I mean your drapes, of course.
Nothing brightens a room like clean drapes and window treatments. And there are a few things to know in order to keep your drapes living longer, and looking younger.
Drapes and window treatments are made of a variety of cloths, from heavy durable fabrics, to light, transparent materials. But no matter what they are made of, a number of environmental factors will affect their condition and lifespan. These include:
Sunlight
Sun damage and fading strike unlined drapes the hardest. Sunlight will not only fade colors but also wear on the threads of the fabric itself. While man[made fibers such as polyester are more resistant to such damage, no material is immune
Oxidation
Fumes from pollution, cooking, smoking, etc., contain chemicals which will cling to curtains and drapes. When combined with humidity and oxygen, these chemicals can create a mild acid which hastens deterioration.
Shrinkage
Humidity and air quality can cause drapes to shrink 2%! Over time, this shrinkage can be progressive.
Dyes and Pigments
Drapery dyes, like all dyes, are subject to changes over time. These can include bleeding, cracking and running. Pigments held on fabric with a binding agent can also crack, stiffen and fade over time.
Humidity and Moisture
Often, condensation on windows comes into contact with drapes leaving permanent water marks.
It is important to protect your valuable investment with regular cleaning in order to remove the soiling and deposits of vapors and fumes that com from heating systems, fireplaces, cooking and dust. How often draperies should be cleaned depends on location and amount of sunlight. Kitchen draperies, or those in a household with smokers, should be cleaned annually, whereas those used in a guest room with minimal sunlight need cleaning only once every two to four years. Those near intake or heating agents, or close to windows which are often opened, need cleaning every one to two years.
If you would like to freshen up your home prior to the Holiday Season, please plan ahead to allow sufficient time for the entire process. Prior to taking down your window treatments - take a digital photo to document their layout and appearance. This helps to ensure that the decorator's original intent is preserved. Prior to cleaning the treatments themselves will be measured both before and after cleaning. 5% shrinkage is considered acceptable by the fabric manufacturers. And rehanging by an experienced professional can compensate for these sort of shortcomings.
So here's hoping your drapes and window treatments live a long and youthful life:-)
For the guy who is sick of his shirt buttons breaking
Imagine you are on a business trip. It is 6am and you are getting dressed in your hotel room. You pull out your dress shirt that was, cleaned, pressed and folded for travel by your drycleaner. You are going to look like a million bucks for this presentation/sales meeting/etc.
As you are buttoning up your shirt, it happens. The button is either missing - or it breaks in your fingers. You frantically search for the little sewing kit that hotels always put in the room. The button is a different size and your sewing capabilities are limited.
CURSE THAT DARN DRYCLEANER or LAUNDRY you think to yourself.
Sound familiar?
Let me tell you why this happens. Buttons are made off-shore. China, India, Pakistan, etc. And quality control is often non-existent. These cheap plastic buttons are not made to survive the temperatures of commercial laundry. I believe many buyers for the garment industry are just not aware of the problem. If the button looks good, and the price is right, they buy. After all, they have no responsibility once the end customer has purchased the garment.
How to prevent broken buttons: Ask your cleaner to replace all the buttons when the shirt it new. Cleaners buy high quality aftermarket buttons that stand up to the cleaning process. Also, many original buttons are unable to be matched. If you replace them all up front, any lost buttons will be a non-issue in the future
we have developed a men's shirt program that will replace all the buttons on a shirt for $20. We remove all the buttons and replace them with buttons that are quality made and will withstand the heat of commercial laundry. Like most quality cleaners, we replace buttons that break during cleaning/pressing. But they do not always match exactly.
Replacing all the buttons at once has several benefits: There is no mix-mash over time as buttons are replaced one by one - often a shirt will end up with several different looking buttons and/or thread, and most important, you will avoid the scenario of being in a hotel room with no button on your shirt.
As you are buttoning up your shirt, it happens. The button is either missing - or it breaks in your fingers. You frantically search for the little sewing kit that hotels always put in the room. The button is a different size and your sewing capabilities are limited.
CURSE THAT DARN DRYCLEANER or LAUNDRY you think to yourself.
Sound familiar?
Let me tell you why this happens. Buttons are made off-shore. China, India, Pakistan, etc. And quality control is often non-existent. These cheap plastic buttons are not made to survive the temperatures of commercial laundry. I believe many buyers for the garment industry are just not aware of the problem. If the button looks good, and the price is right, they buy. After all, they have no responsibility once the end customer has purchased the garment.
