Garments and household textiles that are exceptionally clean.
Spectacularly bright whites, creams and pastels
Colors that are rich and lustrous, without that "washed out", faded look
Renewed, revitalized fabric textures.
The softest, silkiest fabric feel, even on heavy cotton sweaters.
Garments that are meticulously finished. Inside and out. By hand. Not by machine.
Garments that are carefully and thoroughly inspected. From top to bottom. From inside to outside.
Garments that are individually and elegantly packaged.
And, of course, absolutely no drycleaning solvent smell. Or fragrance or perfume smell. Ever.

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Very briefly, what would cause me to have these expectations?

You can count on RAVE FabriCARE for technical expertise and skill in 11 areas that's unmatched anywhere in Arizona:

Professional stain removal: Exceptional stain removal and garment restoration skills.
Proprietary drycleaning fluid: An odorless, dermatoligally friendly, fabric-gentle, non-dye stripping drycleaning fluid that's used by fewer than 1% of all cleaners.
Drycleaning fluid purity: Crystal clear, freshly purified and freshly filtered drycleaning fluid. As clear as bottled mountain spring water.
Sanitone drycleaning chemistry: Top-of-the-line Sanitone^® drycleaning fluid additives.
Zero moisture: No moisture added or injected into our drycleaning machines. Ever.
Zero fragrance or perfume: No fragrance or perfume additives. Ever.
Zero sizing: Sizing according to your personal preference only.
Operational excellence: Lighter loads, zero moisture, longer cleaning cycles and lower drying temperatures.
Meticulous garment finishing: Old fashioned finishing craftsmanship. Inside and out. By hand. Not by machine.
Personalized inspections: Careful, thorough inspections. From top to bottom. From inside to outside.
Exquisite packaging: Individual and elegant packaging

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Is your drycleaning fluid gentle on my clothes and household textiles?

Yes. Our proprietary drycleaning fluid is extremely gentle on your fine garments and household textiles.

Fact is, our drycleaning fluid is so gentle on fabrics, it's six times less aggressive than chlorinated drycleaning solvents like perchlorethylene (also known as "perc"), and two times less aggressive than hydrocarbon drycleaning solvents like petroleum or synthetic petroleum, the drycleaning solvents used by more than 99.9% of all cleaners.

So gentle, it's used as an ingredient in many personal care products you apply to your skin on a daily basis. Such as shampoos, antiperspirants, deodorants and moisturizing creams.

And because it's so gentle, our drycleaning fluid is highly compatible with the delicate nature of the designer, high fashion, specialty and couture garments in which we specialize.

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What is Sanitone®?

Sanitone is a drycleaning fluid detergent that's injected into the drycleaning machine during the wash cycle. In much the same way you inject detergent into your home washer.

There are many home washer detergents on the market: some premium priced, some inexpensive; some effective, some ineffective; some branded, some generic.

Same with drycleaning fluid detergents.

At RAVE FabriCARE, however, we only use Sanitone drycleaning fluid detergents. Recognized internationally, Sanitone is the only drycleaning fluid detergent specifically recommended by leading designers and custom clothiers to restore and revitalize the color and texture of their fashions.

RAVE FabriCARE is the exclusive licensee of Sanitone products in the Phoenix metro area.

Cleaning your fine garments and household textiles in our fabric gentle drycleaning fluid with Sanitone detergent additives is just like washing your hair in soft, purified water with a fine salon shampoo and conditioner.

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Why do so many of my garments have spots and stains when they come back from the cleaners?

A true quality drycleaner should:

Perform extensive stain removal and cleaning procedures on every garment and household textile. Before they're loaded into a machine.
Employ an array of specialty agents to battle even your toughest stains.
Utilize a combination of delicate drycleaning, wetcleaning, handwashing and/or restoration techniques to protect your investment.

And a true quality drycleaner should do all this even if it means taking the time to treat the same garment or household textile multiple times until the stain has been removed or minimized.

Truth is, the vast majority of ordinary cleaners skip the stain removal process entirely.

Instead, their "stain removal technician" merely loads and unloads a machine. And hopes that the spots and stains will miraculously disappear based on a combination of the drycleaning solvent, the drycleaning detergent (if any), the addition or injection of moisture into the drycleaning machine (a reckless undertaking), and the drycleaning machine's tumbling action.

And if any spots or stains remain, they simply hang one of those sorry-we-tried-but-we-couldn't tags on your garment.

Problem is, hope is not an effective strategy for dealing with spots and stains. Technical skill and the allocation of appropriate time is. Unfortunately, technical skill and time is in short supply at ordinary cleaners.

That's because most ordinary cleaners operate on the in-by-9:00-out-by-5:00, picked-up-on-day-1-delivered-on-day-3 principle. Even if you ask them (or beg them) to take their time and "do it right." At ordinary cleaners, there's barely enough time to load their machine, bang the garment out on a press, and stuff it in a bag.

True quality cleaning simply can't be "done" in a few hours, or even in a day or two.

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Why do spots show up after drycleaning that weren't on the garment before drycleaning?

You don't remember seeing a stain before you took that garment to the drycleaner. Or before you put it away for the season.

It couldn't have been there. You'd have surely seen it. Right?

The more likely scenario is that the stain was not visible when you took it to the drycleaner, or when you put it away for the season.

The transformation from an invisible to a visible stain is best explained by the common apple. When an apple is cut in half, the oxygen in the air causes the sugars in the apple to caramelize and turn brown.

Similarly, many stains are colorless when they first come into contact with your garment or household textile. After a period of time, they combine with oxygen in the air and/or heat, and transform from an invisible to a visible stain.

So just because you couldn't see a stain doesn't mean it wasn't lurking in the fibers of your garment or household textile.

You see, any time there is a stain, residue from the liquid that caused the stain is left on the garment or household textile. In fact, no matter how well you blot up the liquid (never wipe or rub!), something will always be left behind. It's the residue from the liquid that causes invisible stains.

And when the garment or household textile is drycleaned and finished, the heat generated by the process can act as a catalyst to highlight the stain. And when a garment or household textile is stored in a closet for a period of time, the oxygen from the air can act as a catalyst to highlight the stain.

When a stain suddenly appears, it means that the stain has oxidized. Heat, oxygen and time can oxidize and set the stain. A skilled stain removal technician can often remove the stain -- provided it has not completely oxidized or "set".

Some common liquids that can transform from an invisible to a visible stain include:

Oil stains such as linseed, peanut, coconut, soy bean and salad oils.
Tannin stains such as liquor, tea, soft drinks and medicines.
Albumin stains such as egg, milk, perspiration, blood and urine.

The best advice?

If you think you've stained a garment or household textile, inform your drycleaner. This way the stain can be located and treated (provided, of course, that the drycleaner has a skilled stain removal technician on premises). It's the best way to prevent a hidden problem from popping out into the open.

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Do you spot clean garments?

Yes, we can spot clean a garment. But, in most cases, we prefer to clean the garment completely.

And here's why.

Spot cleaning is essentially an attempt to remove a visible stain without subjecting the garment to any drycleaning, wetcleaning, handwashing and/or restoration process.

Spot cleaning is accomplished by a stain removal technician on what is called a spotting board (a piece of equipment shaped like a home ironing board), using a combination of steam, specialty cleaning agents, vacuum and/or air drying.

The problem with spot cleaning, and the reason we generally prefer to clean the garment completely, is that it's almost impossible to completely remove (or "flush out") the residue of any chemical agent that might have been used in spot cleaning -- residue that would normally be flushed out of the textile by the drycleaning solvent or fluid.

This means that the chemical residue remains in the fabric with unpredictable long-term results.

Of course, there may be unique situations where a garment either cannot or should not be completely cleaned due to its fragility, finish, embellishment or trim. But, typically, these situations are few and far between -- even if the garment is labeled "Do not dryclean. Do not wetclean. Spot clean only."

Looking for an opinion? Stop by our fabricare facility. At RAVE FabriCARE, our strength is our personalized advisory service. We welcome the opportunity to discuss your options, advise you as to any risks associated with each option, and identify the results you can or cannot expect from each.

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Why are my whites, creams and pastels greyish or dingy when I get them back from the cleaners?

Garments and household textiles should always be cleaned in drycleaning fluid that's both continuously purified and continuously filtered. Every single drop. This way your garments and household textiles are cleaned in drycleaning fluid that's absolutely crystal clear. As clear as bottled mountain spring water.

Continuous purification is much like boiling your tap water at home to obtain pure water; continuous filtration is much like filtering your tap water to remove any additional impurities.

Fact is, crystal clear, freshly purified and filtered drycleaning fluid is your only guarantee against greyish and dingy whites, creams and pastels; dull and faded colors; and that all-to-familiar "drycleaning solvent smell."

Unfortunately, very few ordinary cleaners both continuously purify every single drop of their drycleaning fluid before and after each load, and continuously filter every single drop of their drycleaning fluid during each load.

So soluble impurities, such as bacteria, residual dyes, food fats and body oils, accumulate in the drycleaning fluid. And insoluble impurities, such as sand, skin flakes, dander and hair, float around in the drycleaning fluid.

These impurities, especially the soluble impurities, are then absorbed by the fibers of your garments and household textiles during the drycleaning "wash" cycle. In particular, natural fibers, such as silk, wool, linen and cotton, absorb these impurities like a sponge absorbs liquid.

Instead of your cleaner both continuously purifying and continuously filtering his drycleaning fluid, your garments and household textiles are functioning as your cleaner's "cleaning filter."

In effect, your garments and household textiles are being cleaned in "dirty drycleaning solvent." It's just like washing your clothes at home and reusing the same dirty water over and over again.

That's why your whites, creams and pastels come back greyish or dingy.

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Why do my dark colored garments look dull and faded when they come back from the cleaners?

Your dark colors -- blacks, reds, greens, purples, etc. -- look dull and faded for two reasons.

First, drycleaning your dark colored garments and household textiles in "dirty drycleaning solvent" will tend to dull your colors.

At RAVE FabriCARE, our drycleaning fluid is always crystal clear. As clear as bottled mountain spring water. So cleaning your fine garments and household textiles in our drycleaning fluid won't dull your dark colors.

Second, perchlorethylene (also known as "perc"), petroleum and synthetic petroleum, the drycleaning solvents used by 99.9% of all cleaners, are not chemically inert. This means that these drycleaning solvents react chemically with the dyes in your garments. The result? "Bleeding", "pulling" or "fading" of dyes.

At RAVE FabriCARE, our drycleaning fluid is chemically inert. This means that our drycleaning fluid does not react chemically with the dyes in your fabrics. The result? No "bleeding" or "fading" of dyes.

For example, if we were to clean a load of brand new black or red garments, with our filters turned off, the color of our drycleaning fluid will be crystal clear. If the same garments were to be cleaned in perc, petroleum or synthetic petroleum, with the filters turned off, the drycleaning solvent will be black or red respectively.

Where does the dye come from? You guessed it! Right out of your garments.

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Why do my dark colored casual garments, such as my Tommy Bahama shirts, look so faded when they come back from the cleaners?

Typically, these dark colored casual garments are not manufactured from fabric that has been woven from thread that has been dyed prior to weaving. They're manufactured from fabric that has been dyed after weaving.

These fabrics are called "top-dyed" or "surface printed" fabrics. Tommy Bahama print and dark colored garments are top-dyed or surface printed.

Top-dyed or surface printed garments tend to fade or streak (a process known as "crocking") when cleaned in perchlorethylene ("perc"), petroleum or synthetic petroleum, the drycleaning solvents used by 99.9% of all cleaners.

At RAVE FabriCARE, we'll always maintain the intensity of your colors. Even on top-dyed or surface printed garments.

For two reasons.

One, our proprietary drycleaning fluid is so gentle on fabrics. In fact, its six times less aggressive than perc and two times less aggressive than petroleum. So gentle, it's in many of the personal care products you use on a daily basis. Such as shampoos, antiperspirants, deodorants and moisturizing creams.

Two, our drycleaning fluid is chemically inert. Meaning that our drycleaning fluid does not react chemically with garment dyes, "bleeding" or "fading" the colors.

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Why do my clothes smell of drycleaning solvent when they come back from the cleaners?

Your clothes will only smell of drycleaning solvent if your cleaner shortens the dry and deodorize cycle of his drycleaning machine.

This often happens in ordinary cleaners where the pressure to "get the garments out" (i.e., into a machine, onto a press and into a bag) is constant and hectic.

But more likely than not, you're not smelling drycleaning solvent. You're smelling contaminants in the drycleaning solvent.

Let's explain.

Garments and household textiles should always be cleaned in drycleaning fluid that's both continuously purified and continuously filtered. Every single drop. This way your garments and household textiles are cleaned in drycleaning fluid that's absolutely crystal clear. As clear as bottled mountain spring water.

Continuous purification is much like boiling your tap water at home to obtain pure water; continuous filtration is much like filtering your tap water to remove any additional impurities.

Fact is, crystal clear, freshly purified and filtered drycleaning fluid is your only guarantee against greyish and dingy whites, creams and pastels; dull and faded colors; and that all-to-familiar "drycleaning solvent smell."

It's the difference between a black and white TV with mono sound and a high definition screen with surround sound.

Unfortunately, very few ordinary cleaners both continuously purify every single drop of their drycleaning fluid before and after each load, and continuously filter every single drop of their drycleaning fluid during each load.

These impurities, especially the soluble impurities, are then absorbed by the fibers of your garments and household textiles during the drycleaning "wash" cycle. In particular, natural fibers, such as silk, wool, linen and cotton, absorb these impurities like a sponge absorbs liquid.

Instead of your cleaner continuously purifying and continuously filtering his drycleaning fluid, your garments and household textiles are functioning as your cleaner's "cleaning filter."

In effect, your garments and household textiles are being cleaned in "dirty drycleaning solvent." It's just like washing your clothes at home and reusing the same dirty water over and over again.

So, what you're smelling is probably not drycleaning solvent. It's the accumulated contaminants in your garments and household textiles that you're smelling -- contaminants absorbed from your cleaner's "dirty drycleaning solvent."

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I've always been told to clean all pieces of my white, cream and pastel outfits at the same time. Why?

The "rationale" for this misguided notion is that this might help ensure that your outfits have "consistent coloring."

Truth is, this concept is, at the same time, both absurd and appropriate, given the nature of ordinary cleaning.

We'll explain.

Garments and household textiles should always be cleaned in drycleaning fluid that's both continuously purified and continuously filtered. Every single drop. This way your garments and household textiles are cleaned in drycleaning fluid that's absolutely crystal clear. As clear as bottled mountain spring water.

Continuous purification is much like boiling your tap water at home to obtain pure water; continuous filtration is much like filtering your tap water to remove any additional impurities.

Fact is, crystal clear, freshly purified and freshly filtered drycleaning fluid is your only guarantee against greyish and dingy whites, creams and pastels; dull and faded colors; and that all-to-familiar "drycleaning solvent smell."

So soluble impurities, such as bacteria, residual dyes, food fats and body oils accumulate in the drycleaning fluid. And insoluble impurities, such as sand, skin flakes, dander and hair, float around in the drycleaning fluid.

Instead of your cleaner continuously purifying and continuously filtering his drycleaning fluid, your garments and household textiles are functioning as your cleaner's "cleaning filter."

In effect, your garments and household textiles are being cleaned in "dirty drycleaning solvent." It's just like washing your clothes at home and reusing the same dirty water over and over again.

That's why you've been told to clean all pieces of your white, cream and pastel outfits at the same time. So all pieces of your outfit will then have "consistent coloring" -- "give-it-away grey" or "dryclean dingy."

Ouch!

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I've always been told to ask the cleaner to clean my whites, creams and pastels in "new solvent." Is this good advice?

Yes, it's good advice. But for all the wrong reasons.

The term "new solvent" is a misnomer. That's because drycleaners don't start with "new solvent" on a particular day of the week.

Drycleaners add newly purchased, virgin solvent to their systems only to replace solvent that has evaporated. Or to replace drycleaning solvent that remains in your garments and household textiles when cleaners shorten their dry and deodorize cycles in their constant attempt to "get the work out".

The fact that you need to ask is, at the same time, both absurd and appropriate, given the nature of ordinary cleaning.

It's like asking your doctor to scrub his hands and sterilize his surgical instruments prior to performing surgery. Shouldn't he do this as a matter of routine before and after every procedure?

Of course, he should!

So why should your drycleaner be any different? Shouldn't your drycleaner purify every single drop of his drycleaning solvent as a matter of routine before and after every load?

Of course, he should!

Garments and household textiles should always be cleaned in drycleaning fluid that's both continuously purified and continuously filtered. Every single drop. This way your garments and household textiles are cleaned in drycleaning fluid that's absolutely crystal clear. As clear as bottled mountain spring water.

Continuous purification is much like boiling your tap water at home to obtain pure water; continuous filtration is much like filtering your tap water to remove any additional impurities.

Instead of your cleaner continuously purifying and continuously filtering his drycleaning fluid, your garments and household textiles are functioning as your cleaner's "cleaning filter."

In effect, your garments and household textiles are being cleaned in "dirty drycleaning solvent." It's just like washing your clothes at home and reusing the same dirty water over and over again.

Asking your cleaner to use "new solvent" is good. But asking him to only use drycleaning solvent that's both continuously purified and continuously filtered is much better.

The only question is: if your cleaner hasn't done this as a matter of daily routine in the past, why do you think he'll change his operating procedures just for you?

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You've been telling me that ordinary cleaners clean in "dirty drycleaning solvent." My cleaner says his drycleaning solvent is "clean and pure." Am I missing something?

Yes. Because the issue is not whether his drycleaning solvent is "clean and pure", but how clean and how pure? "Clean and pure" like bottled mountain spring water? Or "clean and pure" like the effluent from your dishwasher?

