When purchasing clothing or sorting laundry, it’s important to inspect each tag or label for proper care instructions. Even on items that can be laundered at home, certain stains require the skill and solvents of a professional dry cleaner to remove. Taking your clothes to a professional dry cleaner involves more than simply dropping a crumpled load of garments on the counter. To ensure that your clothing is properly laundered, and out of courtesy and convenience, you should take certain steps to prepare your clothes for dry cleaning.
- Empty your pockets. Remove change, trash and especially items that can cause damage to your clothing when dry cleaned, such as chewing gum, lip gloss or other types of makeup or candy.
- Review the care labels. If any have special instructions, bring them to your dry cleaner’s attention.
- If you have stained or soiled items, mark the area of concern using masking tape or a safety pin. This will help you easily point out the problem to your dry cleaner.
- Do you know where the stain originated? If you know the stain came from spilled coffee, let your dry cleaner know. He or she will be able to remove it more effectively.
- If you have other concerns – such as missing buttons, loose threads or mending needs – make them known upfront.
- Call to ask when the dry cleaner’s slowest periods of the day are if you’re planning on taking a large load and spending time explaining your dry cleaning needs.
Remember, your dry cleaner is handling a large volume of items, so be courteous when preparing clothes for dry cleaning. Give as much information as you can; remove all debris from your pockets; and if you have specific requests, issue them in the beginning.
Call Alexander’s Dry Cleaners at (313) 386-7300 if you have any further questions about preparing your clothes for dry cleaning.