How to prevent broken buttons: Ask your cleaner to replace all the buttons when the shirt it new. Cleaners buy high quality aftermarket buttons that stand up to the cleaning process. Also, many original buttons are unable to be matched. If you replace them all up front, any lost buttons will be a non-issue in the future
we have developed a men's shirt program that will replace all the buttons on a shirt for $20. We remove all the buttons and replace them with buttons that are quality made and will withstand the heat of commercial laundry. Like most quality cleaners, we replace buttons that break during cleaning/pressing. But they do not always match exactly.
Replacing all the buttons at once has several benefits: There is no mix-mash over time as buttons are replaced one by one - often a shirt will end up with several different looking buttons and/or thread, and most important, you will avoid the scenario of being in a hotel room with no button on your shirt.
Pay less to clean your shirts!
I want to illuminate one of the most frequent complaints I hear about drycleaners.
“I wanted my shirt laundered. Why did you dryclean it? I don’t want to pay 3 or 4 times what you charge for the laundered shirt!”
Even worse – the public often get the impression that their cleaner charges more for women’s clothing than men’s. That is illegal! Unfortunately, the clerks working at many cleaners don’t understand why the prices are what they are. Poorly trained Customer service reps re-enforce this common misconception.
Before I address the WHY, here are my tips for buying shirts so that you won't experience this:
First: Buy 100% cotton! Rayon, spandex blend, silk, etc. CANNOT BE Machine Finished! The machine has 400F plates that close on the WET material. These materials melt, tear or otherwise cannot withstand the process!
Third: Do not buy shirts with pleats, tacks, ornamentation or linings that can flop around.
Shirts can be finished by 3 methods: Machine Only (Least costly), Touch up - Machine and then touched up with an iron (More Labor intensive), Hand Finish - Ironed the old fashioned way (If you have ironed your own shirts, you know what I'm saying when I say this is the most labor intensive. A skilled finisher with the best equipment can still take up to 15 minutes to properly iron a linen or cotton blouse!)
The reason drycleaning is expensive is because of the time, supplies, labor and utilities involved.
So the natural question would be "Why don't they make machines for other types of clothing?" Well there is no garment as uniform and frequently used as a man's dress shirt.
I hope this photo of the shirts as they come off of the machine (no touch-up) make my point. Every one is a different brand. Some are short sleeve, some are button down. But they are notably all alike.
Try this with women's blouses and you will begin to understand your drycleaners dilemma!
So let's review why these shirts are so inexpensive: First off, shirts are not dried. There are no utilities necessary to dry the shirts, because they are pressed wet. The shirt machine is “dressed” with a wet shirt, and then 2 400 degree hot metal plates close on the shirt drying and pressing it at the same time.
So besides the savings in natural gas (which is huge, by the way!) one person can press over 50 shirts an hour!!!! Try that on your ironing board at home. Even with all the fancy technology, pressing a rayon, silk or even (I should say especially) a cotton or linen blouse takes up to 10 minutes. Cotton and Linen hand pressed shirts are even more time consuming.
That being said, shirt pressed by machine feel different. They are a little stiffer than hand finished shirts – That is the your preference.
Also, shirt that are machine finished only last (according to the Laundry & Drycleaning Institute) 52 washings. That is a life of one year if you wash your shirt weekly. Hand finished shirts will not wear out that quickly.
The key to avoiding this:Communication!
“I wanted my shirt laundered. Why did you dryclean it? I don’t want to pay 3 or 4 times what you charge for the laundered shirt!”
Even worse – the public often get the impression that their cleaner charges more for women’s clothing than men’s. That is illegal! Unfortunately, the clerks working at many cleaners don’t understand why the prices are what they are. Poorly trained Customer service reps re-enforce this common misconception.
Before I address the WHY, here are my tips for buying shirts so that you won't experience this:
First: Buy 100% cotton! Rayon, spandex blend, silk, etc. CANNOT BE Machine Finished! The machine has 400F plates that close on the WET material. These materials melt, tear or otherwise cannot withstand the process!
Second: Select shirts with standard buttons. - Pearl buttons, snaps, etc. will break or melt!
Third: Do not buy shirts with pleats, tacks, ornamentation or linings that can flop around.
Lastly: Buy your shirts between a size 6 and 12 - anything too large or too small SHOULD cost extra because it won't fit on the machine.
