FAQ

Q: What is the difference between service levels of shirt processing and what should I expect?
A: This is a common question. Although most drycleaners vary in their service, the offerings below are the most common types offered for men's shirts. When selecting a service you must consider the investment in your shirt. You would not have your Mercedes serviced at a discount shop as you would not have your L. Gambert, or Ascot Chang shirt serviced at a 99 cents shirt laundry. The typical life span for a shirt varies based on fabric, weave, color and finish as well as the environment in which it is worn, health and beauty aids used and the frequency of cleaning. The life spans provided are averages for a standard white cotton shirt. We also noticed that some wrinkle free white shirts tend to yellow before any noticeable deterioration of the fabric or construction due to the various wrinkle free finishes.

Basic Shirt Laundry

Typical price range: 99 cents to $2.99
Typical shirt Life span: 25 to 30 processings
This is as basic as it gets. Your shirt is washed once and pressed on automatic equipment. It is typically a production process with minimal quality control inspections.

Hand Finished

Typical price range: $2.99 to $7.99
Typical shirt life span: 30 to 40 processings
This would include the basic shirt laundry. This may also include a pre-spotting of particular stains before washing. The garments are finished on the same production equipment but are then touched up by hand with a final inspection. The shirt is typically packaged with stuffing tissue in the sleeves, the shoulders, and the collar to insure the finish is maintained until you put it on.

Deluxe, Couture or Drycleaning-level service

Typical price range: $7.99 to $14.99 and up
Typical shirt life span: 40 to 50 processings
This is the ultimate treatment for shirts. Brands such as Andrea Palombini, Brioni, Charvet, Ascot Chang, L.Gambert, Kiton, and Liste Rouge would warrant this type of service. All shirts are thoroughly inspected before processing. All collar stays, cufflinks, silk knots or other detachable items are removed. All stains are pretreated and removed before cleaning. The correct cleaning processes are selected to ensure proper cleaning but also to ensure color stability, and protect all buttons and finishes. This could range from modern wet cleaning, dry cleaning or hand laundering. The shirts are finished entirely by hand. All detachable items are placed back on the garment. Typically, new collar stays are used unless the originals were branded or are pearl, bone, or metal. The shirt is thoroughly inspected and all loose buttons are reinforced and minor repairs are made. The shirt is typically packaged with stuffing tissue in the sleeves, the shoulders, and the collar to ensure the finish is maintained until you put it on. Several considerations are made in selecting the best process for your shirts. A well-trained and certified dry cleaner will recommend the best service for your shirts. The drycleaner will rely on his vast knowledge and experience to ensure your satisfaction. Too often clients do not follow this advice and are disappointed with the outcome. We strongly suggest that you develop a relationship with your dry cleaner so that all of your expectations are understood and the process that best suits your wardrobe and your lifestyle are selected. By doing so you will ensure that your garments last longer and look their best all of the time.

COFFEE, TEA OR SHIRT?

Q: The price of shirts at my dry cleaners just went up to $2.25. I love my cleaner, but the cost is twice that of the cleaner around the corner. How do I justify paying that much for a laundered shirt?
A: I would like to answer this question with another question: What do a laundered shirt and a cup of coffee have in common?
Not a whole lot - especially the time and effort it takes to produce each one. The only time these two meet is when you spill coffee on the shirt. A simple café latte at a national coffee chain costs $3.69 (including tax). Being in the dry cleaning business, I considered the amount of effort it takes to produce that cup of coffee versus turning out a laundered shirt - one of the most common items brought to a dry cleaner.
What goes into a latte? Coffee, milk, maybe sugar and a few minutes of time at the counter to produce that caffé latte. So, what goes into producing a laundered shirt?
In sequential order, these are the steps:
. Invoice the order at the counter.
. Tag the shirt with a unique tag that represents a particular customer.
. Inspect the shirt for unusual stains, broken or missing buttons, tears, etc.
. Pre-spot the shirt if there are unusual stains (lipstick, ink, blood, anything else that doesn't come out in a typical wash cycle).
. Launder the shirt.
. Press the shirt (either machine press with or without hand finishing or hand iron. Even machine pressing can't always be done - some shirts don't always fit on the machines - too large or too small.)
. Inspect the shirt, replacing buttons if necessary.
. Package the shirt.
. Store the shirt until picked up. (Sometimes the shirt isn't picked up - a total loss of service for the dry cleaner.)
. Cash out the invoice.

Typical supplies used in the process:
. Invoices
. Tags
. Soap, starch, softeners, and spotting chemicals
. Hanger
. Polyethylene bags
. Shoulder covers

Utilities:
. Steam boiler - usually gas or oil
. Electricity
. Water Also, keep in mind that the dry cleaner is responsible for the shirt until it is retrieved by the customer.
This makes the dry cleaner vulnerable to potential liability in the form of damaging or misplacing the shirt, both of which would require covering the cost of the shirt to the customer - a cost anywhere from $25 to $1000, and beyond!
The average cost for a laundered shirt ranges from $.99 to $2.50, with the average somewhere around $1.75 for a machine pressed shirt. There are of course extra charges for special handling, hand-finished work and/or hand-ironed work, which are usually necessary on custom-made shirts or shirts made from fine fabrics.
Coffee consists of ground beans and water. How many times do customers complain about the price of gourmet coffee?
In summary: the care, resources and responsibility inherent in laundering a fine shirt well eclipse the energy put into a mere beverage, which most people will purchase without a second thought. The knowledge and training that go into maintaining the quality and understanding the value of better made shirts and the more expensive processes incorporate all of the knowledge and use of the best equipment and supplies to ensure the best quality and service on time.
Competition among cleaners and launderers do drive the price down, but a Couture Care Specialist will take the proper procedures and exert a level of quality control which far exceed those of your average dry cleaner. The risk of ruining a well-made shirt far outweighs the cost of care. Think about this the next time you spill your favorite beverage on your favorite shirt.

