Questions

What is professional Clothes Cleaning?

You bring your clothes to your professional cleaner, drop them off with the person at the counter, and later that same day you return to pick them up looking as good as new. But what happens to your clothing in between? To many people, professional cleaning is a mysterious process and you may be surprised to learn that professional cleaning is a lot more than one process. In fact, your cleaner might employ a number of techniques to give your garments that like new appearance. Basically, professional cleaning can be broken down into three general categories; drycleaning, wetcleaning, and laundering. Let's take a look at what's involved with each process.

What is Drycleaning?

Drycleaning uses fluids to remove soil and stains from fabric. In fact, the term "drycleaning" is misleading; it is called drycleaning because the fluid contains little or no water and does not penetrate the fibers as water does.
Among the advantages of drycleaning is its ability to dissolve greases and oils in a way that water cannot. Drycleaning helps to return garments to a like-new condition using precautions to prevent shrinkage, loss of color, and fabric distortion.
The drycleaning process begins with the pretreatment of spots and stains using special cleaning agents. The garments are then loaded into a machine resembling an oversized front-loading home washer. Throughout the cleaning process the fluid is filtered or distilled to ensure its clarity.
Today, the solvent used by almost 90% of all drycleaners is perchloroethylene, commonly known as "perc." It is completely non-flammable and non-combustible, of relatively low toxicity, and can be efficiently reused and recycled.

What is Wetcleaning?

Wetcleaning starts with the pretreatment of spots and stains using special cleaning agents. Wetcleaning is the process of removing soils from garments and other textile items through the use of water and additives (such as detergent) and using precautions to prevent shrinkage, loss of color, and fabric distortion.

What is Laundering?

Professional laundering for shirts and other "washable" items is another process your cleaner uses to keep your garments looking their best. Special detergents, additives, and finishes sets commercial laundering apart from home laundering. This process enables your cleaner to offer consistent quality shirts at reasonable prices. Collars some cleaner and the professional pressing affords a crisper finish.
If you request a method of cleaning that is not listed on the care label, your cleaner may ask you to sign a consent form showing that you accept the potential risks of cleaning the garment.

Professional Cleaning Steps

Professional cleaning involves many different operations, all performed by skilled people and designed to give your garments a fresh and clean appearance. Procedures include:

1. Checking the care label for instructions and fiber content.
2. Classifying the garment according to fabric type, color and degree of soiling.
3. Removing spots and stains using special equipment and stain removal techniques.
4. Drycleaning, wetcleaning, or laundering, only if so labeled
5. Reapplying any sizing, water repellency or other finishes when necessary.
6. Finishing the garment on professional pressing equipment to restore its original shape and appearance.
7. Replacing buttons or performing minor repairs as necessary.
8. Packaging the garment in protective wrapping.

Along with these basic procedures, many cleaners offer additional services such as garment storage, cleaning furs and leathers, rug cleaning, drapery cleaning, smoke removal, pillow cleaning, shirt and family laundry, wedding gown preservation, and alterations and repairs.

The Importance of Care Labels

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requires that manufacturers attach a permanent care label to textile garments to provide directions for their care. Manufacturers must list at least one method of safe care for a garment. The rule covers all textile clothing except footwear, gloves, hats, suede and leather clothing, and household items such as linens. The rule stipulates that the care label is easily found, will not separate from the garment, and will remain legible for the garment's useful life. The label must warn about any part of the recommended care method that would harm the garment of other garments cleaned with it. It must also warn when there is no method for cleaning a garment without damaging it. Symbols also may appear on a care label to supplement written instructions.

If a label indicates drycleaning, all components of the garment, including the outer shell, lining, buttons, interfacing, fusing material, and trim, should be colorfast and remain unaltered during cleaning. If any such problem occurs, it is the responsibility of the manufacturer. If you or your cleaner follow the manufacturer's instructions and the garment is damaged, you should return the garment to the store and explain what happened. If the store will not resolve the problem, write to the manufacturer and send a copy of your complaint letter to the FTC. The information you provide the FTC may reveal a pattern or practice requiring the Commission's attention. If you purchase a garment with no care label, you should contact the FTC, giving the name and address of the store and manufacturer.

Occasionally, damage done in drycleaning is the responsibility of the drycleaner and not the result of preexisting conditions or defects. In such cases, the cleaner will usually settle the claim promptly and fairly, often using IFI's Fair Claims Guide. If there is some doubt about responsibility, the member cleaner can send the garment to IFI's Garment Analysis Laboratory to determine the cause of the problem.

How Can You Help Your Clothes and Your Cleaner?

Bring your garments in for professional cleaning as soon as possible after staining occurs. Stains or soils left too long may become permanent Discuss any stains with your counter person and cleaner Keep perfumes, lotions, deodorants, antiperspirants, and other toiletries away from your clothes. These products likely contain alcohol, which will damage some dyes. Protect garment, especially those made of silk, from excessive perspiration, as this can cause dyes to discolor. Have matching pieces of an ensemble cleaned together so any color fading will be uniform .Protect your garments from prolonged exposure to direct light
Don't press stained or soiled clothing, as the heat may set some stains

What Cleaners Cannot Do

Even the best cleaners cannot do the following.

Remove certain stains. The nature and age of the stain, plus the color construction of the fabric,sometimes make stains impossible to remove without damaging the garment.
Prevent some colors from bleeding or fading If the manufacturer does not thoroughly test the dyes to make sure they are colorfast to both solvent and water, some color may be lost during the cleaning process. This is considered the manufacturer's responsibility.
Prevent excessive shrinkage If the manufacturer has failed to adequately preshrink all component parts before the garment is constructed, shrinkage may occur.
Reverse worn or torn areas by wear perspiration, damage caused by insects, or liquid spills. Such holes or rips may not appear before cleaning, but they result from a previous weakening of the fibers.
Prevent or correct holes caused by insects or acid spillage. Such holes may not appear before dry cleaning, but they result from a previous weakening of the fibers.
Correct excessive shine on clothes caused by wear or extreme heat and pressure to home ironing.
Correct poor home spot removal procedures such as color loss caused by excessive rubbing of delicate fabrics or color reactions or holes in the fabric caused by failure to rinse stain removal agents from the fabric.

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