Shirts can be finished by 3 methods: Machine Only (Least costly), Touch up - Machine and then touched up with an iron (More Labor intensive), Hand Finish - Ironed the old fashioned way (If you have ironed your own shirts, you know what I'm saying when I say this is the most labor intensive. A skilled finisher with the best equipment can still take up to 15 minutes to properly iron a linen or cotton blouse!)
The reason drycleaning is expensive is because of the time, supplies, labor and utilities involved.
So the natural question would be "Why don't they make machines for other types of clothing?" Well there is no garment as uniform and frequently used as a man's dress shirt.I hope this photo of the shirts as they come off of the machine (no touch-up) make my point. Every one is a different brand. Some are short sleeve, some are button down. But they are notably all alike.
Try this with women's blouses and you will begin to understand your drycleaners dilemma!
So let's review why these shirts are so inexpensive: First off, shirts are not dried. There are no utilities necessary to dry the shirts, because they are pressed wet. The shirt machine is “dressed” with a wet shirt, and then 2 400 degree hot metal plates close on the shirt drying and pressing it at the same time.
So besides the savings in natural gas (which is huge, by the way!) one person can press over 50 shirts an hour!!!! Try that on your ironing board at home. Even with all the fancy technology, pressing a rayon, silk or even (I should say especially) a cotton or linen blouse takes up to 10 minutes. Cotton and Linen hand pressed shirts are even more time consuming.
That being said, shirt pressed by machine feel different. They are a little stiffer than hand finished shirts – That is the your preference.
Also, shirt that are machine finished only last (according to the Laundry & Drycleaning Institute) 52 washings. That is a life of one year if you wash your shirt weekly. Hand finished shirts will not wear out that quickly.
The key to avoiding this:Communication!
AND
You get what you pay for (and what you want)!
A Matter of Life or Death Denim
Content taken from Dr Denim
"According to the experts, denim/jeans should not meet detergents or washing machines for the first six months after purchase. That's why (he) decided to write this blog and document the life of (his) new jeans for the first six or so months of their life"
Dry cleaning your jeans is OK, and as far as I understand, won't shorten their shelf life. However, you need to find a dry cleaner that knows what they're doing. It's the same with everything in life. You don't go to the first car mechanic you find. You look around a bit, and ask people who have used dry cleaners in your area before.
"Dry-Cleaning in certain solvents will return the jeans looking like new or better with no shrinkage." If you're living in the US, have a look at http://www.americasbestcleaners.com/, for the top 50 dry cleaners. According to Dependable Drycleaners in Denver, they did a test for a local TV station, where they dry cleaned a pair of pants 10 times, and washed an identical pair 10 times. When they compared them side by side, the dry cleaned pair looked as good as they did on day one, only softer, where the pair that was washed looked older and lost color.
My test, however, has nothing to do with washing vs dry cleaning. It has to do with "wearing in" the jeans for 6 months, and then washing them, in water, for the first time, so that the raw denim would shrink the 1-5%. That will, according to the experts, give me a really good fit -- Darryl De Necker
"According to the experts, denim/jeans should not meet detergents or washing machines for the first six months after purchase. That's why (he) decided to write this blog and document the life of (his) new jeans for the first six or so months of their life"
Dry cleaning your jeans is OK, and as far as I understand, won't shorten their shelf life. However, you need to find a dry cleaner that knows what they're doing. It's the same with everything in life. You don't go to the first car mechanic you find. You look around a bit, and ask people who have used dry cleaners in your area before.
"Dry-Cleaning in certain solvents will return the jeans looking like new or better with no shrinkage." If you're living in the US, have a look at http://www.americasbestcleaners.com/, for the top 50 dry cleaners. According to Dependable Drycleaners in Denver, they did a test for a local TV station, where they dry cleaned a pair of pants 10 times, and washed an identical pair 10 times. When they compared them side by side, the dry cleaned pair looked as good as they did on day one, only softer, where the pair that was washed looked older and lost color.
My test, however, has nothing to do with washing vs dry cleaning. It has to do with "wearing in" the jeans for 6 months, and then washing them, in water, for the first time, so that the raw denim would shrink the 1-5%. That will, according to the experts, give me a really good fit -- Darryl De Necker
Americas Best Cleaners
I am in NYC right now learning from many of America's best cleaners. We are discussing topics that range from "The fashion industries sustainable future" with presenters including Doug Shriver from Brooks Brothers and Nicholas Regine from Swarovski Crystals (As a side did you know that some of the Cristal used for ornamentation on garments are still made with lead?!), to "The Green Economy" and Bogner Winter 2008 Ski Wear and Why I only trust ABC by Edwin Abreu of Brioni.