There are 3 critical things to understand about "clean and pure" drycleaning fluid.

Drycleaning fluid must be continuously purified before and after each and every load. Every single drop. To remove all soluble impurities such as bacteria, residual dyes, food fats and body oils.
Drycleaning fluid must be continuously filtered during each and every load. Every single drop. To remove all insoluble impurities such as sand, skin flakes, dander and hair.
The drycleaning machine's internal tanks and piping must be absolutely clean. To preclude contamination of the drycleaning solvent by gunk in the machine's internal system.

This is where the confusion comes in.

Many ordinary cleaners are unclear about the definition of purification and filtration, and uncertain about the role of purification and filtration in the drycleaning process.

One local cleaner's literature states that "distillation is the process of removing non-soluble by-products of the cleaning process (hair, dirt, pet dander) ... If your drycleaner does not distill, those very same by-products will adhere to your garments." The literature goes on to say that "many of our competitors simply pass off the odor as unavoidable," implying that any odor in drycleaned garments and household textiles is the result of the presence of non-soluble by-products such as hair, dirt and pet dander in the drycleaning fluid.

Hogwash!

This comment exhibits a clear lack of understanding of the very basics of drycleaning.

Here's why ...

Odor in drycleaned garments and household textiles can be caused by many different factors.

However, the primary cause of odor in drycleaned garments and household textiles is the presence of soluble impurities such as body oils and food fats in the drycleaning fluid.

Sorry, but odor in garments and household textiles is ALMOST NEVER the result of the presence of non-soluble impurities such as hair, dirt and pet dander in the drycleaning fluid.
Many ordinary cleaners confuse continuous filtration with continuous purification and continuous filtration.

It's the combination of continuous purification and continuous filtration that is absolutely critical to achieving superior cleaning results. Continuous filtration alone is completely unacceptable.
Many ordinary cleaners confuse continuous purification with inadequate or irregular purification.

Continuous purification is a simple concept: you clean a load of garments or household textiles, you purify the solvent; you clean a load, you purify the solvent; you clean a load, you purify the solvent; etc. Every single drop. Every single time.

You can't follow the "drycleaning industry's highest standards" by purifying a meager 18 gallons of drycleaning solvent for every 100 pounds of garments cleaned. And then expect your drycleaning solvent to be free of impurities.

That's inadequate purification.

On the other hand, you can't clean a load, clean a load, clean a load, etc. and then purify. Once or twice a week. At the end of each day. Maybe. Possibly. If there's time. If the drycleaning machine operator is not too busy.

That's irregular purification.
Many ordinary cleaners do not maintain their drycleaning machines in spotless condition.

In many cases, their drycleaning solvent holding tanks and separators are layered with sediment. And the internal piping is clogged with lint.

Even if they both continuously purified and continuously filtered their drycleaning solvent, the machine's internal tanks and piping must be spotless. Otherwise, it's just like taking a bath in a scum-layered bath tub filled with fresh water.

So next time your cleaner tells you his drycleaning solvent is "clean and pure", your response should be: how "clean" and "how pure"?

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My cleaner claims that he "distills" or "purifies" his drycleaning solvent. So why are my whites, creams and pastels still greyish or dingy? Why are my colors still dull and faded? And why do my garments still have that drycleaning solvent smell?

Because your cleaner follows the "drycleaning industry's highest standards."

Unfortunately, the "drycleaning industry's highest standards" dictate that your cleaner should distill or purify a minimum of 18 gallons of drycleaning solvent for every 100 pounds of garments cleaned.

To put that in perspective, consider this example. Let's assume:

Your cleaner has a drycleaning machine with a maximum (theoretical) capacity of 60 pounds
Your cleaner loads his machine with 50 pounds of garments (a drycleaning machine should never be loaded to maximum capacity)
The drycleaning machine uses approximately 35 gallons of drycleaning solvent per "wash" cycle (called a "bath" in drycleaning lingo)
Your cleaner uses a two bath process to "clean" the 50 pound load (a huge assumption).

So to clean a 50 pound load, your cleaner needs 70 gallons of distilled or purified drycleaning solvent. Or 140 gallons to clean 100 pounds.

And because your cleaner follows the "drycleaning industry's highest standards", he dutifully transfers 18 gallons of dirty drycleaning solvent to his distillation or purification unit for distillation or purification.

Our question is simply this: What happened to the other 122 gallons of dirty drycleaning solvent that should have been immediately distilled or purified?

Is it any wonder your whites, creams and pastels are greyish or dingy? Is it any wonder your colors dull and fade? Is it any wonder your garments have that all-to-familiar "drycleaning solvent smell"?

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I've read about the RAVE FabriCARE Smell Test Challenge. What's that all about?

We've discussed, amongst other things, the importance of drycleaning fluid purity in producing garments and household textiles that are absolutely odor free and spectacularly bright.

We've also stated that, at the very least, the drycleaning fluid used must be as pure and as clear as bottled mountain spring water. And that odor and dinginess is primarily the result of cleaning in drycleaning solvent that smells and looks like the effluent from your dishwasher.

So, at RAVE FabriCARE, we invite you to visit our fabricare facility and to conduct your very own experiment: Stick your head into any one of our drycleaning machines. Inhale through your nose. Deeply.

We challenge you to detect any odor.

Now comes the clincher. Go to ANY other cleaner in the Valley and ask them for permission to repeat the test. Without the aid of a teratogenic respirator! (That's a respirator custom made to fit the contour of your face.)

Then carefully observe the panic in their reaction to your request. It'll speak volumes. And we bet, it won't pass the smell test.

Why do we offer the smell test challenge?

Because it's like a restaurant inviting you into their kitchen to examine the inside of their ovens.

You could, of course, accept the restauranteur's claim that their ovens are pristine clean. But it's only after you conduct your own examination that you KNOW they're clean.

Oh! One more thing. Don't accept the response that "insurance or governmental regulations" do not permit customers into their production facility. After all, what's there to hide?

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My skin is sensitive to drycleaning solvent. Any advice?

The more precise questions you should be asking are:

Am I sensitive to the virgin drycleaning solvent itself?
Or am I sensitive to all the accumulated soluble impurities in the drycleaning solvent?

These impurities include bacteria, residual dyes, food fats and body oils that your garments and household textiles absorb when cleaned in drycleaning solvent that has not been continuously purified.
Or am I sensitive to the fragrance or perfume in the drycleaning solvent?

Many cleaners add fragrance or perfume to their drycleaning solvent to "disguise" or "neutralize" the odor associated with cleaning in drycleaning solvent that has not been continuously purified.

Most individuals are not sensitive to virgin drycleaning solvent. They're sensitive to the impurities in the drycleaning fluid and/or to the fragrance or perfume added to "disguise" or "neutralize" those impurities.

At RAVE FabriCARE, you'll never have to worry about any of these issues.

That's because our drycleaning fluid is non-chlorinated, non-hydrocarbon, fragrance-free, perfume-free and completely odorless. We call it Free & Clear Cleaning.^® It's ideal for the chemically-sensitive who are unable to tolerate drycleaning solvents like perchlorethylene, petroleum, or synthetic petroleum, the drycleaning solvents used by more than 99.9% of all drycleaners. Or who are unable to tolerate the fragrances or perfumes that are part of the ordinary cleaner's bag of tricks.

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Do you operate your drycleaning machines differently from ordinary cleaners?

Absolutely.

At RAVE FabriCARE, we always scrupulously sort our garments into at least 5 like-color classifications, and at least 2 fragility classifications. We never add moisture to our drycleaning fluid to control any possibility of shrinkage. We always underload our machines. We always extend the length of our wash cycles for maximum soil removal. And we always dry at lower temperatures to further control any possibility of shrinkage.

Contrast this to the vast majority of ordinary cleaners where they

mix dark and intermediate colored garments
mix light and intermediate colored garments
mix red, black and other dark colored garments
mix regular and fragile garments
load their machines to full capacity
add or inject moisture into their drycleaning system
reduce the length of their "wash" cycles
increase the temperature of their "dry" cycles.

This produces the fastest and cheapest -- and worst -- drycleaning. What we call "ordinary drycleaning." And what ordinary cleaners call "exceptional" or "award winning" cleaning.

At RAVE FabriCARE, our drycleaning machines even have completely separate filter systems for light/intermediate colored loads and dark colored loads.

By contrast, the drycleaning machines at many ordinary cleaners have a single filter system. This means that the drycleaning solvent from both their light/intermediate colored loads and their dark colored loads flows through the same set of filters. As a result, some of the dye residue from their dark garments that accumulates in their filters will eventually find its way onto your light/intermediate garments.

The result?

Whites, creams and pastels that are grey and dingy.

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Why do my clothes smell of fragrance or perfume when they come back from the cleaners?

Garments and household textiles should always be cleaned in drycleaning fluid that's both continuously purified and continuously filtered. Every single drop. This way your garments and household textiles are cleaned in drycleaning fluid that's absolutely crystal clear. As clear as bottled mountain spring water.

Continuous purification is much like boiling your tap water at home to obtain pure water; continuous filtration is much like filtering your tap water to remove any additional impurities.

Fact is, crystal clear, freshly purified and filtered drycleaning fluid is your only guarantee against greyish and dingy whites, creams and pastels: dull and faded colors; and that all-to-familiar "drycleaning solvent smell."

Instead of your cleaner both continuously purifying and continuously filtering his drycleaning solvent, your garments and household textiles are functioning as your cleaner's "cleaning filter."

In effect, your garments and household textiles are being cleaned in "dirty drycleaning solvent". It's just like washing your clothes at home and reusing the same dirty water over and over again.

How do ordinary cleaners deal with the resultant odor?

They simply add or inject fragrance or perfume into their drycleaning fluid. Of course, they'll tell you they do this to impart a "breath of fresh air" into your garments and household textiles.

Truth is, these fragrances and perfumes are intended solely to "disguise" or "neutralize" the odor associated with cleaning in drycleaning fluid that has not been both continuously purified and continuously filtered.

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Does RAVE FabriCARE add or inject fragrance or perfume into the drycleaning fluid?

Never.

Unlike ordinary cleaners, we never use fragrance or perfume.

And the reason? We clean in drycleaning fluid that's crystal clear. As clear as bottled mountain spring water. Absolutely pure drycleaning fluid means zero odor. And zero odor means no need for fragrance or perfume.

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Why do my drycleaned garments still smell of perspiration when they come back from the cleaners?

Because they haven't been cleaned. Professionally cleaned, that is.

You might have been told that they've been cleaned. They may appear to have been cleaned. But you know that they sure don't smell like they've been cleaned!

Here's why.

First, you have to know a little about drycleaning -- at a very conceptual level.

The vast majority of stains fall into one of two categories: dryside stains and wetside stains.

Dryside stains are oil-based stains such as butter, salad dressing, steak juice and body oil. To remove a dryside stain, the garment must be "prespotted"/flushed with steam and dried. Prior to being drycleaned. Drycleaning should emulsify or dissolve the residue of the oil or grease stain that hasn't been flushed out with steam during prespotting. About 10% of all stains a drycleaner encounters are oil-based stains.

Wetside stains are water-based stains such as soda, juice, champagne and perspiration. To remove a dryside stain, the garment must be "prespotted"/flushed with steam and dried, and/or wetcleaned and dried. Prior to being drycleaned. About 90% of all stains a drycleaner encounters are water-based stains.

And here's where the problem arises.

You can dryclean a garment with a wetside stain as many times as you wish. More often than not, that stain won't "move" with drycleaning alone. Conversely, you can wetclean a garment with a dryside stain as many times as you wish. More often than not, that stain won't "move" with wetcleaning alone.

Now you know that

Perspiration -- a wetside stain -- cannot be removed by merely tossing your garments into a drycleaning machine.
Perspiration -- a wetside stain -- must be removed by a skilled stain removal technician. Prior to being drycleaned.

And you also know that

The vast majority of ordinary cleaners skip the stain removal process entirely.
Their "stain removal technician" merely loads and unloads the drycleaning machine and hopes that the stain will miraculously disappear.

So what's an ordinary cleaner to do?

Employ skilled stain removal technicians? No. (That's way too expensive.)

Take the time, at the very least, to flush and dry the underarm areas and/or crotch areas of each and every garment prior to tossing them into their drycleaning machine? No. (That'll cripple their in-by-9:00-out-by-5:00, picked-up-on-day-1-delivered-on-day-3 "production system".)

Increase their turnaround time so they will have the time "to do the job right"? No. (They're convinced that same or next day service is absolutely critical to their business survival.)

Increase their prices to accommodate the labor investment required "to do the job right"? No. (They're petrified their customers will defect to a lower priced cleaner down the street.)

So what's an ordinary cleaner to do?

They resort to twisted logic. It goes something like this ...

We know we need drycleaning solvent to emulsify or dissolve dryside stains, and moisture to remove wetside stains. So why don't we just add or inject moisture into our drycleaning machine during the "wash" cycle. This way we'll kill two birds with one stone: the drycleaning solvent will "take care of the dryside stains" and the moisture will "take care of the wetside stains".

Voila! Problem solved. With absolutely no investment of time, effort or skill. And absolutely no impact on their sacrosanct in-by-9:00-out-by-5:00, picked-up-on-day-1-delivered-on-day-3 "production system".

There's only one problem.

It just doesn't work. Which, of course, is why your drycleaned garments still smell of perspiration.

And it's extremely reckless.

Why reckless?

Because moisture in a drycleaning machine is the single most important contributor to the shrinkage of garments. And to the bleeding of water soluble dyes on "dryclean only" garments.

True quality drycleaning involves the application of care, judgment, skill, experience and time. Unfortunately for ordinary cleaners, there are no simple, shortcut solutions.

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I want my cotton and linen garments to be DRYCLEANED. But when I get them back they look, smell and feel like they've been WASHED. What's going on here?

At worst, your cotton and linen garments have been "washed." At best, they've been "wetcleaned." But, in all likelihood, they haven't been drycleaned as you specified.

Here's what ordinary cleaners typically do to your cotton and linen garments ...

They give your cottons and linens a quick "look over" for oil-based stains, such as body oil, creams and salad dressing. If there are no visible oil-based stains, and they determine that your cottons and linens can be washed or wetcleaned, they're sent directly to the washer (often regardless of whether the care label says "dryclean" or "machine washable"). If there are visible oil-based stains, your cottons and linens are first tossed into a drycleaning machine to dissolve the oils before being sent to the washer to be washed or wetcleaned.

After machine washing or wetcleaning, your cotton and linen garments are machine dried, machine pressed and bagged.

Now you know why

your colors fade
your garments feel stiff
your garments have that fragranced, laundered smell.

Why do ordinary cleaners subject your cotton and linen garments to this treatment?

Primarily because of the fear of odors and dinginess resulting from the use of perchloroethylene, petroleum and synthetic petroleum solvents -- the drycleaning solvents used by 99.9% of all cleaners in the Valley.

You see, cottons and linens are natural fibers. And just like sponges, natural fibers absorb even the slightest odors and dinginess from drycleaning solvent. So even if the drycleaner uses (or claims to use) "pure solvent", your cotton and linen garments will still smell and look dingy when they come out of the drycleaning machine.

(There's an interesting contradiction here: Many ordinary cleaners will claim that they use "pure" drycleaning solvent. This way they claim their drycleaned garments are always "odor-free" and "bright"). Yet they won't risk drycleaning your cotton and linen garments because they're afraid they'll smell and look dingy. How can the drycleaning solvent be "pure" if their drycleaning produces cotton and linen garments that are smelly and are dingy?)

What should a drycleaner do to your "machine washable" cotton and linen garments?

Use wetcleaning and other restoration techniques to remove water-based stains (instead of machine washing). Hang or flat dry the garments (instead of machine drying). And, finally, dryclean the garments to remove oil-based stains, enhance the intensity of the color and restore the soft texture of the garment.

And ANY drycleaner should be able to do all this while simultaneously producing an odor-free and intensely bright garment.

Which, of course, they can't. Which is why ordinary cleaners "wash" or "wetclean" as many of your cotton and linen garments as possible.

Even if you dislike faded, stiff, fragranced garments. Even if you specified dryclean only. Even if the care label says "dry clean only".

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Why do my wools and silks feel stiff when I get them back from the cleaners?

It's the sizing.

Ordinary cleaners love sizing. So they add or inject sizing into their drycleaning machines during the drycleaning "wash" cycle. In much the same way that you inject detergent or softener into your home washer.

Their stated reason? According to one local cleaner's literature, to "keep each garment feeling new and crisp" and to "retain your garment's original shape, weight and feel" (we're not making this one up, really!).

And the true reason? The more sizing they add, the quicker and easier it is for their employees to bang out your garments on a press.

What gets sized? Everything in the load. Cottons. Linens. Silks. Rayons. Wools such as alpaca, angora, camelhair, cashmere, escorial, marino, mohair and vicuna. Super 100s, 120s, 150s and 160s.

Is it any wonder your fine wools and silks feel and drape like cardboard when you get them back from an ordinary cleaner?

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Does RAVE FabriCARE add sizing to it's drycleaning fluid?

Never.

At RAVE FabriCARE, we believe that sizing should never be applied to an entire load of drycleaning. Sizing should be applied -- by a skilled finisher -- during the finishing stage -- to cottons and linens only. And only according to your stated personal preference.

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Why do my clothes look shiny and hard pressed when I get them back from the cleaners?

Simply because they've been pressed by machine, with way too much pressure, using way too much steam, at way too high a temperature, for way too long.

At RAVE FabriCARE, you won't find those common "bang and hang" machine pressing practices typically found at ordinary cleaners: shine; seam, flap and button impressions; moire-like press pad impressions; double creases; wrinkled seams and linings; and other "crimes of fashion".