STAIN POWER

Q: Our customers constantly are seeking advice on what to do if something gets spilled on their custom clothes while traveling or at an event. What is the best thing for us to tell them?
A: My first response would be to tell them to do nothing but I know that is not possible in most scenarios. Before I give you the answer, you as a professional should understand the basic properties of stains. When a stain soils a priced item, the last thing on anyone's mind is whether the stain is vegetable- or animal-based, but that is an important factor for dry cleaners. In order to properly treat a stain, the stain properties have to be accurately identified. Also of importance are the fibers or fiber blends of the garment and the dyes. (See common misconceptions about stains below.)

Stains are broken down into three basic categories: tannin-based or plant matter, such as wine, juice or ketchup; protein-based or animal matter, such as milk, blood or perspiration; and oil-based, such as grease, oil or petroleum jelly. All of these staining substances can have dire effects on apparel if not treated by an expert.
Fibers are broken down into three basic categories for the purpose of dry cleaning and stain removal: cellulosic or vegetable, such as cotton and linen; protein or animal, such as wool or silk; and synthetic or man-made, such as acetate and nylon. All three categories of apparel fibers have strengths and weaknesses when combined with staining matter. Summertime is all about the sun, the beach, and, best of all, the food. Unfortunately, there's more to that picnic, company outing, sporting event or elegant dinner than one's favorite foods. Along with all the delectable summer cuisine, bothersome stains are bound to arise and ruin that brand new linen outfit.
Here is a quick checklist of what to do just in case an otherwise pleasant day out in the sun is spoiled by some errant ketchup, wine or grease.
. Before taking the garment, tablecloth or slipcover to the dry cleaners, disregard all the special home remedies, and "spray and stick" stain removal techniques or products. These one-stop products cannot address all the variables of outfits or the stains that are on them. These products will typically cause more damage and actually cause a stain to set.
. Carefully remove any excess stain by blotting with a clean dry towel or napkin.
. Using only cold water on a clean towel or napkin, tap the stain while holding a clean dry towel or napkin on the reverse side to collect the stain.
. Do not wipe or scrub the stain. This will make matters worse by forcing the stain into the fibers and the weave of the fabric, and make the stain larger. You may also abrade the fabric.
. Allow the garment to air dry.
Most importantly, take the item to a certified dry cleaner and explain what type of stain it is and what steps were already taken for the removal of the stain.
A certified dry cleaner has been trained to successfully break down all the staining matter without causing damage to the fibers, fabric and dyes. The tendency for consumers to use one-shot stain removers or "mom's special remedy" usually cause the stain to become set or oxidize, rendering it impossible to remove. Many of the home formulas even cause reactions that alter the properties of the stain, which will lead to further and riskier stain removal protocols to be used. These reactions greatly hinder the success of the dry cleaner. With several new fibers and fabric blends being created, the old seltzer and salt trick of the past could actually be the nail in the coffin for your new designer outfit.

Stain Removal Misconceptions and Misnomers

Some home cleaning remedies that actually damage clothing.
MILK: Milk has been used by people as a spot removal for stains such as ink and blood. Milk sets in the fabric and is impossible to clean.
CLUB SODA: This liquid has been touted as a successful stain remover by restaurants and airline attendants. Club soda has the same properties as water.the bubbles have no magical powers.
ALCOHOL: Though alcohol does provide some good stain removal properties it can also alter the dyes and discolor fabrics.
LEMON JUICE This remedy has been advocated by some to remove rust stains. While it can be effective some times it should be noted after a period of time the lemon juice will oxidize and may cause a stain that cannot be removed.
ICE Ice has been used to take out chewing gum stains. The ice stiffens the gum and allows it to be picked off the fabric. This, too, can abrade the fabric. Dry cleaning agents are much more effective and gentler to most fabrics.
SOAP AND WATER Dry based stains such as glue, paint, oil and nail polish cannot be removed by soap and water. In some instances soap and water can actually set or prevent the stain from being removed.
HOT IRON FOR WAX Using a hot iron to remove wax from garments is a sure way to fuse, melt, and damage most synthetic fabrics.
HAIR SPRAY Hairspray contains alcohol and other ingredients with properties that can be dangerous to many dyes and fabrics.
NAIL POLISH REMOVER Used to remove make-up and other stains, but nail polish remover can dissolve certain fabrics such as acetate.
COLOR-SAFE BLEACH There is no such thing as color-safe bleach. If left on a garment too long or exposed to sunlight or heat it will begin to remove dyes and finishes.

The last consideration is do you use a lot of health and beauty aids?
Hair gel, cologne, deodorant, antiperspirants all make their way into the garment and can cause serious damage to the fibers and color if not treated quickly. Many of these products have alcohol that over time and with a little heat will destroy dyes and finishes. Shirts are very susceptible to this damage and should be cleaned every 1-2 wears.
It is important to develop a relationship with your drycleaner and always communicate when an accident happens. A certified drycleaner who appreciates and understand the investment that you have made on your wardrobe will be valuable resource for you. Certified affiliates of ABC are constantly training their staff in the latest cleaning and finishing techniques to ensure impeccable quality.