Common Questions

A: Yes - dry cleaning is gentler on delicate fabrics like silk, wool, and cashmere. Unlike traditional washing, dry cleaning avoids water and agitation, helping preserve the texture, color, and fit of delicate garments.

A: Most fabrics can be dry cleaned safely, but delicate materials like PVC, plastic embellishments, or some waterproof coatings may not react well to traditional dry cleaning chemicals. Always check the care label or ask your cleaner if you’re unsure.

A: Most garments can be dry cleaned within 24 to 48 hours. Specialty items like formal wear, leather, or items with intricate detailing may take longer depending on the fabric and any required repairs or treatments.

A: Dry cleaning is effective at removing many oil-based and water-soluble stains, but not all stains come out easily - especially if they’ve set over time or were treated at home first. The best chance for complete removal is to take the garment to your cleaner as soon as the stain occurs and let them know what caused it.

A: This type of stain is typically an oil stain or an oxidized stain. It often forms a cross-hatch pattern on garments and can become more visible after washing due to oxidation. Acting fast is key. If the stain is fresh, your dry cleaner should be able to remove the stain with pre-spotting and cleaning.

A: When areas look like they have lost color and the reverse side of the fabric in the discolored areas show no evidence of color loss, it is often due to fabric “chafing”. Repeated rubbing from simple wear or from trying to self-remove a stain, will abrade the dye and break the surface fibers altering the light reflection. In some cases, a professional dry cleaner can improve the chafing by a special mineral oil bath process.

A: In many cases, this damage is caused by contact with a liquid that contains chemicals which deteriorates silk. The biggest culprit is chloride salts which are found in perspiration, deodorants, foods and skin lotions. When the solution dries, the moisture evaporates out, but the salt residue remains in the fabric and begins to break down the silk. Do NOT rub the stain! Immediate removal after contact is the only remedy, so point out the stain to your dry cleaner and have the garment cleaned immediately.

A: You may be interested to know that the Federal Trade Commission’s Care Labeling Rule states that all colors and components must be able to withstand the manufactures recommended care procedure without any adverse affect. Fading or streaking typically happens when the original color wasn’t made completely colorfast to the stated washing procedures.

A: When a faint yellow (all the way to a rust or brown colored stain) shows up on your garment, it is typically due to the garment’s contact with beverages or food that contain sugars or tannin. After the spill evaporates, only an invisible residue remains. Over a period of time, this residue oxidizes and turns the residue yellowish and noticeable. If you spill on your clothing, immediately take the garment to your cleaners and point out the area of the spill so they can dry clean it immediately.

A: This typically happens when the garment fabric separates from the interfacing (material sewn into the garment to give it extra support or shape). This is not caused by dry cleaning. The manufacturer did not use compatible materials which means that the interfacing and garment fabric have different rates of shrinkage.