Instead, your fine garments will be delicately finished. By a skilled garment finisher. The old-fashioned way. By hand. Using a hand iron. Both inside and out. No matter how long it might take.

We've even got different finishing stations, equipped with different types of finishing pads, adjusted to different pressures, equipped with handirons set at different temperatures, and staffed by finishers with different skills, to accommodate different categories of garments and even different types of fabrics within a specific category of garments.

To understand this nuance, you must first recognize that ordinary cleaners typically employ only two types of presses in their dryclean operations: pant presses (slacks, trousers and shorts) and utility presses (blouses, shirts, blazers, sport coats, dresses, skirts, sweaters, etc.).

Moreover, most ordinary cleaners cross train their pressers to be "jacks of all trades". So a presser may press slacks, trousers and shorts for 5 hours, and blouses, shirts, blazers, sport coats, dresses, skirts and sweaters for the rest of the day. Or their "stain removal technician" will load and unload their dryclean machine, and press slacks, trousers and shorts in between loads.

At RAVE FabriCARE, we'd never permit such cross utilization.

For example, our slacks, trousers and shorts finishers would never be assigned a sport coat or a dress.

Why?

Because skilled finishing is all about technique. And few finishers -- even highly skilled finishers -- have developed their technique to the point that would allow them to move seamlessly between different categories of garments. (Please note that "technique" does not equate to "experience". Many pressers with years of experience have zero technique.)

Not only that, but we've even got different finishing stations to accommodate different fabrics within a specific category of garments. For example, our cotton/linen slacks, trousers and shorts finishers would never be assigned a wool, silk, poly, acetate or rayon slacks, trousers or shorts.

Why?

Because our cotton/linen pant presses are equipped with a "harder" pad, are adjusted to a higher pressure, are equipped with handirons set at higher temperatures, and requires a hand finisher with a "stronger arm". By contrast, our wool, silk, poly, acetate and rayon pant presses are equipped with a "soft" pad, are adjusted to a negligible pressure, are equipped with handirons set at lower temperatures, and requires a hand finisher with a "delicate touch".

At RAVE FabriCARE, anything less is simply unacceptable.

"Pressing", as practiced by ordinary cleaners, is such a poor descriptor of the art of finishing. Of course, a skilled finisher must know how to apply pressure to achieve a smooth finish on a linen or cotton. But a smooth, soft, hand-finish, that minimizes the possibility of shine or seam, flap or button impressions, best defines the finest professional finishing.

If you're looking for validation of this point of view, just broach the subject of "pressing" with any custom tailor and watch their blood pressure rise.

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Why are the collars of my sport coats or suit jackets always rippled when I get them back from the cleaners?

You're probably alluding to the fact that when you bought the sport coat or suit, the collar was perfectly rounded from gorge seam to gorge seam. Not rippled. And that your lapels had a soft, rolling, "floating on air" look. Not a hard press.

And now you're wondering why your ordinary cleaner can't duplicate that perfectly rounded, non-rippled, "factory formed" collar and soft, rolling, "floating on air" lapels each and every time the sport coat or suit jacket is cleaned?

Sorry, but we've got no idea why! But we do have some suggestions.

Perhaps they should hire skilled garment finishers, instead of unskilled pressers. Perhaps they should spend time hand finishing the garment, instead of banging it out on a press. Perhaps they should focus on the quality of their work, instead of the number of pieces they can push through their "production system" every hour.

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I sometimes wonder if anyone at my cleaner ever inspects my garments before they put them in a bag. Do they?

Probably not. Notwithstanding anything you may be told to the contrary.

Careful, thorough inspection takes a full-time commitment. And, if the cleaner has any standards, an uncompromising position on every aspect of the process. Including stain removal, cleaning, finishing and repairs (buttons, snaps, hooks, eyes, shoulder pads, seams, hems, zippers, etc.).

Many ordinary cleaners claim that they inspect each and every garment. They even use the term "hand inspect", implying that their inspections are careful and thorough.

But, in the vast majority of ordinary cleaners, the "inspector" is really the garment bagger. Whose primary focus is on "getting your garments into a bag and onto the conveyor," and who simply doesn't have the time to carefully and thoroughly inspect each and every garment. From top to bottom. From inside to outside.

Let's assume, for argument's sake, that the garment bagger did, in fact, find something obvious on a garment -- a stain or wrinkle on a garment; a rippled collar on a blazer or sport coat; a missing ornamental button; a loose hem; a broken zipper; etc.

What would they do? Return it for recleaning, refinishing, replacement or repair? Highly unlikely!

After all, why bother with a careful, thorough inspection when the entire modus operandi of the ordinary cleaner is geared to getting your garments into a machine, onto a press, and into a bag. ASAP. They're in by 9:00 and out by 5:00; or picked up on day 1 and delivered on day 3.

At ordinary cleaners, careful, thorough inspections just get in the way of their "production system".

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Why do cleaners insist on stuffing all my garments into a small bag?

We know what you mean.

The vast majority of ordinary cleaners stuff their garments into an ultra-thin, narrow bag. Then your entire order is crammed onto a holding rack or conveyor.

Which means that your garments are probably returned to you -- "pressed" and on a hanger -- looking only slightly better than the day you turned them over.

If this is the level of care exhibited after "cleaning" and "pressing" (what you see), imagine the level of care applied to your fine garments and household textiles during the "cleaning" and "pressing" process (what you don't see).

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My cleaner offers two levels of service -- basic and premium. I'm thinking about upgrading to their premium service. Will this help preserve my investment in my wardrobe?

You're probably referring to the fact that some ordinary cleaners purport to offer a "premium service," often accompanied by a special name such as their sterling, gold or platinum service. Pressed for details, you'll probably be told that this is their "extra care service,"where they claim your garments are "pressed by their best presser ("best" by whose standards?), hand inspected (is there any other way?), hung on wood or chrome hangers (on straight, non-contoured, non-supportive wood hangers? on metal clip hangers?), and stuffed with logo printed tissue (using acid-laden tissue?)

Can it help? Possibly. But not likely.

The real question you should ask is: is the logo printed tissue and the wood or chrome hanger worth the premium price? Because, in many cases, that's probably the only difference between their basic and their premium service.

Is it possible for the same procedures, processes, skills, equipment and facilities that routinely produce ordinary, in-by-9:00-out-by-5:00, picked-up-on-day-1-delivered-on-day-3 work to also produce true quality work?

We don't think so.

At RAVE FabriCARE, we offer only one level of care. Extraordinary care.

Is it possible for Denny's^® or Village Inn^® to consistently deliver a steak of Morton's^® or Ruth's Chris^® quality just because their steak is prepared by their best short order cook? Is it possible for a Supercuts^® or Great Clips^® to consistently deliver styling of Vidal Sassoon's^® or Rolf's^® quality just because their cut is executed by their best hair cutter?

We don't think so.

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Do you glue bar coded labels into my garments?

No. And here's why ...

Visualize, for a moment, a Fedex or UPS sorting facility with a web of conveyor belts and bar code scanners strategically mounted above those conveyor belts. Further, visualize letters and boxes of all shapes and sizes, all imprinted with a bar-code, shuttling along a conveyor belt from point to point.

Now, instead of letters and boxes, visualize your fine garments and household textiles, suspended on hangers, being roller-coasted around a drycleaning plant from point to point on an automated distribution and assembly conveyor.

The automated movement of garments is the latest "technological breakthrough" to hit the drycleaning industry. This technology has been embraced by many cleaners. Primarily by volume-oriented cleaners who operate at the low end of the quality/price spectrum and whose business model is based on maximizing efficiency and minimizing costs.

And the foundation for such a system? Bar coded labels that are heat-sealed onto your garments and household textiles.

It's a concept borrowed directly from the uniform rental industry.

Here's some background.

We're all familiar with the uniform rental industry. We see their products on every DHL, Fedex, Post Office and UPS driver. To ensure that those uniforms are "cleaned, steamed/pressed, assembled and delivered" at the lowest possible cost, the cleaner must, among other things, bar code all garments and utilize a highly automated distribution and assembly system to shuttle their garments from point to point.

Along comes the ordinary cleaners. They figured that if the system works for the uniform rental industry, it'll work for them too.

But does it work for you? Can you picture your fine garments being shuttled around a drycleaning plant from cleaning to steaming/pressing to assembly to bagging to storage? Can you imagine your delicate silk, linen and cotton blouses and shirts being crushed between heavy wool coats and sweaters? All in the name of maximizing efficiency and minimizing costs.

So, next time you see bar coded labels glued onto your fine garments and household textiles consider this: Do you want your fine garments and household textiles to be treated like uniform rental garments?

We don't think so. Which is why we move your fine garments and household textiles around our facility by hand. Gently. From cleaning to finishing to inspection to assembly to packaging to storage/delivery. All by hand. All very gently.

Careful handling of your fine garments and household textiles through the entire garment care process is just one sign of true quality fabricare. Bar code labels glued onto your fine garments and household textiles is just one sign of ordinary or "bang and hang" cleaning.

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Do you use the "CleanCare System" of cleaning? What is this system anyway?

No. We don't use the "CleanCare System".

The CleanCare System of cleaning is nothing more than "bang and hang" or ordinary cleaning with a tag line -- a tag line coined by the drycleaner to lend "exclusivity" to their non-exclusive drycleaning solvent. It's often touted as being "gentle on your garments", "environmentally friendly" and even "non-toxic".

Let's examine each of these claims.

The first claim is that the CleanCare System is gentle on your garments. This claim is partially true.

That's because the CleanCare System is ordinary cleaning using a hydrocarbon drycleaning solvent -- synthetic petroleum (brand name: DF 2000 from Exxon-Mobil or EcoSolv from Conoco-Phillips). This solvent is used by approximately 10% of all drycleaners in the U.S.

In relative terms, synthetic petroleum is "more gentle" than perchlorethylene (also known as "perc"), the most common drycleaning solvent, used by approximately 90% of all drycleaners in the U.S.

As a drycleaning solvent, however, synthetic petroleum is still far too aggressive. Especially for fine designer, high fashion, specialty and couture garments.

By contrast, our drycleaning fluid -- siloxane -- is significantly more gentle than synthetic petroleum.

So gentle it's used as a base ingredient in many personal care products you apply to your skin on a daily basis. Such as shampoos, antiperspirants, deodorants and moisturizing creams. So gentle you can wash your hands in it.

Now that's gentle!
The second claim is that the CleanCare System is "environmentally friendly." This claim is completely untrue.

Fact is, there's nothing "environmentally friendly" about synthetic petroleum.

In Arizona, the use of synthetic petroleum drycleaning solvent requires:

*Government-issued operating permits (annual)

*Government-mandated inspections (quarterly)

*Government-regulated record keeping of solvent usage

*Government-required removal of waste by a government-licensed waste hauler.

By contrast, our drycleaning fluid -- siloxane -- is completely exempt from all these environmental laws, regulations and mandates.

That's because siloxane contains no hazardous chemicals. That means that, unlike synthetic petroleum, there's nothing to dirty the air, contaminate the soil, or pollute the water. And unlike synthetic petroleum, siloxane can be safely disposed of. It's bildegradable. If released into the environment, it merely breaks down into it three natural components -- water, sand and carbon dioxide.

Now that's environmentally friendly!
The third claim is that the CleanCare System is non-toxic. This claim is completely untrue.

For two reasons:

*Neither Exxon-Mobil (DF 2000) nor Conoco-Phillips (EcoSolv) have ever claimed that their solvents are non-toxic. Their websites never use the word "non-toxic".

*There are no independent studies to support the claim that either DF 2000 or EcoSolv are non-toxic

By contrast, our drycleaning fluid -- siloxane -- is a base ingredient in many personal care products you apply to your skin on a daily basis. Such as shampoos, antiperspirants, deodorants and moisturizing creams. You can safely wash your hands in siloxane.

Because siloxane is dermatologically friendly, it's suitable for chemically-sensitive individuals who, up to now, had only two choices: wear machine washable garments or air their "dryclean only" garments outdoors before wearing. Individuals who have been medically diagnosed to be chemically sensitive should not wear garments cleaned in synthetic petroleum.

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Do you use the "EnviroCare System" of cleaning? What is this system anyway?

No. We don't use the "EnviroCare System".

The EnviroCare System of cleaning is nothing more than "bang and hang" or ordinary cleaning with a tag line -- a tag lines coined by the drycleaner to lend "exclusivity" to their commonly-used drycleaning solvent. It's often touted as being "gentle on your garments," "environmentally friendly" and even "non-toxic."

These statements are either partially untrue or completely untrue. For a full discussion of the EnviroCare System, please refer to the CleanCare System referenced above.

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Do you use the OrganiCare System of cleaning? What is this system anyway?

No. We don't use the OrganiCare System.

The OrganiCare System of cleaning is nothing more than "bang and hang" or ordinary cleaning with a tag line -- a tag line coined by the drycleaner to lend "exclusivity" to their commonly-used drycleaning solvent. It's often touted as being "gentle on your garments," "environmentally friendly" and even "non-toxic".

These statements are either partially untrue or completely untrue. For a full discussion of the OrganiCare System, please refer to the "CleanCare System" referenced above.

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I've heard conflicting opinions on what to do in a stain emergency. What's your best advice?

We understand your dilemma. We can picture you in a restaurant, in the office, on a flight, or at a social event. And oh no! Something just spilt, splashed or splattered on your favorite outfit.

Before you can say "Where's the club soda," everyone around you is volunteering an opinion on a quick-fix miracle cure.

Here's a word of caution: Before you take the "advice" of those around you, or before you do something you'll later regret, consider this ...

Restaurant waiters, business associates, airline personnel, family members and friends are not skilled stain removal technicians. Specifically, they know absolutely nothing about how to treat your specific combination of:

Stain (e.g., steak sauce, mustard or red wine)
Stain type (e.g., oil-based, water-based or combination)
Fabric color (e.g., black, tan or white)
Fabric type (e.g., silk, rayon or linen)
Dye type (e.g., solvent soluble dye, water soluble dye, solvent fast dye, water fast dye, or some combination thereof)

Their "advice" may sound plausible because it often involves "stuff" you've heard about: ammonia, baby wipes, baking soda, club soda, coca cola, dishwashing liquid, hairspray, lemon juice, meat tenderizer, salt, vinegar, WD-40, water or white wine. And let's not forget those "guaranteed" spot removers promoted on late night TV, at supermarket check outs, and in TV guides and tabloid newspapers.

Truth is, their "advice" is probably nothing more than a mixture of folklore, old wives tales, home remedies, and hazy memories about something they'd heard from someone a few years back.

So what do you do?

Here's our best advice ...

Count to 30. Slowly.

Hopefully, this "cool off" period will

*Refresh your memory on our advice for stain emergencies (ignore the advice of others, and do nothing you'll later regret)

*Prevent you from doing something impulsive ("I've got to do something. Anything. Now!")

*Delay your search for a quick-fix miracle cure ("Get me some water or club soda. Quick!")

Here's a sobering thought: By attempting to "treat" the stain yourself, you've got a 50:50 chance of ruining the garment.

In other words, if the quick-fix miracle cure works, you're just plain lucky. If it doesn't work, you've possibly ruined the garment.
Ignore the "advice" of those around you.

Clearly, those around you are just trying to be helpful in an awkward situation. Unfortunately, they're not skilled stain removal technicians, and don't have the technical knowledge, tools, chemical agents, and specialized equipment necessary to "treat" the garment.
Don't apply any quick-fix miracle cure.

Most of these quick-fix miracle cures just spread the stain, result in the formation of rings, bleed the dyes, and "pull" the color out of the fabric. Furthermore, they make future removal or restoration by a skilled stain removal technician a difficult, if not impossible task.

We can't begin to recall the number of ruined garments we've seen accompanied by the comment: "I know I shouldn't have done anything, but..."
Gently blot the spill, splash or splatter with a white cotton napkin or towel. Never wipe. Never rub. Never scrub.

We'll repeat that: Never wipe. Never rub. Never scrub.

Just gently blot the fabric to absorb as much of the spill, splash or splatter as possible.

Then leave it alone.
Take or send the garment to a reputable drycleaner.

*Select a true quality drycleaner who is recognized for their stain removal and restoration skills.

*Take or send in the garment within 24 to 48 hours.

*Give the drycleaner enough time -- at least a week -- to achieve the best possible result (true quality fabricare cannot be accomplished in a few hours or a few days).

*Point out the location of the spill, splash or splatter, especially if the spill, splash or splatter has dried clear.

*Inform the drycleaner of the nature of the spill, splash or splatter, if known.

So the next time a spill, splash or splatter occurs remember our advice: ignore the advice of others, and do nothing you'll later regret.

You could say that knowing what NOT to do is more important than knowing what to do.

This advice has been adapted from The Ultimate Guide to Shopping & Caring for Your Clothes by Steve Boorstein.

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I tried to remove a stain from a "dryclean only" green silk dress. Unfortunately, I also removed some of the surrounding color from the fabric. Can I save the dress by dyeing it black?

Probably not. And here's why ...

First, garment dyeing is a highly inexact mixture of art and science. There are many variables to be considered and the final result cannot be predicted with any degree of certainty.

Second, your expectation that the green silk dress will be transformed into a like-new, black silk dress is unrealistic. More likely than not, you'll be very disappointed with the results. The garment will probably be unwearable, and you've just spent a lot of money to prove it.

Here's some of the problems you'll encounter:

Shrinkage and Loss of Texture
Dyeing is a water-based process involving heat. Shrinkage is always a risk. And the garment may lose some of the "hand" or feel typically associated with silks.

