Dry Cleaning Frequently Asked Questions

What is drycleaning?
Drycleaning uses fluids to remove soils and stains from fabrics. Among the advantages of dry cleaning is its ability to dissolve grease and oils in a way that water cannot. Natural fibers such as wools and silks can shrink, distort, and lose color when washed in water, but dry clean beautifully. Synthetic fibers like polyester also respond well to dry cleaning, Whereas they can retain oily stains after washing. dry cleaning helps to return garments to a "like-new" condition using precautions to prevent shrinkage, loss of color, and change of texture or finish.

Does frequent dry cleaning shorten the life of a garment?
On the contrary, frequent dry cleaning prolongs the life of a garment. Not only do stains set with age, making the garment unwearable, but ground-in dirt and soil act as an abrasive, like sandpaper, causing rapid wear of fibers. Also, insects are attracted to soiled clothes and will cause further damage.

Should I store my dry cleaning garments in the plastic bag they are returned in?
No, the bags are provided by the dry cleaners to protect the garments until you get them home. Plastic bags inhibit the fabric from breathing and can promote the formation of mildew and cause fume fading. Fume fading will yellow whites and discolor colored garments.  We would recommend storing dry cleaned garments uncovered or in fabric garment bags, away from direct sunlight. 

What do you do about ring around the collar and broken buttons on my shirts? 
You won’t experience these problems with Quality Cleaners shirt service. We go out of our way to make sure that collars are bright and buttons are in place. Our shirts go through a time tested and calculated chemical mix during washing to make sure all shirts come out bright, clean, and without stains.  The shirts also go through a thorough inspection for stains, pressing, and broken or missing buttons so you don’t have to worry. 

What should I do if I spill food or beverage on my clothes?
It is best to blot the stain with a clean dry napkin or towel then STOP!  Be very careful with a damp or wet cloth as color loss or a water ring may be the result. Don't rub a stain. This may make it penetrate further into the fibers and may damage the fabric surface.  Next, call us before attempting further action at home. Never return a stained garment to the closet. Spots and stains can set with age, and food spills attract insects, which can do permanent damage.

Spillage of food and beverages is probably the most common cause of spots on clothing. Many of these are combination stains containing oils, sugars, and other staining substances. These stains may take more than one procedure to remove completely. Stains from beverages containing sugar may seem to disappear, but will show up later when the sugar caramelizes in response to age or exposure to heat

What is perc?
Perchloroethylene, or perc, is the chemical solvent we use in our drycleaning process.   Approximately 85% of dry cleaners use perc as their primary solvent.  It is a clear, colorless liquid that has a sharp, sweet odor and evaporates quickly. It is an effective cleaning solvent and is used by most professional drycleaners because it removes stains and dirt from all common types of fabrics. Perc does not cause clothes to shrink, nor dyes to bleed. Since perc can be reused, it is a cost-effective and efficient solvent for dry cleaners to clean clothes.

Do I need to worry about wearing drycleaned clothes?
No.  There has been no proof that wearing clothes cleaned by your dry cleaner is detrimental to your health.  Perc is evaporated from dry clean clothes as part of the overall cleaning process.  Our family has been working on site and operating the dry cleaning machines for more than 50 years.  We dry clean all our clothes from infant clothes on up, and feel very comfortable having our children wear dry cleaned clothes. 

How does dry cleaning work?
Despite its name, dry cleaning is not totally dry. It involves the use of liquid chemicals called solvents that remove most stains from a variety of fabrics. Most dry cleaners, including us at Quality Cleaners, use perc as their primary solvent. Because the clothes are cleaned in a liquid solution, with very little water if any, the term "drycleaning" is used to describe the process. There are some differences in the way dry cleaners process clothes, but here is how it typically works:

• Clothes are sorted by several categories including color and fabric
• Liquid solvents and detergents are brought into the machines. The machines then agitate clothes in a manner similar to your own washing machine to remove dirt, oil, and stains.
• Once clean, the clothes are dried in the same machine and then cooled.
• Once the cycle is over, the clothes are removed, checked for spots, and sent for pressing and shaping, another quality checkpoint, then packaged and bagged.
• Used solvent is distilled so it can be purified. Distillation separates the solvent from waste residues such as detergents, dye, dirt, oil, so the solvent can be reused. In addition to distillation, the solvent is pushed through a series of filters in order to keep it clean.

Do you clean and preserve wedding gowns?
Yes.  We take great pride in our Wedding Gown cleaning and preservation.  Whether for preservation for the future or to give to your daughter or granddaughter for her special day, our wedding gown preservation and cleaning process will exceed your expectations. 

Once preserved, can I look at my gown?
Yes.  The Wedding Gown box we use permits you to periodically open and inspect the gown.  If you would like assistance with your first opening and inspection of your gown, please give us a call or bring your gown in. We will be glad to assist you with the inspection and answer any questions.