I know that just talking and sharing ideas with this diverse group makes my business more valuable to my customers. I recommend that you look for a cleaner with affiliations. This sort of training and continuous improvement is something less than one in ten drycleaners bothers to do. Any cleaner that cares enough to invest time in this sort of growth, is delivering their customers greater value. I also believe it is a huge benefit to our employees, making us a better community citizens.
America's Best Cleaners is one way we can regulate or "certify" the quality of the cleaners in the association. The group is there to serve the garment industry and is currently partnered with Hugo Boss, Brioni, and Brooks Brothers. In exchange for these clothiers recommending America's Best Cleaners, the organization created an objective program to ensure that the customers (you) will have the best dryclean experience and value.
What makes a cleaner one of America's Best?
Drycleaning aside, it is fascinating to by in NYC right now discussing business!
I know that just talking and sharing ideas with this diverse group makes my business more valuable to my customers. I recommend that you look for a cleaner with affiliations. This sort of training and continuous improvement is something less than one in ten drycleaners bothers to do. Any cleaner that cares enough to invest time in this sort of growth, is delivering their customers greater value. I also believe it is a huge benefit to our employees, making us a better community citizens.
America's Best Cleaners is one way we can regulate or "certify" the quality of the cleaners in the association. The group is there to serve the garment industry and is currently partnered with Hugo Boss, Brioni, and Brooks Brothers. In exchange for these clothiers recommending America's Best Cleaners, the organization created an objective program to ensure that the customers (you) will have the best dryclean experience and value.
What makes a cleaner one of America's Best?
- Review of all aspects of production before cleaner is accepted
- Monthly solvent testing - for cleanliness and ph
- Quarterly secret shop for quality
- Quarterly secret shop for service
- Direct customer service surveys
Drycleaning aside, it is fascinating to by in NYC right now discussing business!
How to Remove a Stain
First: Never put water on a dryclean only garment in an effort to remove a stain!
Water stains are best removed with water - anything put on a stain will have to be removed. I know, most people has heard that soda water bubbles will lift a stain - Don't believe it!
Ink: Ink is combination of chemicals. One will come out with water and the other will not! Once the chemicals have been separated - the ink becomes permanent. Hairspray is water based, so even if it get the ink out - you then need to remove the hairspray stain. Most small ink stains can be removed by a skilled drycleaner. However success also depends on the fastness of the color in the garment. Natural fibers - cotton and silk for example, do not hold dyes very firmly making these sort of stains difficult to remove on brightly colored garments.
Second: If you feel the need to apply an at home stain remover, REFRAIN! Again, most of these products are water based and will need to be flushed with water. This is not a good idea for dryclean only garments.
Third: You can blot the stain with a clean towel or napkin. Do not use paper napkins, or worse, colored paper napkins - the color may transfer to the garment and cause damage.
Fourth: Do not rub a stain. This will cause abrasion or de-luster the fabric - so it is no longer a stain, it is then fabric damage. You may also work the soil into the fibers making the stain more difficult to remove. Blot or pat the stain to remove the excess.
Fifth: At home dryclean kits do not remove soils. They freshen with deodorants and at best remove dust.
Sixth: Hydrogen Peroxide and Baking Soda are wonderful natural whiteners for your regular laundry. They are do not contain the toxic ingredients of many store bought bleaches and cleaners. Be sure to read the instructions and not over use them.
Seven: Sunshine is a wonderful disinfectant - leaving items outside in the sunshine for a short period (less than an hour) works as well today as it did in your grandmothers day. Drycleaning alone does not remove odors but sunshine will. But be warned, the sun is very damaging and can bleach garments and weaken fibers if they are left out too long!
In the end, I am advocating leaving stain removal to the professionals. They have access to more chemicals than you do at home and they have experience with all sorts of fibers and soils. Some stains that are impossible to remove at home - make-up stains and salad oil for example, are relatively easy for the drycleaner to remove because oil based stains come right out in the drycleaning process. One of the many lessons I have learned over the years is that nothing is simple. Every garment is unique - weave, material blend, dyes -- and every stain is unique, and is best left to the professional.