There's a good reason the garment manufacturer put a "dryclean only" label in that green silk dress.
Inconsistent Color
The overall color of the garment may be inconsistent, blotchy or streaky. Especially in the area of the stain or color loss -- the very area you're trying to "fix".
Inexact Color
You cannot select the exact color you want, nor can the dyer predict the final color that might be achieved. For example, if you asked for black, you might get dark gray or navy.
Unmatched Color
Many natural fiber garments, such as your green silk dress, have synthetic fiber components such as polyester or nylon thread. These synthetic components will not "take" the dye. So you could end up with a black (or dark gray or navy) silk dress with green seams and button holes.

What's more, if all the components (fabric and thread) were silk, the fabric and thread may end up different shades of the same color.

So what's our overall advice about dyeing?

Don't waste your time or your money.

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Wetcleaning

What is wetcleaning?

Wetcleaning is a process of removing soil and stains using water and wetside chemicals.

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When should wetcleaning be used?

Wetcleaning may be used to

Remove soil and stains that cannot be removed in drycleaning
Restore yellowed and oxidized garments that may otherwise be unwearable.

Furthermore, wetcleaning may be used to clean garments and household textiles that for one reason or the other cannot or should not be drycleaned due to their fragility, finishes, trim and embellishments, or unstable dyes. The overall condition or specific stains of other garments and household textiles may dictate a special water-based treatment either prior to or after drycleaning.

In these cases, our fine wetcleaning, hand-washing and/or restoration processes may be appropriate.

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Sounds like wetcleaning is just like home washing. Is it?

No.

Even the most technologically advanced home washing machines or professional shirt washers cannot match the capabilities of our specialized, computer-controlled wetcleaning equipment. Micro-processors control water temperature, cylinder speeds, mechanical action and moisture removal. Special detergents and conditioners protect the feel or "hand" of the fabric.

Typically, these items are then hang dried, flat dried or dried in a microprocessor controlled tumbler which provides multiple levels of sensor-monitored drying.

Many ordinary cleaners will tell you that they "wetclean". Be aware, however, that many cleaners who claim to wetclean do not have specialized, computer-controlled wetcleaning equipment. Instead, they rely on their shirt washers and an assortment of home washers. This is not controlled, professional wetcleaning and can result in damage to your garments, including shrinkage, dye fading, dye bleeding and dye crocking.

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Garment Restoration

Some of my favorite garments have yellowed, greyed or dulled. Can you help?

We probably can.

In many cases, we can rejuvenate your cottons, linens, silks and wools that have become yellow, grey, dull, or stained due to improper cleaning or storage.

Our special whitening and brightening processes can bring them back to life.

In addition, we have a number of other procedures and processes that can aid in the restoration of unwearable or damaged garments. Such as:

Corrective stain removal
Corrective texturing
Corrective finishing
Corrective reblocking
Corrective reweaving.

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Knit Blocking & St. John's Knits

Do you block all sweaters and knits?

Of course.

At RAVE FabriCARE, every sweater and knit garment is carefully measured prior to cleaning. After cleaning, your sweaters and knits are depilled, delinted and blocked to your original measurements.

Blocking involves:

Measuring all dimensions of a garment prior to cleaning.
Maintaining a record of all those dimensions.
Shaping the garment to those original measurements, using hands and steam.
Applying a vacuum to "dry" the steam and "lock" the shape into place.

All our sweaters and knits are finished on custom steam/vacuum tables. This way the entire garment can be laid perfectly flat and blocked to shape using steam and vacuum. Other than RAVE FabriCARE, we know of no other cleaner in the metro Phoenix area that has this specialized blocking equipment.

If you asked any ordinary cleaner whether they measured all their sweaters and knits prior to cleaning, and then blocked those sweaters and knits to their original measurements, you'd probably receive an assurance that they do.

But can you trust that assurance?

After all, they also assured you that they only clean in gentle, crystal clear, freshly purified and filtered drycleaning fluid. And finish every garment by hand, not by machine.

Yet your whites, creams and pastels keep coming back greyish and dingy; your colors keep coming back dull and faded; your drycleaned garments keep coming back smelling of "drycleaning solvent;" and your garments keep coming back hard-pressed with shine and seam, flap and button impressions.

So what do you do?

Always insist on proof of promise.

At RAVE FabriCARE, every sweater and knit garment is carefully measured (up to 12 separate dimensions) prior to cleaning. These dimensions are noted on one of four custom printed blocking tags -- for sweaters/blouses, slacks/trousers, dresses and skirts.

The blocking tag accompanies your garment through the entire cleaning, finishing, inspection and packaging process. At the packaging stage, we hang the blocking tag on your garment hanger or place it in your breathable sweater bag.

While many ordinary cleaners claim that they block their sweaters and knits, RAVE FabriCARE puts the proof of blocking right in your hands. Because claims without proof are just hallucinations.

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Can you reblock sweaters and knits that are out of shape?

Yes.

In many cases, sweaters and knits can be reblocked to your desired and/or original measurements.

To facilitate reblocking, attach one of our convenient blocking diagrams to your garment. To view and print these diagrams, click on any one of the diagrams below:

Sweater/blazer
Trouser/slacks
Skirt
Dress

Then mark up the diagram to reflect the changes you desire.

For example, if you wish to reblock the sleeves of your blazer 1-1/2 inches longer and the waist 1 inch wider

Print the sweater/blazer diagram
Enter the garment description, such as brand name and color
Circle the sleeve length (#7) and write "make 1-1/2 inches longer" next to #7
Circle the waist (#3) and write "make 1 inch wider" next to #3
Attach diagram to your blazer.

It's really that simple.

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What's the best way to keep my sweaters and knits in shape after I get them back from the cleaners?

We recommend that your sweaters be carefully folded, cushioned with acid-free tissue, and packaged in one of our custom-designed breathable sweater bags.

For more information on our breathable sweater bags and how to purchase our breathable sweater bags and other specialty storage solutions, please click here.

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Do you clean St. John Knits?

At RAVE FabriCARE, we've specialized in St. John Knits for many years.

Truth is, this specialization is merely an extension of the extraordinary care we lavish on all your specialty garments with trim or embellishments.

At RAVE FabriCARE, every St. John Knit is:

Protected against scratching or chipping of the buttons, zipper pulls and other hardware.
Prespotted prior to cleaning.
Measured prior to cleaning.
Cleaned in drycleaning fluid that's extremely gentle on the garment and on the glued-on pailettes and/or rhinestones, if any.
Cleaned in drycleaning fluid that's completely odorless and dermatologically friendly.
Cleaned in drycleaning fluid that's as crystal clear as bottled mountain spring water.
Blocked to size after cleaning.
Carefully and thoroughly inspected. From top to bottom. From inside to outside.
Elegantly packaged using only premium materials.

All this means that:

Your St. John Knits will fit perfectly.
Your white, cream and pastel St. John Knits will always be spectactularly bright (as long as they've always been cleaned at RAVE FabriCARE).
Your dark colored St. John Knits will always look rich and lustrous, without that "washed out", faded look (as long as they've always been cleaned at RAVE FabriCARE).
The light colored edging on your dark colored St. John Knits won't turn greyish or dingy (as long as they've always been cleaned pyelitis RAVE FabriCARE).
Your St. John Knits will never have any "drycleaning solvent" smell, or any fragrance or perfume smell.
The glued-on pailettes and/or rhinestones on your St. John Knits won't peel off or lose their luster (as long as they've always been cleaned at RAVE FabriCARE.

At RAVE FabriCARE, our care for St. John Knits is unmatched anywhere in Arizona.

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Can you restore St. John Knits that become yellow, dull or stained?

At RAVE FabriCARE, we may be able to rejuvenate, or even fully restore, your pailette-free, rhinestone-free, white, cream or pastel St. John Knit outfits that have become yellow, grey, dull or stained due to improper cleaning or storage.

Our special whitening and brightening processes may be able to bring them back to life.

For two or three piece St. John Knit outfits, we must be able to treat all pieces of the outfit at the same time to ensure consistency of color.

At RAVE FabriCARE, our strength is our personalized advisory service. We welcome the opportunity to discuss your options, advise you as to any risks associated with each option, and identify the results you can or cannot expect from each.

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Couture Garments

Do you care for couture garments and gowns?

Yes.

RAVE FabriCARE is Arizona's only Certified Couture Cleaner^®. Our skilled couture specialists excel in their understanding of exquisite fabrics, unusual textures and special trim and embellishments. And in their knowledge of the art of design and the craftsmanship of construction. From intricate beaded and sequined gowns to one-of-a-kind handmade garments, from modern to vintage, the delicate nature of these pieces dictates the utmost scrutiny, respect, care and attention to detail.

Specifically, our couture specialists:

Carefully inspect each garment as it arrives -- inside and outside -- paying particular attention to the fabric fibers, fabric textures, fabric finishes, dyes, trim and embellishments, and construction.
Determine the best and most appropriate cleaning techniques, processes and solutions. All stains receive immediate attention.
Fragile buttons, trim, embellishments and ornaments are removed prior to cleaning, and reattached when finishing the piece.
Minor repairs are performed before the actual cleaning process begins, and again should it be necessary during the final inspection process.
Every garment is delicately hand finished. Both inside and out. The old fashioned way. Using a hand iron. With an appreciation of the nuances and subtleties of the couturier's sensibilities.
Every garment is carefully and thoroughly inspected. From top to bottom. From inside to outside.
Every garment is individually and elegantly packaged to ensure that they are protected during transportation and short-term storage.

Nowhere are higher standards applied.

From Chanel and Michael Casey to Oscar de la Renta and Christian Lacroix, you can trust RAVE FabriCARE with all your couture garments.

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Specialty Garments

Can you clean garments and gowns with trim and embellishments?

Of course.

First, our core business -- caring for designer, high fashion and couture garments and gowns -- has exposed us to many unusual and wonderful garments and gowns with trim and embellishments. This exposure has allowed us to become highly skilled in cleaning and finishing these garments and gowns -- garments and gowns that would be routinely rejected as "uncleanable" or "extremely risky" by the vast majority of ordinary cleaners.

Second, we treat all your garments and gowns with extraordinary care and we clean them in drycleaning fluid that's extremely gentle and chemically inert.

Fact is, we can expertly, safely and effectively clean almost any garment or gown with trim or embellishments. Whether it's beads, sequins or rhinestones; plastic, vinyl or rubber; paint, glitter or silkscreen; appliques or embroidery; suede, leather or fur. Or a St. John Knit blazer heavily embellished with pailettes and/or rhinestones.

At RAVE FabriCARE, we specialize in cleaning garments and gowns with trim and embellishments -- garments and gowns that would be routinely rejected as "uncleanable" or "extremely risky" by the vast majority of ordinary cleaners.

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Gown Cleaning and Preservation

What is Museum Quality Gowncare?

Museum Quality Gowncare, a division of RAVE FabriCARE, specializes in the restoration, hand cleaning, hand finishing and archival preservation of:

*Ceremonial garments, including bridal gowns, flower girl dresses, brides maid dresses, communion dresses, confirmation dresses, christening gowns, baptismal gowns, pageant gowns, debutante gowns, cotillion gowns, and ball gowns.

*Sentimental garments and household textiles, such as your child's first suit or dress, your father's military uniform, or your great grandmother's lace tablecloth.

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There are literally hundreds of service providers who "clean and box" bridal gowns. What makes Museum Quality Gowncare different?

The restoration, hand cleaning, hand finishing and archival preservation of a bridal gown is a scientifically informed discipline. Guided by a growing body of published scientific research on the chemical processes by which all textiles, including bridal gowns, deteriorate over time.

Our name -- Museum Quality Gowncare - derives from the fact that all the techniques, processes and packaging materials we use is a careful synthesis of

This published scientific research,
The practical application of this scientific research by museum textile conservators throughout the world, and
The sensitivity, knowledge, skill and experience derived from cleaning and finishing tens of thousands of designer, high fashion, specialty and couture garments and gowns over the years.

Our reputation for technical excellence has been built on obsessive attention to every detail. It is this attention to detail that distinguishes our gowncare services from the "cleaning and boxing" or "heirlooming" services offered by other providers -- ordinary cleaners; bridal and floral boutiques; wedding planners and consultants; home-based, independent sales representatives; and self-styled wedding gown specialists.

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What bridal gown services do you offer?

At Museum Quality Gowncare, we offer a comprehensive range of bridal gown-related services and conveniences including:

Pre-wedding finishing
We can perfectly hand-finish your bridal gown, your brides maid dresses and your mother-of-the-bride ensembles into "walk down the aisle" condition.
Alterations
From minor to major alterations, our qualified, on premises alterationists deliver work of the highest quality with consistent precision and reliability.
Restoration
Whether your gown has been recently worn or is a family heirloom that has yellowed with time, we have the skills and experience to hand clean and restore it to original or near original condition.
Cleaning, finishing and preservation
After the wedding, you may choose to have your cherished gown hand cleaned, hand finished and archivally preserved in order to protect it from the ravages of time, from harmful materials, and from pollutant gases.
Wedding ceremony delivery
For a nominal service fee, we'll deliver your hand finished bridal gown to the ceremony venue on the day before or on the day of the ceremony.
Free local pickup and delivery
We offer door to door service in any of the zip codes we currently service.

After the wedding, we'll pick up your bridal gown, hand clean, hand finish and archivally preserve it to the highest museum quality standards, and deliver it back to you at your convenience.

Non standard weekend pickup and delivery, or pickup and delivery within a specific time window can be arranged for a nominal service fee.
Nationwide clean by mail
Do you live outside the Phoenix metro area? Can't find a true quality bridal gown specialist in your local area to whom you can entrust your cherished bridal gown with complete confidence.

Even if you're beyond the reach of our local pickup and delivery service, we're still within your reach. That's because our nationwide clean by mail service ships throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. For further information on our nationwide clean by mail service, please click here.
Personal appointments.
We welcome appointments. Please call us at 1.800.GOWNPRO to schedule a free, no obligation consultation.

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Very briefly, what is Museum Quality Gowncare's basic process for cleaning, finishing and preserving a wedding gown?

We begin with a thorough inspection of your gown. Our bridal gown specialists will carefully examine the fabric, seams, embellishments (such as lace, embroidery, appliques, pearls, beads, sequins, droplets, etc.) and soiling of the gown. And, based on our extensive experience, devise an appropriate cleaning method.

Once we've devised an appropriate cleaning method, we'll carefully hand clean and restore your cherished gown to it's original splendor. Individually. Never in combination with other gowns.

Next, our bridal gown specialists will perfectly hand finish your gown into "walk down the isle" condition, using the finest European hand-finishing methods.

The final -- and possibly the most critical -- stage is the packaging. We'll delicately stuff your gown with unbuffered, acid-free tissue to maintain its shape and line. And carefully package it in a custom-made, archival bridal gown storage chest.

In addition to being acid-free, lignin-free, sulphur-free and chlorine-free, our chests feature a patented, 21st Century preservation technology that'll provide your gown with active protection against yellowing and embrittlement over the long-term.

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I've read something about invisible sugar and salt stains. What's that all about?

Sugar and salt stains are two types of stains that many drycleaners fail to remove because they dry clear and are often invisible to the naked eye.

At Museum Quality Gowncare, our cleaning methods ensure that visible stains such as hem soiling and makeup, sugar-based stains such as champagne and soda, and salt-based stains such as perspiration, are removed. Either completely, or to the maximum extent possible, consistent with the fabric and the nature of the stains.

The removal of sugar-based and salt-based stains are particularly important.

Sugar-based stains, caused by clear, sugar-based liquids, cannot be removed by the drycleaning process alone. Left untreated, these stains will caramelize over time, resulting in unsightly brown marks. Salt-based stains, caused by contact with the skin, also cannot be removed by the drycleaning process alone. Left untreated, these stains can change the color of the fabric and/or deteriorate the fabric over time.

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My bridal gown is heavily beaded, pearled and sequined. I've been told that the beads may melt and that the pearls and sequins may deluster in the cleaning. Is this true?

Yes.

Beads, pearls and sequins on a bridal gown have always presented ordinary cleaners with a major challenge. The big unknown is: Will they melt or deluster? As a result, many ordinary cleaners often reject these gowns as "uncleanable" or "extremely risky", or subcontract them to a wholesale wedding gown cleaner (a highly risky proposition).

At Museum Quality Gowncare, we won't reject your gown as "uncleanable" or subcontract it to a wholesale wedding gown cleaner. In fact, we welcome your heavily beaded, pearled and/or sequined gown. And we'll even guarantee that your beads won't melt and that your pearls and sequins won't deluster.

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I've heard that the packaging of any textile, including a bridal gown, is critical to it's long-term preservation. Is this true?

Yes.

Packaging is absolutely critical to the long-term preservation of any textile, including a bridal gown. That's because no matter how well a bridal gown is cleaned and hand-finished, it is of little value if your gown is returned to a potentially damaging micro-environment.

We'll explain.

When you preserve a textile, such as a bridal gown, what you're essentially doing is

*Protecting your gown against acids present in the various packaging materials that might come into physical contact with your gown.

*Protecting your gown against airborne atmospheric (outdoor) and environmental (indoor) pollutant gases that are highly oxidative and/or acid precursors.

Protecting against acids is important because acids cause textiles, such as bridal gowns, to yellow and embrittle over the long-term.

Yellowing occurs when the white, ivory, eggshell or cream color of your gown turns yellow with age. Embrittlement occurs when textile fibers loose resiliency, elasticity and strength.

Unfortunately, acids of various types are often found in the very packaging materials used by many ordinary cleaners to "box" their gowns. These packaging materials include bleached white cardboard, tissue paper, bust forms and plastic.

