid.  You run the risk of damaging or discoloring the fabric.

Ink’s greatest impact has been to spread knowledge in the form of the printed word.  It’s ironic that removing ink is one of the main reasons people seek the help of dry cleaners!

With Classic Cleaners’  help, ink can continue to impact your missives and your memoirs, but never your clothes and household items!

by Reb of the Classic Cleaners blog team

“When building a wardrobe, invest in quality items that may initially be more expensive, but over the long run, are a better investments,” advises artofmanliness.com, adding that “maintaining quality clothing and footwear requires care, but the reward is a personal presentation that gets better with time.”.

At Classic Cleaners, that’s exactly the kind of reward we want to provide for our clients. In fact, we think of ourselves as having “joint custody” of customers’ fine garments, sharing the responsibility for keeping the wardrobe properly maintained. We couldn’t agree more with artofmanliness‘ statement that “Good clothing that is properly maintained always looks better than more expensive clothing that is neglected.”

With spring on the way, many clients are bringing in their winter garments for a dose of our special care. Here are several examples of what we mean by “joint clothing custody”, with each of us doing our part:

Our part:
The specialized Classic Cleaners dry cleaning processes help remove salts and sugars that have stained the fabric, and gets rid of any insect eggs on the fabric. 
Your part:
You avoid storing clothing that has not been cleaned alongside or on top of    clothing we’re prepared for summer storage.

Our part:
We pack each garment in plastic to protect it until it arrives back in your closet.
Your part:
You remove the plastic bags and place winter clothing in “breatheable” bags or containers for storage.

Our part:
We follow the care instructions on the manufacturer’s label on each garment.
Your part:
You tell your Classic Cleaners representative about each stain.
      
Classic Cleaners and you – a great clothing care team.  Using joint custody, we can nurture a healthy wardrobe and keep you looking your best all year long!

by Reb of the Classic Cleaners blog team

Until the 20th century, a groom would simply wear his “Sunday best” on his wedding day.  But since at Classic Cleaners (we’re members of the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists), we’re familiar with modern weddings, we know that today, the usual attire of choice for the groom is a tuxedo.

The story of the tuxedo is an interesting one, beginning when President Teddy Roosevelt was in the White House.  Just 40 miles northwest of New York City there was a very exclusive residential colony called Tuxedo Park.  The story goes that at the first annual high society Tuxedo Part Autumn Ball, the son of tobacco magnate Pierre Lourillard was the first to sport a “tail-less” black jacket.  Roosevelt liked the style, and a new trend was born.

Also called a dinner jacket, today’s tuxedo is traditionally black or dark blue, with satin or grosgrain facing on the lapels and on stripes going down the sides of the trousers.  The complete semiformal outfit includes the bowtie, shirt, cummerbund, and sometimes a vest.  For warmer climates (at Classic cleaners we often help couples prepare their wardrobes for travel to destination weddings) a white or ivory dinner jacket may be worn.

Like any man’s suit, a tuxedo can be acquired three ways:

• Bespoke:  Suit is custom-made from a pattern the tailor creates from your measurements.
• Made to measure: Suit is tailored from a pre-made pattern and modified to fit you.
• Ready-to-wear:  Bought from a store and then possibly altered.

Classic Cleaners typically “meets” the groom’s tuxedo either:

• before the wedding when we do alternations and/or prepare the suit for travel.
• after the wedding when we clean the tuxedo, mend it where needed, and prepare it for storage.

“Nothing commands attention like a man in a well-fitted suit,” according to B.A. T.  At Classic Cleaners we’d add, “That goes double if that well-fitted suit happens to be a tuxedo!

by Reb of the Classic Cleaners blog team