Water stains are best removed with water - anything put on a stain will have to be removed. I know, most people has heard that soda water bubbles will lift a stain - Don't believe it!
Ink: Ink is combination of chemicals. One will come out with water and the other will not! Once the chemicals have been separated - the ink becomes permanent. Hairspray is water based, so even if it get the ink out - you then need to remove the hairspray stain. Most small ink stains can be removed by a skilled drycleaner. However success also depends on the fastness of the color in the garment. Natural fibers - cotton and silk for example, do not hold dyes very firmly making these sort of stains difficult to remove on brightly colored garments.
Second: If you feel the need to apply an at home stain remover, REFRAIN! Again, most of these products are water based and will need to be flushed with water. This is not a good idea for dryclean only garments.
Third: You can blot the stain with a clean towel or napkin. Do not use paper napkins, or worse, colored paper napkins - the color may transfer to the garment and cause damage.
Fourth: Do not rub a stain. This will cause abrasion or de-luster the fabric - so it is no longer a stain, it is then fabric damage. You may also work the soil into the fibers making the stain more difficult to remove. Blot or pat the stain to remove the excess.
Fifth: At home dryclean kits do not remove soils. They freshen with deodorants and at best remove dust.
Sixth: Hydrogen Peroxide and Baking Soda are wonderful natural whiteners for your regular laundry. They are do not contain the toxic ingredients of many store bought bleaches and cleaners. Be sure to read the instructions and not over use them.
Seven: Sunshine is a wonderful disinfectant - leaving items outside in the sunshine for a short period (less than an hour) works as well today as it did in your grandmothers day. Drycleaning alone does not remove odors but sunshine will. But be warned, the sun is very damaging and can bleach garments and weaken fibers if they are left out too long!
In the end, I am advocating leaving stain removal to the professionals. They have access to more chemicals than you do at home and they have experience with all sorts of fibers and soils. Some stains that are impossible to remove at home - make-up stains and salad oil for example, are relatively easy for the drycleaner to remove because oil based stains come right out in the drycleaning process. One of the many lessons I have learned over the years is that nothing is simple. Every garment is unique - weave, material blend, dyes -- and every stain is unique, and is best left to the professional.
How to create free time
If you are like me, you have more things to each day than you have time for. Time is a precious commodity. We cannot make more time and it keeps on moving forward, no matter how we protest. I think time is our most precious commodity. How we use our time shapes who we are.
So how much time do you spend on errands? Things like grocery shopping, going to the post office, and going to the drycleaner.
Going to the drycleaners. What other chore can you name where you have to get in your car and drive to the same shop twice and pay money to get your same old clothes back! And if you clothes are not ready on the promised day, you could be going in yet again! Really! Who has time for that?
Did you know you don’t have to go to the drycleaners? Most areas have at least one cleaner that offers free pick up and delivery. Why would anyone NOT use this free service?
They put your credit card on file. You leave your clothes in a bag on a hook on your front door (or some other predetermined spot). Then on the “ready” date (generally Monday to Thursday, Thursday to Monday, Tuesday to Friday and Friday to Tuesday). Your clothes are returned to you fresh and clean to your door.
Your drycleaner literally becomes your front (or back door). In drycleaning, as in life, it is all about the automating the details. This is one errand that should be a non-errand. After all, don't you have better things to do?
Click here for some time saving tips from the smart folks at MIT!
So how much time do you spend on errands? Things like grocery shopping, going to the post office, and going to the drycleaner.
Going to the drycleaners. What other chore can you name where you have to get in your car and drive to the same shop twice and pay money to get your same old clothes back! And if you clothes are not ready on the promised day, you could be going in yet again! Really! Who has time for that?
Did you know you don’t have to go to the drycleaners? Most areas have at least one cleaner that offers free pick up and delivery. Why would anyone NOT use this free service?
They put your credit card on file. You leave your clothes in a bag on a hook on your front door (or some other predetermined spot). Then on the “ready” date (generally Monday to Thursday, Thursday to Monday, Tuesday to Friday and Friday to Tuesday). Your clothes are returned to you fresh and clean to your door.
Your drycleaner literally becomes your front (or back door). In drycleaning, as in life, it is all about the automating the details. This is one errand that should be a non-errand. After all, don't you have better things to do?
Click here for some time saving tips from the smart folks at MIT!
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