As these packaging materials age and deteriorate, they "release" acids. When these acidic materials come into physical contact with a bridal gown, they cause the bridal gown fabric to yellow. And to embrittle and deteriorate prematurely. This process is called "acid migration" or "acid transfer". (Acids also migrate from adjacent acidic materials, which is why you cannot line these so-called "acid neutral" or "acid free" boxes with "acid free" tissue and expect your bridal gown not to yellow or embrittle.)

Furthermore, airborne atmospheric (outdoor) and environmental (indoor) pollutant gases, when combined with moisture, produce acids which can come into contact with or form on your bridal gown.

Ironic, isn't it? You're told that to protect your bridal gown over the long term, you must have it "cleaned and boxed". Yet, in many cases, the very packaging materials used to "box" your gown may be it's worst enemy. Sometimes, even worse than doing absolutely nothing.

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How can I assess the purity of the packaging materials being used to preserve my bridal gown?

That's a difficult question to answer. And the reason is simple: there are many wedding gown boxes on the market. And every box manufacturer claims that their boxes -- and only their boxes -- have the perfect combination of desired properties for long-term preservation.

Collectively, these wedding gown boxes fall into two categories.

The first category of these wedding gown boxes is the traditional, storybook wedding gown box ("storybook wedding gown box").

Typically, these boxes are beautifully adorned in a variety of colors with wedding-related pictures, symbols and words, and have a clear plastic viewing window. These are the wedding gown boxes you'll find displayed in the lobby of your local cleaner or bridal boutique.

Storybook wedding gown boxes feature 1960's preservation technology and offers negative protection for your gown.

Why negative protection?

Not only don't these storybook wedding gown boxes accomplish the principle objective of preservation -- protecting your bridal gown against acids -- but they actively contribute to the acidification of your bridal gown over time.

Problem is, most of these storybook wedding gown boxes are nothing more than cheap, bleached white cardboard boxes that may or may not have been buffered with calcium or magnesium carbonate to render the box either "acid neutral" (a pH of 7) or "acid-free" (a pH greater than 7) over the short term.

While these storybook wedding gown boxes may look very attractive, they are, unfortunately, functionally worthless.

That's because the paperboard from which these storybook wedding gown boxes are manufactured contain a caldron of acidic impurities from the tree and from the pulp manufacturing process.

As the paperboard ages and deteriorates, it "releases" acids. And when the acidic paperboard comes into physical contact with a bridal gown, it causes the bridal gown fabric to yellow. And to embrittle and deteriorate prematurely. This process is called "acid migration" or "acid transfer".

What's more, these storybook wedding gown boxes cannot protect your gown against airborne atmospheric (outdoor) and environmental (indoor) pollutant gases that are highly oxidative and/or acid precursors.

Unfortunately, these airborne atmospheric (outdoor) and environmental (indoor) pollutant gases pass right through the paperboard of storybook wedding gown boxes. That's because the paperboard from which these storybook wedding gown boxes are constructed contains no effective barrier to trap and neutralize these airborne pollutant gases. And when these airborne pollutant gases combine with moisture, they produce acids which can come into contact with or form on your gown.
The second category of these wedding gown boxes is the conventional, alkaline buffered, acid-free, lignin free, sulfur-free and chlorine-free wedding gown box ("alkaline buffered wedding gown box").

Typically, these boxes are also adorned in a variety of colors with wedding-related pictures, symbols and words, but don't have the clear plastic viewing window.

These alkaline buffered wedding gown boxes are a definite improvement over the storybook wedding gown boxes in one respect: the box itself won't degrade as rapidly as the storybook wedding gown box. So it's less likely to yellow or embrittle your gown over the long-term. That's because many of the acidic impurities from the tree and the pulp manufacturing process have been removed.

These alkaline buffered wedding gown boxes feature 1980s preservation technology and offers passive protection for your gown.

Why passive protection?

Because these alkaline buffered wedding gown boxes cannot protect your gown against airborne atmospheric (outdoor) and environmental (indoor) pollutant gases that are highly oxidative and/or acid precursors.

These airborne atmospheric (outdoor) and environmental (indoor) pollutant gases pass right through the paperboard of alkaline buffered wedding gown boxes. That's because the paperboard from which these alkaline buffered wedding gown boxes are constructed contains no effective barrier to trap and neutralize these airborne pollutant gases. And when these airborne pollutant gases combine with moisture they produce acids which can come into contact with or form on your gown.

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How are your bridal gown storage chests different?

Our bridal gown storage chest features a patented, 21st Century preservation technology that overcomes all the limitations of the "very best" alkaline buffered wedding gown box.

Our bridal gown storage chest provides your gown with all the protection offered by alkaline buffered wedding gown boxes: protection against light, soil and dust, mold and mildew, insects, temperature, and relative humidity.

In addition, our bridal gown storage chest provides your bridal gown with a barrier of active protection by protecting your gown against the ravages of harmful

Atmospheric (outdoor) and environmental (indoor) pollutant gases that are highly oxidative.
Atmospheric (outdoor) gases that are acid precursors.
Acid degradation by-products generated within the paperboard as the paperboard naturally ages.

No storybook wedding gown box or alkaline buffered wedding gown box can provide this additional protection.

How does our bridal gown storage chest protect your gown against these airborne pollutant gases and acid degradation by-products?

Because the paperboard used to manufacture our bridal gown storage chests actively traps and neutralizes these harmful airborne pollutant gases, and acid degradation by-products. Before those gases and acids can come into contact with or form on your gown.

The cornerstone of this patented preservation technology is the barrier of active protection created by a combination of three separate, yet synergistic elements within the exterior layer of paperboard of our bridal gown storage chests:

Innovative paper structure
Acid traps
Dual alkaline buffers.

How do you know that our bridal gown storage chests will trap and neutralize these airborne pollutant gases and acid degradation by-products generated within the paperboard as the paperboard naturally ages?

Because the paperboard used to manufacture our bridal gown storage chests has passed ANSI (American National Standards Institute) Test IT 9.15 1992. This is a test that measures the flow of potentially damaging pollutant gas molecules through paperboard. No other paperboard-based bridal gown storage chest available today has passed this test.

How do you know that our bridal gown storage chests will keep on trapping and neutralizing airborne pollutant gases and acid degradation by-products generated within the paperboard as the paperboard naturally ages?

Because independent laboratory tests have proven that the paperboard used to manufacture our bridal gown storage chests has 170 times more acid trapping and neutralizing capacity than the paperboard used to manufacture alkaline buffered wedding gown boxes of equivalent size and weight.

Put another way, to receive the identical acid trapping and neutralizing capacity offered by our bridal gown storage chests, you'd have to replace your alkaline buffered wedding gown box 170 times before you'd need to replace ours.

This means that our bridal gown storage chest can be expected to remain effective long after the alkaline buffers in the "very best" alkaline buffered wedding gown box have been exhausted.

What accounts for this dramatic difference in acid trapping and neutralizing capacity?

It's the enormous surface area of the multi-sided, cage-like acid traps in the exterior layer of our paperboard.

Consider this: the total surface area of the acid traps in our largest bridal gown storage chest is equal to 44 football fields!

Now that's acid neutralization capacity!

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Why do drycleaners and bridal boutiques continue to promote and use traditional storybook wedding gown boxes?

Traditional storybook wedding gown boxes are those beautiful wedding gown boxes you'll find displayed in the lobby of your local cleaner or bridal boutique. Typically, they're adorned in a variety of colors with wedding-related pictures, symbols and words, and have a clear plastic viewing window.

Why are these boxes promoted and used?

We don't know. But we can speculate ...

First, drycleaners and bridal boutiques have a financial incentive to do so.

You see, the vast majority of drycleaners and bridal boutiques in North America don't hand clean, hand finish and archivally preserve the bridal gowns entrusted to their care.

Instead, they ship their gowns to a wholesale wedding gown processor for "cleaning and boxing." There are about 10 such wholesale processors scattered around the country.

The following is an extract from the literature of a typical wholesale processor:

"Our unique heirlooming process

is carried out with the kind of care

your priceless garment should have.

So much time and professional care

goes into the heirlooming process,

we'd like you to know about it.

When your gown is received it is carefully examined for spots, stains and any necessary mending. Next, we spot clean all stains by hand with a special cleaning solution ... The entire gown is now ready for cleaning in a multi-step process ... The gown is then hung to air dry for 24 hours and examined again. Minor repairs are done to replace snaps, hooks, mend rips and seams or whatever is needed. Finishing work includes hand pressing and sizing ... After a final, thorough inspection by specially traitned personnel, the gown is placed on an adjustable body form stuffed with tissue and carefully folded. It is then sealed air-tight with clear ... film in a beautifully designed chest with a viewing panel ...

You Deserve The Very Best."

And the total cost to your drycleaner or bridal boutique of this "unique heirlooming process" that involves "so much time and professional care"?

Around $60 per gown!

But here's the kicker: the $60 is an all inclusive cost. It includes the above mentioned tasks (whether or not these tasks are actually performed is a completely different question). It includes the cost of the "beautifully designed chest." It includes return shipping. And it includes the wholesale processor's gross profit.

Given everything involved we'd guess that the wholesale processor spends about $7.50 to purchase his "beautifully designed chests". Maybe $10.00. Maximum.

The bottom line is simply this: when a drycleaner or bridal boutique pays around $60 to have a bridal gown "cleaned and boxed", they must realize or know that the traditional storybook wedding gown box being used is not only functionally worthless, but also potentially damaging over the longer term.

And what of drycleaners who do, in fact, clean, finish and box their own gowns, and who continue to promote and use these traditional storybook wedding gown boxes?

Clearly, they have the same financial incentive as the wholesale processor: minimize the cost of the box, maximize the profit on the transaction.

Second, drycleaners and bridal boutiques have, for the most part, little or no understanding of textile conservation and preservation science.

Sad, but true.

When it comes to the cleaning, finishing and preservation of any textile, including bridal gowns, the drycleaning industry and the bridal gown industry is rife with misinformation and myth. Misinformation and myth that's masquerading as scientific fact.

You see, historically, textile conservation and preservation science has been -- and, to a large degree, still remains -- the domain of a few specialists: museum textile conservators and private-practice textile conservators.

Let's put this in perspective.

The American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works ("AIC") is the world's foremost organization of conservation and preservation professionals dedicated to preserving cultural property of all descriptions, including textiles.

The AIC has approximately 300 individual and institutional members -- worldwide -- specializing in the conservation and preservation of textiles.

By contrast, there are about 27,000 drycleaners and 8,000 bridal boutiques in North America alone. About 35,000 in total. Unfortunately, fewer than 12 of these drycleaners and bridal boutiques are members of the AIC's textile specialty group.

Given this fact, is it any wonder that drycleaners and bridal boutiques remain relatively uninformed about the conservation and preservation of textiles in general and bridal gowns in particular?

Third, drycleaners and bridal boutiques are caught in a classic technology trap.

That's because drycleaners and bridal boutiques cannot introduce advanced preservation technologies without inviting close scrutiny of their current and past practices.

How so?

Because they would be tacitly admitting that millions of traditional storybook wedding gown boxes closeted in homes all across North America are based on preservation technologies that were considered "state of the art" in the '60s!

Could it be that the potential for disappointing millions of past clients is reason enough to continue promoting traditional storybook wedding gown boxes as the "finest in long-term protection" for your treasured bridal gown?

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I recently saw a wedding gown box on display at a cleaner. Can a box that small accommodate my gown?

Probably not. Unless that part of your bridal gown that's not visible through the "plastic window" is tightly compressed underneath.

Here's the problem with compressing a bridal gown into a small box: the extensive creasing that results will be almost impossible to remove in future years.

At Museum Quality Gowncare, we call this the "Space Bag" effect. It's named after the severe compression you've seen demonstrated in the television advertisements for Space Bag^®.

Truth is, there's a reason why these wedding gown boxes are a standard, one-size-fits-all, 30"L x 18"W x 6"H. It's got nothing to with the size of your gown. And everything to do with shipping costs.

Shipping costs? We'll explain.

Bet you didn't know that the vast majority of ordinary cleaners don't clean their bridal gowns in-house. They simply don't have the expertise. Instead, they're shipped to wholesale wedding gown processors around the country. Who mass produce thousands of "cleaned and boxed" gowns a year. It's the factory approach to cheap, fast "cleaning and boxing".

You see, if the dimensions of the wedding gown box were even a half inch larger (either in length, width or height), shippers such as UPS and FedEx would classify the box as oversize. And that would entail significantly higher shipping costs for your cleaner and consume a healthy portion of their middleman profit (the difference between the price you pay to the cleaner and the price the cleaner pays to the wholesale wedding gown processor).

Unlike ordinary cleaners, your bridal gown will never leave our premises. We do all the work in-house.

And unlike ordinary cleaners, we'd never stuff your gown into a one-size-fits-all wedding gown box.

At Museum Quality Gowncare, we offer four sizes of bridal gown storage chests. This way we can accommodate any size dress -- from a classic, straight line, tight fitting gown to a princess gown with a voluminous skirt and cathedral train. And we can still gently and carefully package your gown with a minimum of creases or folds.

Why do we offer four different sizes of bridal gown storage chests?

Because compressing a bridal gown into a wedding gown box will result in extensive creasing that'll be almost impossible to remove in future years.

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Do you seal your bridal gown storage chests?

Never.

At Museum Quality Gowncare, we'd never hermetically or vacuum seal (actually shrink-wrap) our bridal gown storage chests in any type of plastic of any color.

Instead, your bridal gown is layered and supported with unbuffered, acid-free tissue and wrapped in a large sheet of unsized, unbleached cotton muslin inside the chest. After the lid is replaced, the entire chest is then inserted in an unsized, unbleached cotton muslin outer cover.

This allows air to circulate throughout the chest and allows the gown to "breathe" as recommended by museum textile conservators. It also allows you to view your gown whenever you so wish.

The unbleached, unsized cotton muslin liner and outer cover acts as a dust filter and assists in regulating fluctuations in temperature and relative humidity. In addition, the outer cover serves to keep the chest clean and free of dust, and can be periodically washed.

One more thing about "sealing": the notion that you can hermetically or vacuum seal a wedding gown box constructed of paperboard is pseudo-scientific nonsense. A true vacuum requires the absence of air. This would cause the box to implode, crushing the box and the gown in the process. Just like the demonstrations in the Space Bag^® television commercials.

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Do you purge the oxygen from your bridal gown storage chests?

Never.

Many ordinary cleaners claim, that in order to prevent oxidation or yellowing of your bridal gown, you should:

hermetically or vacuum seal the wedding gown box in plastic
remove all the oxygen from the box and replace it with an inert gas such as nitrogen.

We strongly disagree. For a number of reasons:

It's scientifically impossible to "seal" a paperboard-based wedding gown box so it's completely airtight.
The plastic typically used to "seal" these wedding gown boxes is not airtight over the long term. The inert gas will escape over time rendering the gas-for-oxygen-swap functionally useless.
The plastic typically used to "seal" these wedding gown boxes is not chemically inert. This means that as the plastic ages and deteriorates, it'll degrade, "release" acids, and trap these acids inside the chest. This negates the very reason for preserving your bridal gown in the first place -- protection against acids.
The plastic used to "seal" these wedding gown boxes traps moisture inside the box and promotes the formation of mold and mildew.
It's important for air to circulate throughout your bridal gown storage chest. All textiles, even synthetics, must be allowed to "breathe".

Sealing a wedding gown box in plastic and substituting the oxygen with an inert gas is nothing more than a marketing gimmick. No museum textile conservator would store any of their museum textiles in this manner. There's simply no substitute for using a bridal gown storage chest that incorporates the most advanced preservation technology available to protect your cherished gown over the long-term.

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If I open my bridal gown storage chest, will this "unpreserve the preservation" of my gown?

Absolutely not.

In fact, we recommend that you open your bridal gown storage chest on a periodic basis to inspect your gown (for more details, please click here).

The notion that opening your bridal gown storage chest will "unpreserve the preservation" is pseudo-scientific nonsense. Unfortunately, it's an idea that's aggressively promoted by many service providers who tell brides that their wedding gown box must not be "unsealed" without first returning it for "unpreserving", or that breaking the seal on their wedding gown box will "compromise the true preservation" of their gown.

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Are all your preservation practices consistent with the advice I would receive from a museum textile conservator?

Yes.

At Museum Quality Gowncare our motto is: Pure textile science. Not drycleaner myth.

But don't take our word for it. Visit the Smithsonian Institution or the Textile Museum for their do's and don'ts of textile preservation. These museum textile conservators are responsible for protecting tens of thousands of textiles in their collections. So you can rest assured that they're on the cutting edge of preservation technology.

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Other than my bridal gown and veil, what else should I include in the bridal gown storage chest?

Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Ordinary cleaners will often encourage you to include bouquets, bras, favors, garter belts, guest lists, hats, invitations, menus, money bags, napkins, photographs, ring bearer pillows, scrapbooks, shoes and slips. Even cake tops. Everything but the kitchen sink.

We strongly advocate that you resist the urge to include such items. Why? Because you don't know -- and probably will never know -- the chemical composition of each of these items. For example, the foam and elastic in bras and the glues in shoes will probably acidify as they deteriorate over time. And if any of these acidic materials come into physical contact with your bridal gown you've effectively negated the very reason for preserving your gown in the first place -- protection against acids.

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Can I inspect my bridal gown before you package it in the bridal gown storage chest?

Certainly.

Because all this work is done in-house, we invite you to inspect your bridal gown prior to packaging.

We've even got a dedicated bridal gown "clean room" where we complete the packaging process. You're also invited to observe the entire preservation process if you so wish.

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How much does it cost to clean, finish and preserve a bridal gown?

Our minimum price for the cleaning, finishing and preserving a bridal gown is $425.

More typically, our prices range from $450 to $550, depending on a number of factors, including the

type of fabric(s) used
quality of the construction
physical size of the gown, including the train, if any
number of fabric layers
nature and extent of the soiling
nature and extent of the trim, such as beads, pearls and sequins.

We do request a 50 percent deposit on the cleaning, finishing and preservation of a bridal gown.

We regret but we cannot apply gift certificates towards the 50 percent deposit. You're welcome to use your gift certificate to wholly or partially offset the remaining balance. If the amount of the gift certificate exceeds the remaining balance, the excess can be applied towards the 50 percent deposit.

Our nationwide clean by mail service prices are identical to the prices you would pay if you were a local in-store client or a local pickup and delivery client.

Furthermore, we do not add a 3% to 6% environmental surcharge to each service order.

There is no sales tax on drycleaning and related services in Arizona.

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What's your turnaround time?

Our turnaround time for cleaning, finishing and preserving a bridal gown is typically 4 to 8 weeks.

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What guarantees or warranties do you provide?

Many service providers offer "guaranteed stain removal" and "guaranteed preservation".

At Museum Quality Gowncare, we always advise brides to consider these stain removal and preservation guarantees with a healthy dose of skepticism.

Here's why.

As regards guaranteed stain removal, only the unschooled would guarantee the removal of all spots and stains -- in advance of completing the cleaning process. While perfection is always the goal, perfection may not always be fully achievable.

As a skilled cleaner of bridal gowns, Museum Quality Gowncare always strives to achieve the "very best possible result", given the gown's fabric, the trim and embellishments, the construction, and the nature and extent of the soiling.

The same healthy skepticism should be applied to preservation guarantees.

In this regard, this section of our website has attempted to provide you with answers to two important questions:

Why preserve?
What alternative preservation technologies are available?

Now you know that preservation is all about controlling the micro-environment in which your bridal gown is stored over the long term. And the "very best possible result" can only be achieved by simulating a climate-controlled environment in a technologically advanced bridal gown storage chest.

So, with this in mind, what's the value of a 30 or 50 year guarantee?

Not much when you consider this simple fact: none of the "cleaning and boxing" or "heirlooming" service providers have been using their current cleaning processes and packaging methods for the full guaranteed period. So none of these service providers are in a position to have seen the results of their current cleaning processes and packaging methods on gowns that have been stored for the full guaranteed period.

And what's the value of a lifetime guarantee?

Not much when you ask yourself one simple question: whose lifetime? Yours? Your decendents? The service provider's lifetime? The wholesale wedding gown cleaner's lifetime? Or the gown's lifetime?

At Museum Quality Gowncare, we take a different approach: we prefer to offer scientifically informed advice and to guarantee that we'll clean, finish and preserve your cherished bridal gown with extraordinary care.

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Do you offer gift certificates for cleaning, finishing and preserving a bridal gown?

Yes.

A gift certificate for the hand cleaning, hand finishing and archival preservation of a bridal gown makes the perfect gift. Long after all those other gifts are forgotten, the gift of preservation will be remembered year after year.

Gift certificates are available in increments of $50.

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What should I do once my bridal gown has been cleaned, finished and preserved?

Every bridal gown hand cleaned, hand finished and acrhivally preserved by Museum Quality Gowncare will be returned with a full set of storage, handling and refolding instructions.

Here are some of the basics ...

Receipt
If we shipped your gown to you through our nationwide clean by mail service, remove and discard the outer shipping box and plastic wrapping. You should never permanently store your gown in these materials. They're intended for temporary protection during shipping only.

If we delivered your gown or you picked it up yourself, remove and discard the plastic wrapping. You should never permanently store your gown in plastic. The plastic wrap is intended for temporary protection between our fabricare facility and your residence only.
Storage Place
Store your bridal gown storage chest in a closet or cupboard in the main section of your residence, preferably in a room that's unused such as a guest room or spare room.

Never store your bridal gown storage chest in an attic, basement, garage, on a cement slab or in a closet that abuts an outside wall.

By following these two simple do's and don'ts, you'll avoid damage to your gown that could result from being stored in an environment subject to sharp fluctuations in temperature and relative humidity.
Storage Position
If at all possible, it's best to store your bridal gown storage chest flat (horizontal). This will prevent the gown from shifting during storage.

If the gown must be stored on end (vertical), it might be necessary to add some unbuffered, acid free tissue to prevent the gown from "collapsing" into the lower end of the bridal gown storage chest.

Periodic Inspection -- Partial

We recommend that you open your bridal gown storage chest every year to conduct a cursory review of the preservation.

Please follow these procedures:

Wash your hands with soap and hot water.
Remove all jewelry and your wrist watch from your hands.
Select a place to examine your bridal gown that does not expose your gown to any bright light, especially sunlight. Fading can occur at a remarkable rate.
Don't even think about eating, drinking or smoking in the vicinity of the open bridal gown storage chest.
Place your bridal gown storage chest on a low rise table, such as a coffee table.
Slide the cotton muslin outer cover off the bridal gown storage chest.
Wash the cotton muslin outer cover in a pH neutral detergent (such as Dreft^®). Rinse thoroughly. Do not use any softener.
Place the cotton muslin outer cover in the dryer, preferably on low temperature. Do not use an anti-static sheet, especially one saturated with fragrance.
Wipe off any dust that might have seeped through the outer cover and onto the bridal gown storage chest's lid with a clean, dry towel. Gently.
Remove the lid.
Put on the white cotton gloves you found in an envelope between the cotton muslin outer cover and the lid.

This will prevent potentially damaging salts and oils from the tips of your fingers from touching the gown.
Unfold the cotton muslin liner over the sides of the bridal gown storage chest. Gently.
Remove the sheets of acid-free tissue covering the top of the gown.
Examine the gown as necessary. Try not to disturb the tissue inside the folds of your gown.
Repeat the above steps -- in reverse order.

Periodic Inspection -- Complete

We recommend that you undertake a complete inspection of your gown at least every 2 to 3 years. The primary reason for the inspection is to prevent permanent creases from forming in your bridal gown. Over the years, we've opened many "boxed gowns" and have witnessed the detrimental effects of poor storage and folding.

Please follow these procedures:

Wash your hands with soap and hot water.
Remove all jewelry and your wrist watch from your hands.
Select a place to examine your bridal gown that does not expose your gown to any bright light, especially sunlight. Fading can occur at a remarkable rate.
Don't even think about eating, drinking or smoking in the vicinity of the open bridal gown storage chest.
Place a freshly laundered, white or light-colored sheet on the master bed.
Place your bridal gown storage chest on a low rise table, such as a coffee table, next to the bed.
Slide the cotton muslin outer cover off the bridal gown storage chest.
Wash the cotton muslin outer cover in a pH neutral detergent (such as Dreft^®). Rinse thoroughly. Do not use any softener.
Place the cotton muslin outer cover in the dryer, preferably on low temperature. Do not use an anti-static sheet, especially one saturated with fragrance.
Wipe off any dust that might have seeped through the outer cover and onto the bridal gown storage chest's lid with a clean, dry towel. Gently.
Remove the lid.
Put on the white cotton gloves you found in an envelope between the cotton muslin outer cover and the lid.

This will prevent potentially damaging salts and oils from the tips of your fingers from touching the gown.
Unfold the cotton muslin lines over the sides of the bridal gown storage chest. Gently.
Remove the sheets of acid-free tissue covering the top of the gown and place these sheets at one end of the bed.

Note: Do not add any tissue that did not come with your gown. Most tissue is not unbuffered, acid free tissue and will damage your gown over time.
Examine how the gown has been packaged, paying particular attention to how the gown is folded and how the acid-free tissue has been placed between the layers of fabric and in the folds.
Lift the gown out of the chest and place it on the bed. Lengthwise.
Examine the gown as necessary. Back and front.
Resist the temptation to try on the gown. Body salts and oils will transfer onto the gown, potentially causing those areas that have come into contact with your skin to yellow over time.

Note: If you, a friend or a relative do try on or use the gown, it must be recleaned prior to repacking it in your bridal gown storage chest. If a bridal gown has been worn, even though it may appear to be spotless, it must be recleaned prior to repacking.
Repeat the above steps -- in reverse order.

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What is the Zurcion process?

On a regular basis, we come across bridal gowns and formal dresses with care labels that warn:

Dryclean Only

By The

Zurcion Method

This warning is always accompanied by a toll-free number to arrange for "guaranteed processing".

This toll-free number belongs to a New-York-based drycleaner operating under a variety of names, including.

Continental Gown Cleaning
Nationwide Gown Cleaning
Prestige Gown Cleaning.

Call them and they'll tell you that their "patented drycleaning process" is the only safe and effective method for cleaning and preserving that bridal gown or formal dress.

What you won't learn from that call is that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed an administrative complaint against this drycleaner alleging that

The care label is false and misleading.
The advertising materials used to promote this "patented process" are false and misleading.
The "guarantee" is false and misleading.

You also won't learn that, as a direct result of the complaint, the FTC:

Fined this operator for supplying false and misleading care labels to bridal gown and formal dress manufacturers.
Fined a number of bridal gown and formal dress manufacturers for attaching these false and misleading care labels to their gowns and dresses.

Full details of the complaints and the settlements can be found at the FTC's website (www.ftc.gov).

At Museum Quality Gowncare, we didn't need the FTC to tell us that the guaranteed, patented Zurcion drycleaning process isn't guaranteed, isn't patented, and isn't a special process.

Fact is, Museum Quality Gowncare has been cleaning, finishing and preserving bridal gowns and formal dresses labeled "Dryclean Only by the Zurcion Method" for over 18 years.

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What is the MuseumCare or True Preservation process?

Pick up any major city bridal magazine or yellow pages and you'll probably find an advertisement from a licensee of the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists? (previously known as Wedding Gown Specialists Restoration Laboratories and, prior to that, Wedding Gown Specialists Web-Re-Stor Association).

The typical licensee is a local drycleaner, bridal boutique or other self-styled Wedding Gown Specialist?. Licensees offer what is alternatively referred to as the "MuseumCare? process" or the "True Preservation process" for cleaning and boxing bridal gowns (previously known as the "Web-Re-Stor process").

According to the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists, the MuseumCare or True Preservation process is a package of "exclusive benefits" that includes:

The "secret hand-cleaning process"
The "unique anti-sugar treatment process featured in Modern Bride and Brides"
The "environmentally-pure chemical preservative"
The "premium quality box with the acid-free tissue and acid-free windows"
The "written 100% international guarantee".

But before you rush or send your treasured bridal gown to your nearest licensee, let's examine each of these "exclusive benefits":

First, there is no "secret hand-cleaning process", anymore than there is a "patented Zurcion drycleaning process".

The skilled cleaning of a bridal gown requires, at a minimum, an in-depth knowledge of gown construction techniques; fabrics and trims; soils, stains and chemical change, and drycleaning and wetcleaning processes.

For a discussion of bridal gown cleaning, please click here.
Second, there is no "unique anti-sugar treatment process." Notwithstanding the fact that this "process" was "featured" in Modern Bride and Brides.

The skilled cleaning of a bridal gown ensures that visible stains such as hem soiling and makeup, sugar-based stains such as champagne and soda, and salt-based stains such as perspiration, are removed. Either completely, or to the maximum extent possible, consistent with the type of fabric and the age and nature of the stains.

For a discussion of sugar-based stains, please click here.
Third, no textile, especially your treasured bridal gown, should ever be subjected to an "environmentally-pure chemical preservative."

One of the principle tenets of textile conservation and preservation science is to (a) do nothing that can harm a textile, and (b) do nothing that is not completely reversible.

There is no scientific evidence to suggest that the preservative itself won't damage the gown over the long-term. And there is no scientific evidence to suggest that the preservative itself is removable.

Fact is, we know of no museum textile conservator who would ever consider treating a textile with any kind of preservative -- environmentally-pure or otherwise.
Fourth, there is no standard "premium quality box" used by all licensees.

Although the Association of Wedding Gowns Specialists recommends a specific wedding gown box vendor, licensees are, nonetheless, free to choose the packaging they use.

Given this freedom to choose, you'll find that the vendors and the technical specifications of the wedding gown boxes used varies from licensee to licensee. You'll also find that the technical terms used to describe their wedding gown boxes also varies. The descriptions range from "acid free", "acid free at manufacture," "acid neutral", "pH-neutral", "archival", "museum quality", "museum style", "museum inspired" and "museum approved" to "permanent", "non-reactive", "inactive", "reduced lignin", "chemical free" and "preservation quality".

What does all this mean? Quite simply, it means that you don't know what you're getting!

It's as confusing as finding a mouth-watering chocolate cheesecake in the bakery of your local supermarket labeled organic, low fat, low cholesterol, sugar free and no preservatives!

For an in-depth discussion of bridal gown packaging, please click here.
Fifth, the "written 100% international guarantee" is meaningless.

The "guarantee" issued by the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists consists of three parts:

Mentions a "100% international guarantee against caramelized sugar stains or yellowing of gown".
States that a bride can "return gown to any participating Wedding Gown Specialist who will inspect and press the gown at no charge".
Contains a warning that "improper handling of the gown without the supervision of a Wedding Gown Specialist may cause damage and compromise the true preservation of your gown".

Let's be blunt. Part II (inspecting and pressing a gown at no charge) is not, and will never be, a solution to the problems identified in Part I (caramelized sugar stains or yellowing). And the only kind thing that can be said about Part III is hogwash!

The literature published by the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists extends this guarantee even further: the "guarantee" will be honored by licensees in "over 500 cities around the world."

Impressive. Except for the fact that "over 500 cities" is a stretch. Truth is, about 90 licensees operate about 200 locations. In Indiana and Kentucky, for example, 4 licensees operate 44 locations. The "around the world" is an even greater stretch. There are 2 licensees outside the USA and Canada.

For a discussion of bridal gown preservation guarantees, please click here.

Up to this point, we've touched briefly on the five technical components of the MuseumCare or True Preservation process.

In their literature, the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists touts two endorsements as proof of the technical strength of their Museum Care or True Preservation process.

Endorsement 1: The MuseumCare process is "endorsed by the Association of Bridal Consultants."
Endorsement 2: A "blind test of four nationally-known preservation services conducted by National Bridal Service proved our MuseumCare gown preservation was cleanest, provided the safest museum quality packaging environment, and offered the most comprehensive guarantee."

Let's briefly examine each endorsement.

Endorsement 1: The MuseumCare process is endorsed by the Association of Bridal Consultants.

What is the Association of Bridal Consultants (ABC)?

ABC (www.bridalassn.com) is a Connecticut-based membership organization of independent wedding consultants and other persons employed in wedding-related businesses.

What's the value of this endorsement?

Here's what noted bridal industry consumer advocates, Denise and Alan Fields, have to say about ABC:

"...most bridal consultant groups don't have rigid standards for membership. Printed up business cards saying you're a wedding consultant? Have a pulse? That's enough for ABC."

They go further by saying:

"We've been disappointed with ABC for not taking a stronger position on kickbacks."

Kickbacks refer to the practice of accepting secret or undisclosed payments or commissions from a service provider in return for endorsing their service.

So what's the value of this endorsement? Draw your own conclusions!
Endorsement 2: A "blind test of four nationally-known preservation services conducted by National Bridal Service proved our MuseumCare gown presentation was cleanest, provided the safest museum quality packaging environment, and offered the most comprehensive guarantee."

What is the National Bridal Service (NBS)?

National Bridal Service (www.nationalbridalservice.com) is a Virginia-based organization that provides employee training, and market research, advertising and merchandising support to its members -- bridal boutiques, jewelry stores and gift stores.

What's the value of this endorsement?

First, a true blind test would have included true quality fabricare specialists. Not four wholesale wedding gown processors who churn out "cleaned and boxed" wedding gowns for around $60 a gown. Assembly line style. Like pork sausages in a meat packing plant.

Here's an analogy ... Let's say you're considering the purchase of a luxury automobile. And you're evaluating the quality features of the model that's on the top of your list. Would you select the Chevrolet Vega, Ford Pinto, AMC Gremlin and the Yugo as your yardstick of relative quality? Of course not!

Second, a true blind test should be independently adjudicated by a textile conservation and preservation experts. Such as the textile division of the AIC, the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (www.aic.stanford.edu). Not NBS.

We'd wager that NBS knows as much about textile conservation and preservation as all 300 individual and institutional textile specialists who are members of the AIC know about bridal, jewelry and gift store management!

So what's the value of this endorsement? Draw your own conclusions!

One last point about the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists. There are:
No minimum licensee qualifications
No minimum licensee experience requirements
No minimum licensee skill requirements
No nationally-mandated quality standards governing restoration, cleaning, finishing and preservation
No nationally-enforced quality control oversight over licensees.

Simply put, there's no consistency in technical skills, techniques, processes, materials or standards from one licensee to the next. Except perhaps for the logo on the front door!

So should you entrust your treasured bridal gown to a licensee of the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists?

Of course. But do so carefully and deliberately.

The process of selecting a true quality fabricare specialist to hand clean, hand finish and archivally preserve your treasured bridal gown should be no different than the process you would employ to select any service provider for something you truly value.

Where to start?

Start by finding out whether that particular licensee has a national reputation for true quality fabricare. For example, is that licensee an accredited member of Leading Cleaners Internationale?

Find out whether that particular licensee has a local reputation for true quality fabricare. For example, is that licensee recommended by most of the upscale department stores, clothing boutiques and custom clothiers in that city? What about upscale bridal salons? Would you ordinarily entrust that drycleaner with a $2000 cream silk formal dress? How about a $2000 cream silk formal dress with plastic beads and pearls? How about a $2000 cream silk formal dress with a large beer or champagne spill? How about a $2000 cream silk formal dress with plastic beads and pearls and a large beer or champagne spill?

So go ahead. Do the research. Ask the questions. Get the answers. And develop a solid understanding of the technical issues involved in the hand cleaning, hand finishing and archival preservation of your treasured bridal gown.

Then -- and only then -- make your decision.

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What is the Lab Cleaning Process?

The literature produced by an New York state-based wholesale wedding gown cleaner states the following:

"The International Fabricare Institute believes that for the best preservation results, gowns should undergo the lab cleaning process, which Wedding Gown Preservation Company has perfected."

The International Fabricare Institute (www.ifi.com) is an international association of drycleaners and others involved in the fabricare industry.

What is the lab cleaning process?

We don't know. And neither does the International Fabricare Institute. Fact is, the International Fabricare Institute has never (and, to the best of our understanding, will never) endorse any "process" for the hand cleaning, hand finishing and archival preservation of bridal gowns.

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Can I ship my gown to you?

Yes.

And it's so easy. For further details, please click here.

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Heirloom, Antique & Museum Pieces

Can you clean heirloom textiles?

In many cases, we can.

Cleaning an heirloom, antique and museum piece is a skillful process that involves great thought and care at every stage of the cleaning and finishing process.

At RAVE FabriCARE, our strength is our personalized advisory service. When you bring an heirloom, antique or museum piece to us, a knowledgeable Fabricare Consultant will:

Examine the piece carefully
Identify the challenges presented by the piece
Discuss the areas of risk
Explain our recommended restoration and/or cleaning process
Identify the results that we believe you can expect from our work.

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Can all heirloom textiles be safely cleaned?

There are many problems and/or conditions of use, storage or manufacture that may limit whether such items can be safely cleaned and yield satisfactory results. At the very least, the following potential problems and/or conditions require careful examination:

Beads/Sequins
May peel, separate, dissolve, lose color, fall off due to loose or broken threads. If glued on, glue may dissolve.
Lace
May be discolored, stained, or deteriorated due to age. If glued on, color may change.
Hemlines
May be badly soiled, scuffed, frayed, torn or glued. Soil removal may be limited.
Linings
May be discolored, worn, frayed, torn, or stained.
Stains
May be stained from food or beverage, perspiration (can be invisible and turn yellow or brown in processing), dyes, or rust from metal components (buttons, hooks, zippers, etc.)
Trims
Bows, buttons, buckles, flowers, appliques, rhinestones and other ornamental attachments may separate or discolor. If trim is glued on, glue may dissolve.
Overall Condition
Scuffs, delustered areas; yarn slippage; yellowed due to age, exposure or storage; stained, soiled, worn cuff edges, hems; insect damage; dry rotted; tears. Weak areas may tear. Unstable dyes may bleed.

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Shirt Laundry

When should a shirt or blouse be drycleaned? And when should a shirt or blouse be professionally laundered?

There's no simple answer. It all depends ...

That's because there are a number of factors that go into the decision whether to dryclean or professionally launder a shirt or blouse. In many cases, the decision is a judgement call on the part of the client and/or the cleaner.

The primary factors that should be considered in the dryclean vs. launder decision are:

Care label
Shirts or blouses with care labels that state "dryclean only", "machine washable, for best results dryclean," "hand wash and line dry", "dry and press at low temperatures" are examples of shirts and blouses that should be drycleaned and hand-finished.

A word of caution is in order.

Just because a shirt or blouse has a care label identifying the manufacturer's recommended cleaning instructions doesn't mean that the care label is technically accurate and complete.

At RAVE FabriCARE, we estimate that 20% of all garments we receive contain care labels that are technically inaccurate or incomplete to some degree or another. The bottom line is that nothing beats informed judgement when it comes to making the dryclean vs. launder decision.
Stains
The nature of the stains - oil-based or water-based or both - will dictate whether the shirt or blouse should be drycleaned, wetcleaned/laundered, drycleaned and then wetcleaned/laundered, or wetcleaned/laundered and then drycleaned.

For further discussion on the subject of oil-based vs. water-based stains, please scroll down to the FAQs that follow.
Texture
Fabrics with an embossed, ribbed or raised feel and/or look should be drycleaned and hand-finished to protect the fabric texture.
Buttons
Garments with "non-standard" buttons should be drycleaned and hand-finished.

Examples of "non-standard" buttons include colored shell buttons; concave shell buttons with a thin, raised rim; shell buttons with a thickness greater than standard; shell buttons with a diameter greater than standard; brand signature/monogrammed buttons; metal buttons; plastic buttons with metal rims; glass buttons; painted buttons; buttons with metal or plastic shanks; etc.
Color
Dark colored shirts and blouses should be drycleaned and hand-finished to protect the intensity of the colors. Dark colored shirts and blouses that are laundered will tend to fade over time, especially along the seams of the collar and cuffs -- even if laundered in cold water on a short cycle.
Fabric
Many shirts and blouses contain silk, linen, rayon (also known as lynocell and tencel), nylon and/or polyester (including cotton/polyester blends that are 60% polyester or greater). These shirts and blouses should be drycleaned and hand-finished.
Elasticity
Many shirts and blouses contain varying amounts of spandex (also known as lycra) - anything from 2% to 20%. These shirts and blouses should be drycleaned and hand finished.
Brand
Consideration should be given to the brand when making the decision to dryclean or professionally launder. Armani (black label), Borelli, Brioni, Escada, Gucci, Kiton, Lorenzini, Loro Piana, Prada, Ralph Lauren (purple and black label) and Varvatos are examples of brands that should be drycleaned and hand-finished.
Preference
Personal preference plays a role in the dryclean vs. launder decision.

Many clients want all their shirts and blouses -- casual, dress and formal; white, pastel and colored -- drycleaned and hand-finished.

We're always happy to honor such requests. And we'll even guarantee that your white cotton shirts and blouses that are drycleaned will be spectacularly bright.
Fit
Shirts and blouses with a classic fit may be suitable for professional laundering and partial finishing on automated equipment ... provided, of course, that none of the factors described above apply.

However, fitted and semi-fitted shirts and blouses should always be drycleaned and hand-finished. These shirts and blouses typically have darts in the front and in the back to better contour the body.

Unsure how a specific shirt or blouse should be processed? Just ask. We're here to advise and help.

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Why don't my shirts survive more than 25-35 visits to the cleaners?

The drycleaning industry standard is that a shirt laundered by an ordinary cleaner should last 25-35 washes before it's assigned to the scrap heap.

And the reason your shirts don't last? Because they're "mistreated" by ordinary cleaners. It's a combination of the following:

Scrubbing collars and cuffs with nylon brushes
Washing in hot water
Using harsh, caustic, industrial grade detergents
Adding fabric-destroying bleach
Starching with cheap synthetic glue
Pressing by machine at the rate of 40 to 50 an hour
Stuffing them in a single, narrow poly bag.

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Why do my white shirts come back from the cleaners with yellow rings around the collar? Why do my dark colored shirts come back with oil slicks around the collar?

Simply, because ordinary cleaners merely toss your shirts into a shirt washer.

And hope that a combination of hot water and harsh, caustic, industrial grade detergents will dissolve the body oils in the collar.

Sometimes this works. Mostly it doesn't.

At RAVE FabriCARE, the first stage of our shirt laundry process is to clean your shirts in our odorless, dermatologically friendly, fabric gentle drycleaning fluid. This is the only way to safely and gently dissolve oil-based stains such as body oil, creams and lotions, and other grease deposits -- without scrubbing your collars and cuffs with nylon brushes. This is also the only way to ensure that, when your shirt is finally hand-ironed, those body oils and grease deposits don't transform or oxidize through heat into difficult-to-remove yellow stains.

And the dryclean fluid we use? The same type of fluid -- siloxane -- that we use for "dryclean only" designer, high fashion, specialty and couture garments.

Fact is, our dryclean fluid is so gentle it's used as a base ingredient in many personal care products you apply to your skin on a daily basis. Such as shampoos, antiperspirants, deodorants and moisturizing creams. So gentle you can wash your hands in it.

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I've heard that you soak your shirts prior to laundering them? Why?

After we've cleaned your shirts in our odorless, dermatologically friendly, fabric gentle drycleaning fluid (to dissolve body oils, creams and lotions, and other grease deposits), we soak your shirts in special solutions to relax the fibers. And release soil and water based stains. For a minimum of 12 hours (24 hours for shirts with french cuffs).

Why?

Because, unlike ordinary cleaners, we won't use hot water, harsh, caustic industrial grade detergents, and fabric destroying bleaches as part of our cleaning process.

And because most custom and made-to-measure shirtmakers recommend soaking.

But don't take our word for it. One of New York's renowned custom shirtmakers offers this care tip on his website: "Allowing a shirt to soak ... reduces the amount of scrubbing needed to remove the soil, therefore reducing wear. The longer the shirt is permitted to soak, the better the result."

Why is soaking critical to the care of fine shirts?

Because soaking reduces the wear and tear that would result from the use of conventional washing techniques (aka the scrubbing/hot water/harsh, caustic, industrial detergent/bleach method).

Here's some background ...

The tightness of the weave and the thickness of the fibers in fine shirts requires an increase in the time it takes for the water and detergents to penetrate the fibers and release the soils and water-based stains.

In addition, the sensitivity of fine shirts to bleaches and high temperatures requires the elimination of all bleaches and a lowering of wash temperatures.

Unfortunately, the removal of soil, oil-based stains and water-based stains using conventional commercial washing techniques requires an extended wash cycle, coupled with the use of aggressive detergents, bleaches and hot water. All no no's.

And the net result of these conventional washing techniques? An acceleration in the wear and tear on your fine shirts.

Now you know why soaking is critical.

Less wear. Superior clean. Longer lasting shirt.

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What else's different about your shirt laundry process?

After drycleaning and soaking, we gently launder your fine shirts in specialized, computer-controlled wetcleaning machines, where microprocessors control water temperature, cylinder speeds, mechanical action and moisture removal to exacting specifications.

What's more

We launder your fine shirts in presoftened water only.
Our water temperature is warm, never hot.
We only use gentle enzyme detergents from Sanitone^®, the premier manufacturer of fine drycleaning and wetcleaning detergents in the USA.

Our Sanitone enzyme detergent is:
pH balanced. Because it's free of alkaline detergent residues your fine shirts will have a pH close to that of human skin. This makes them hypoallergenic.
Fragrance free. So its suitable for the chemically sensitive.
Phosphate free. So it's biodegradable.

RAVE FabriCARE is the exclusive licensee of Sanitone products in the Phoenix metro area.

We never use brighteners or bleaching agents such as chlorine or peroxide in our wash cycle. Brighteners and bleaching agents fade colors and weaken fibers.
We never use fabric softeners.
We never launder your fine shirts together with other items to be wetcleaned. Zippers, metal buttons and other rough surfaces can damage fibers and cause pilling.
We rinse your fine shirts multiple times in cold water to ensure that they're free from irritating chemical residues.

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Are there things you don't do?

There sure are. Here's just a few ...

We don't abrade your collars and cuffs by scrubbing them with nylon brushes. (Ordinary cleaner response: "Sorry, but how else do you expect us to get your collars and cuffs reasonably clean?")
We don't wash your shirts in hot water. (Ordinary cleaner response: "Sorry, but how else do you expect us to attempt to dissolve the body oils and grease deposits?")
We don't use harsh, caustic, industrial grade detergents. (Ordinary cleaner response: "Sorry, but how else do you expect us to attempt to get the stains out?")
We don't add fabric-destroying bleach to our wash. (Ordinary cleaner response: "Sorry, but how else do you expect us to attempt to get your whites white?")
We don't starch your shirts with cheap synthetic glue that adheres to your shirt's fibers like multiple coats of paint. (Ordinary cleaner response: "Sorry, but what do you expect us to use? A premium wheat starch?")
We don't bang 'em out on a machine at the rate of 40 to 50 an hour and then claim that our laundered shirts are hand-ironed. (Ordinary cleaner response: "Sorry, but what more do you expect for 79¢ or $5.00 a shirt?")
We don't return your shirts with puckered seams and wrinkled underarms. (Ordinary cleaner response: "Sorry, but what do you expect? A hand ironed shirt?")
We don't crease the sleeves of your shirts. (Ordinary cleaner response: "Sorry, but how else do you expect us to cover up the tell-tale signs of our poor machine pressing?)
And, we don't stuff 'em in a narrow poly bag like sardines in a can. (Ordinary cleaner response: "Sorry, but why should we bother with the packaging on the outside, when we have little regard for the shirts on the inside?")

At ordinary cleaners, these shirt travesties are called "standard operating procedures". And the results? A machine mangled, dishwater dingy shirt. That'll last 25 to 35 cleanings, at best (that's the "industry standard"). Before you're forced to throw them out or consign them to the charity bin.

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Why do you use Sanitone® shirt laundry detergents?

At RAVE FabriCARE, we launder your fine dress and casual shirts in enzyme detergent manufactured by Sanitone.

Given that Sanitone is the premier manufacturer of drycleaning and laundry detergents in the USA, it's only natural that RAVE FabriCARE is the exclusive licensee of their products in the Phoenix metro area.

In addition to being pH balanced (this makes your shirts hypoallergenic) and fragrance free (this makes your shirts suitable for the chemically sensitive). Sanitone retards the bleeding and crocking of many dyes. So it's perfect for colors, even dark colors. And because its designed to work at low temperatures we can launder your whites and pastels in low temperature water and still achieve spectacular results.

From an environmental standpoint, Sanitone enzyme detergents are biodegradable and phosphate free.

Given the properties of our Sanitone detergents, why would we launder your fine shirts in hot water with harsh, caustic, industrial grade detergents and fabric degrading bleaches when we can achieve superior results at low temperatures with a gentle detergent and no bleaches?

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My cleaner tells me that he has developed a laundry detergent that yields spectacular results. Can this be true?

Sure, it can be true. But it's high improbable. And here's why ...

Large detergent manufacturers, such as Calusa, Diversey, Ecolab, Fabritec, Laidlaw, Sanitone, Seitz, Stamford, Textile Care and U.N.X., have been serving cleaners for decades. These manufacturers have invested millions of dollars in research facilities and in teams of research scientists with one objective: develop new and enhanced detergents. The detergents resulting from this research are available to any cleaner.

So what is the likelihood that your cleaner has developed a "breakthrough detergent" that has, to date, eluded all these research scientists?

Not likely.

And what is the likelihood that your cleaner has developed a detergent that produces results that are any different from the cleaning results produced by almost any other ordinary cleaner?

Not likely.

That's because the "secret" to true quality shirt care does not lie in a single component, such as a "breakthrough detergent."

Rather, the "secret" to true quality shirt care lies in a multi-stage process that

Gently and safely removes both oil-based and water-based stains,
Produces extraordinarily bright whites, creams and pastels,
Enhances the brightness of colors,
While simultaneously prolonging the life of your fine shirts.

The bottom line is simply this: Are these shirts produced by a breakthrough detergent? Or by conventional commercial washing techniques (aka the scrubbing/hot water/harsh, caustic, industrial detergent/bleach method)?

You be the judge.

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My cleaner tells me that he routinely hand-irons all my laundered shirts. Can this be true?

Of course it's not true.

Show us a cleaner in the metro Phoenix area -- other than RAVE FabriCARE --that routinely hand-irons all your laundered shirts, and we'll show you pigs that fly!

By way of background, here's what happens to your laundered shirts -- even at the so-called better "cleaners" ...

Your shirt is laundered using conventional washing techniques -- scrubbing; hot water; harsh, caustic, industrial grade detergents; and bleaches.

Then it's pressed on a series of machines: one for the body, one for the sleeves and one for the collar and cuffs. Typically, at the rate of 40 to 50 per hour.

Finally, your shirt is "strategically touched up" by hand ... if deemed necessary ... if you're lucky ... if you're lucky. And then, typically, only on the sleeves and underarms.

This is the shirt that's passed off to customers as a "hand-ironed laundered shirt or a "hand-finished laundered shirt."

Unfortunately, a 1 to 2 minute touched up laundered shirt is not an 8 to 12 minute hand-ironed laundered shirt.

To qualify as a hand-ironed laundered shirt, the shirt must be PARTIALLY steamed by machine and then COMPLETELY pressed by hand (that's a "hand-ironed laundered shirt"). Not COMPLETELY pressed by machine and then PARTIALLY touched up by hand ... if you're lucky (that's a "hand touched up laundered shirt").

At RAVE FabriCare every laundered shirt is hand-ironed. Matter of routine.

At RAVE FabriCARE, we'd never pass off a machine pressed laundered shirt as a hand-ironed laundered shirt in the hope that you'd never know the difference between a $1/$2 machine pressed laundered shirt and a $5/$6 hand-ironed laundered shirt.

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I always ask for light starch on my shirts. Why do they come back from the cleaners so stiff?

There are basically 2 types of starch -- synthetic and natural.

Most ordinary cleaners starch their shirts with a cheap synthetic glue which adheres to your shirt's fibers like a coat of paint (it's poly vinyl chloride, commonly referred to as PVC). Every time your shirts are starched another "coat" is added. The build-up continues in this fashion because synthetic starch does not dissolve easily when it comes into contact with water in the washer wheel.

At RAVE FabriCARE, we only use the finest, natural wheat starch which dissolves immediately on contact with water during each laundering.

One more thing about synthetic starch. The continuous build-up on each starching also abrades the fibers of your shirts rather quickly.

That's because, instead of "collapsing" when it comes into contact with water in the washer wheel, the shirt maintains its rigidity. It's just like throwing an ultra-thin piece of plywood into the washer wheel and tumbling that piece of wood for 20 plus minutes.

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Why do the collars and cuffs of my shirts abrade so quickly?

Part of the answer is normal wear and tear. The other part of the answer is that most ordinary cleaners don't only rely on just boiling hot water and harsh, caustic, industrial grade detergents to get your shirts "clean".

They also scrub your collars and cuffs with a collar and cuff detergent. Using nylon brushes!

And they use cheap synthetic glue as a starch. Every time your shirts are starched another "coat" is added. The build-up continues in this fashion because synthetic starch does not dissolve when it comes into contact with water in the washer wheel. This adds rigidity to your shirts.

Is it any wonder your collars and cuffs abrade so quickly?

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I get my shirts "professionally laundered." Yet I always end up re-ironing them at home. Why?

Because they're banged out on a machine at the rate of 40 to 50 per hour. Instead of being hand-ironed by a skilled garment finisher.

How can you tell that your getting bang and hang work?

Look for

Wrinkles in the collars and cuffs
Wrinkles in the pockets, pocket flaps and epaulets
Wrinkles in the front and sleeve plackets

And especially look for
Puckered side and sleeve seams
Puckered joins between the body of the shirt and sleeves of the shirt
Puckered joins between the sleeves of the shirt and cuffs of the shirt
Wrinkled underarms
Creased sleeves (often automatically done without the client having been given the option of a rolled sleeve).

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Do you automatically crease the sleeves of all your laundered shirts?

Never. Never. Never.

Over the years, a handful of clients have requested "creased sleeves" as a personal preference. If your personal preference is "creased sleeves", we'd be happy to honor your request. But first, we'll try to convince you otherwise.

That's because a creased sleeve is the first sign of a poorly finished shirt. Fact is, most ordinary cleaners automatically crease your sleeves for one reason and one reason only: it quickly covers up a whole host of telltale signs that the shirt has been machine finished by a relatively unskilled operator.

At RAVE FabriCARE, we prefer an uncreased or rolled sleeve. A rolled sleeve is the first sign, amongst many other factors, of a superior shirt.

Creasing the sleeves of a shirt is just like painting over rusty metal. And hoping no one will notice all the other signs that the metal is in poor condition.

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I travel frequently and sometimes have my shirts folded. Why do my folded shirts look like a rumpled mess when I unfold them?

For three reasons:

They're machine pressed
They're machine folded
They're stuffed into a thin poly bag.

At RAVE FabriCARE, we call this the "slept in" look. It's a look that's available at over 34,000 ordinary cleaners throughout North America.

At RAVE FabriCARE, we do things differently. We carefully fold your shirt in half. Not in thirds, like ordinary cleaners. By hand. Never by machine, like ordinary cleaners. We cushion the folds with sheets of acid-free tissue. And support the body and collar with a special shirt board and collar bands. Finally, we seal the shirt in a heavy gauge shirt bag with a "built in" cushion of air.

So go ahead. Manhandle our folded shirts. Stuff 'em in that suitcase. You'll find that the RAVE FabriCARE folded shirt travels beautifully. With practically no wrinkles or creases.

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Do you glue bar coded labels onto the collar, front placket or inside seam of my shirts?

You're probably referring to those sequentially-numbered bar coded labels that are permanently applied with a heat-seal press to your shirts at highly automated cleaning plants.

No. We'd never glue bar coded labels anywhere on your fine shirts.

And the reason?

We assemble and conveyor your shirts by hand. Not by automated machine.

You see, cleaners who glue bar coded labels onto your fine shirts do so as part of a highly automated assembly and conveyoring operation. Bar codes are the foundation of such an automated system.

What does this mean for you?

It means that your easily wrinkled and/or more fragile garments -- such as your cotton shirts -- are being shuttled around the cleaner's plant by automated assembly equipment. And, in the process, they're being crushed between other heavier garments -- such as coats, sports coats, blazers, sweaters, trousers and slacks. Then your completed order is being slotted onto a conveyor by the same automated equipment -- again, with total disregard to the type of garment in each order.

And why do they do this?

To "produce" a shirt for the lowest possible cost. It's a concept borrowed directly from the uniform rental industry.

Here's some background.

We're all familiar with the uniform rental industry. We see their products on every DHL, FedEx, Post Office or UPS driver. To ensure that those uniforms are "cleaned, pressed and delivered" at the lowest possible cost, the cleaning contractor must utilize a highly automated system.

Along comes the ordinary cleaner. Ordinary cleaners figured that if the system works for the uniform rental industry, it'll work for the drycleaning industry too.

And the result? Fine shirts treated like uniform rental garments.

Enough said.

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Repairs & Alterations

Do you do repairs and alterations on premises?

Yes.

The Alterations Shoppe at RAVE FabriCARE can accommodate all your repair and alteration needs, from zippers and hems to relines and reconstructions. Our qualified, on premises alterationists deliver work of the highest quality with consistent precision and reliability.

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Do I need an appointment?

An appointment for a professional fitting, while recommended, is generally not required. Simply stop by our fabricare facility Monday through Friday from 7:00 am to 2:00 pm.

Unlike ordinary cleaners, we don't assign fittings to just any service employee. At RAVE FabriCARE, you'll be fitted by a qualified alterationist - most likely, the same alternationist who'll perform the work.

For wedding, debutante and ball gown alterations, please make an appointment at least two or three weeks in advance, if possible. This way we can block out enough time to take care of you without interruption.

If you are one of our pickup and delivery clients and you don't need to try on the garment, please pin a note on the garment, specifying the repair or alteration required.

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What's the turnaround time for alterations?

For most garments, one week is generally required. For more complex repairs and alterations, an additional week or two may be required.

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Do you have private fitting rooms?

Yes.

Our private fitting rooms are spacious and fully air conditioned for your personal comfort. They're also easily handicap accessible.

Unlike ordinary cleaners, our fitting rooms are not 4' x 3' sweatboxes with a roadside view!

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Reweaving

What is reweaving?

Reweaving is a method of repairing rips, tears and holes in garments.

Reweaving is particularly useful for repairing moth holes in fine wools and is the most "invisible" form of repair available.

There are essentially 3 methods for reweaving:

French method

Using this method, the weave of the garment is duplicated by hand-weaving each thread in and out of all other threads, thereby closing the hole. This method cannot be used on large holes or L-shaped tears, nor will it always result in an "invisible" weave.
Inweaving or piece method

Using this method, a piece of material is taken from a non-visible part of the garment and the ends are woven into the garment, thereby closing the hole. This method can be used on any size hole or tear as long as there is sufficient fabric to cover the hole or tear. On patterned or plaid garments the fabric must match exactly. A slight outline of the inserted fabric will always show.
Reknitting method

This method is used on knitted fabrics only. Visibility will depend on the type and color of the knit, and the size of the damage.

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What's the cost and turnaround time?

The cost of the reweave and the time required to complete the reweave will vary according to the type of fabric, size of the damage, and type of weave necessary to do the best job.

Each tear must be seen and evaluated by our reweaver to determine what you can and cannot expect of the finished repair.

Reweaving is a slow, labor-intensive craft that involved the use of high-intensity lamps, magnifying devices, and the skill of the reweaver. Accordingly, it typically takes 4 to 5 weeks to complete a particular job.

Cost is based on the time spent on the repair. The minimum cost is $30.

After inspection of the garment by our reweaver, we will call you with an estimate for the job. No work will commence until we receive your approval to proceed.

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Do you guarantee that the reweave will be invisible?

As a general rule, no guarantee can be given that the finished repair will be completely invisible. That depends on many different factors including the fabric type, weave, color and the nature of the rip, tear or hole.

What we can guarantee is that the reweave will not come loose for the life of the garment (provided the loose threads on the reverse side of the reweave are not trimmed).

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Should I clean the garment prior to reweaving?

Yes.

If you are considering reweaving a hole (or holes) in a fine wool garment -- a hole (or holes) that you suspect might have been caused by moths or other insects -- we strongly suggest that you clean the garment prior to attempting a reweave.

For two reasons ...

First, our reweaver will only work on garments that are clean. Second, and more importantly, the full extent of the damage may not be fully visible to the naked eye until after the garment has been cleaned.

We'll explain.

You see, moth larvae are voracious eaters. And wool garments stored without first being cleaned contain all the nutrients necessary to sustain life for those larvae. These nutrients include proteins, mineral salts, vitamin B complex and cholesterol that accumulate on garments from perspiration, body oil, food or beverage simply by virtue of the fact that the garment has been worn.

The problem is that the larvae will often feed on the inside of a garment, on the surface of a garment, or on certain threads in a garment. This reduces the thickness or strength of the fibers in places. So when the garment is tumbled in a drycleaning machine during the cleaning and drying process, more holes may open up.

In other words, only after the garment has been cleaned will the full extent of the damage be known.

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Fine Bed & Table Linens

I've spent a fortune on fine, high-thread count bed and table linens. But I'm scared to send them to an ordinary cleaner. Can you help?

Luxurious, distinctive European and American table and bed linens -- antique, vintage, or modern -- require great care in hand cleaning and hand finishing.

French Laundry Linencare is the fine bed and table linens division of RAVE FabriCARE, a fabricare specialist based in Scottsdale, Arizona.

RAVE FabriCARE has the old world techniques and new world technology necessary to gently restore your precious fabrics to their original beauty. Using a combination of delicate drycleaning, wetcleaning, handwashing and/or restoration techniques to remove anything from food and beverage stains to candle wax and protein stains. Even old, oxidized yellow stains (in most cases). And discoloration caused by age or improper storage (in most cases).

What's more, we do all this with obsessive attention to detail and a commitment to delivering "best of class" bed and table linen care. And without brushing, bleaching, boiling and baking the life out of your investment linens.

At RAVE FabriCARE, we specialize in high thread count bed and table linens from Belgium, England, France, Ireland, Italy, Switzerland and the USA. By the likes of Anichini, Bonjour, Cotti Maryanne, Dia, Frette, Gish, Kreiss, Sferra Bros, Signoria and Yves Delorme. Particularly those with appliques, crocheting, cutwork, embroidery, hem stitching and scalloped edges.

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What could I expect from an ordinary cleaner?

Truth be told, any ordinary cleaner can "clean and press" bed and table linens. In a few hours. But there's much more to crafting extraordinary linens than jamming them in a washer, injecting hot water and harsh, caustic, industrial grade detergents, and running them through a Mangle ironer like bathroom tissue through a Charmin factory. Or even worse, farming out your fine linens to some unknown wholesale laundry that processes linens for Motel 6.

This is the factory approach to cheap, fabric destroying linen laundry.

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What's different about your french laundry for fine bed and table linens?

At RAVE FabriCARE, we're different. Very different.

Our french laundry process comprises 6 critical functions:

Examine and Assess

We start by examining each item for soil, oil-based stains and water-based stains. And assessing the item's age, fabric content, construction and condition including damage or defects.
Dryclean to remove oil-based stains

After prespotting, we clean your fine linens in our dermatologically-friendly, fabric gentle drycleaning fluid. This is the only way to safely and gently dissolve oil-based stains -- such as body oils, creams and lotions, and other grease deposits -- without scrubbing your fine linens with nylon brushes. This is also the only way to ensure that, when your fine linens are finally hand ironed, those body oils and grease deposits don't transform or oxidize through heat into difficult-to-remove yellow stains.

And the dryclean fluid we use? The same type of fluid -- siloxane -- that we use for "dryclean only" designer, high fashion, specialty and couture garments.

Fact is, our dryclean fluid is so gentle it's used as a base ingredient in many personal care products you apply to your skin on a daily basis. Such as shampoos, antiperspirants, deodorants and moisturizing creams. So gentle you can wash your hands in it.
Soak to remove soil and water-based stains

Next, we soak your fine linens in special solutions to relax the fibers. And release soil and water-based stains. For a minimum of 12 hours.

Why is soaking critical to the care of high thread count linens?

Because soaking reduces the wear and tear on these heirloom textiles that would result from the use of conventional washing techniques (aka the scrubbing/hot water/industrial detergent/bleach method).

Here's some background...

The tightness of the weave and the thickness of the fibers in high thread count linens requires an increase in the time it takes for the water and detergents to penetrate the fibers and release the soils and water-based stains.

In addition, the sensitivity of high thread count linens to bleaches and high temperatures requires the elimination of all bleaches and a lowering of wash temperatures.

Unfortunately, the removal of soil, oil-based stains and water-based stains using conventional commercial washing techniques requires an extended wash cycle, coupled with the use of aggressive detergents, bleaches and hot water. All no no's.

And the net result of these conventional washing techniques? An acceleration in the wear and tear on your fine shirts.

Now you know why soaking is critical.
Launder. Very gently.

After soaking, we gently launder your fine linens in specialized, computer-controlled wetcleaning machines, where microprocessors control water temperature, cylinder speeds, mechanical action and moisture removal to exacting specifications.

What's more:

*We launder your fine linens in presoftened water only.

*Our water temperature is warm, never hot.

*We only use gentle enzyme detergents from Sanitone^®, the premier manufacturer of fine drycleaning and wetcleaning detergents in the USA.

Our Sanitone enzyme detergent is:

**pH balanced. Because it's free of alkaline detergent residues your fine linens will have a pH close to that of human skin. This makes them hypoallergenic.

**Fragrance free. So it's suitable for the chemically sensitive.

**Phosphate free. So it's biodegradable.
RAVE FabriCARE is the exclusive licensee of Sanitone products in the Phoenix metro area.

*We never use brighteners or bleaching agents such as chlorine or peroxide in our wash cycle. Brighteners and bleaching agents fade colors and weaken fibers.

*We never use fabric softeners.

*We never overload our wetclean machines. This reduces the possibility of abrasion which can damage the fibers of fine linens.

*We never launder your fine linens together with other items to be wetcleaned. Zippers, metal buttons and other rough surfaces can damage fibers and cause pilling.

*We never mix polyesters with cottons and linens. Polyesters pill easily and can shed its pilling on natural fibers such as cottons and linens, which, in turn, can diminish the smoothness and softness of your fabrics.
Rinse

We rinse your fine linens multiple times in cold water to ensure that they're free from irritating chemical residues.
Hand-iron to perfection

Finally, we hand iron your fine linens to perfection, paying particular attention to appliques, crocheting, cutwork, embroidery, hem stitching and scalloped edges.

There you have it. Six reasons you can trust RAVE FabriCARE to keep your fine table and bed linens looking and feeling their best for years to come.

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Should I starch my bed or table linens?

Starch is always a personal preference -- a balance between tradition and comfort.

As a matter of routine, we don't starch fine bed and table linens. There are many reasons not to starch:

Texture (even the finest wheat starch can irritate the skin)
Color (starch can yellow fabrics that are stored for an extended period of time)
Storage (natural corn and wheat starch is a nutrient for moth larvae when they hatch).

Another reason is that many bed and table linens are pressed when slightly damp. This ensures a smooth, slightly crisp feel to the fabric reminiscent of a "light starch" look and feel.

On the other hand, if you insist, we'll be happy to accommodate your request.

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I panic at the mere thought of sending my matelasse coverlets and lace tableclothes to a cleaner. Can you help?

Your concern is well placed. And, yes, we can help.

Matelasse coverlets and lace tablecloths often require a wetcleaning as part of the restoration and cleaning process. These items can shrink up to 10 percent when wetcleaned. At RAVE FabriCARE, we measure every matelasse coverlet and lace tablecloth prior to any work being performed. After cleaning we block (or reshape) them to those original measurements using a custom-made stretching frame.

This brings us to another point: one way to assess a french laundry's technical capabilities is to call and ask them if they have the skills and specialized equipment necessary to whiten and reblock a matelasse coverlet that has yellowed and shrunk due to improper cleaning. Ask the question. Then assess their response.

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How does your french laundry compare to other specialized laundries around the country?

That's difficult to assess.

If you were to conduct an internet search or call for information, you'll find that very few french laundries provide accurate, written information that would allow you to make an informed assessment. They'll often cite "trade secrets" as an excuse.

The best alternative is to assess how our process compares to the process recommended by high-end bed and table linen manufacturers. Find out by clicking on these links ...

Cottimaryanne.com
Click on product care/washing instructions
Peacockalley.com
Click on linen care
SDHonline.com
Click on product care
Sferralinens.com
Click on care instructions
Stgeneve.com
Click on product care
Yvesdelorme.com
Click on caring for your linens

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What are your prices for fine bed and table linens?

For our current price list, please click here.

Our nationwide clean by mail prices are identical to the prices you would pay if you were a local in-store client or a local pickup and delivery client.

Unlike ordinary cleaners, we do not add a 3% to 6% environmental surcharge to each service order.

There is no sales tam for drycleaning and related services in Arizona.

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Can I ship my fine bed and table linens to you?

Yes.

And it's so easy. For further details, please click here.

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I operate a fine linens store and would like to refer my customers to you. Do you offer commissions (cash or in kind) on business referred to you?

We appreciate the fact that you want to refer your customers to us. However, we don't pay commissions of any kind on business referred to us.

We do, however, understand where you're coming from. A number of french laundry services have built their businesses by distributing information packages to potential clients through fine linen stores -- without disclosing the fact that those linen stores are compensated for their referrals.

At RAVE FabriCARE, we've always worked closely with fine linen stores seeking the finest in french laundry services for their clients. We'll continue to do so in the future.

It's best for us (we can provide a "best in class" work product). It's best for the linen store (they avoid any conflict of interest). And it's best for the client (they can make an impartial choice of the french laundry that best suits their needs).

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Pillow Renovation

What is White Knight Pillowcare?

White Knight Pillowcare is the bed pillow cleaning and restoration division of RAVE FabriCARE, a fabricare specialist based in Scottsdale, Arizona. Every year, we clean and restore thousands of down and feather pillows for clients locally and throughout the USA, Canada and Mexico.

At White Knight Pillowcare, we can restore your down and feather pillows to factory new condition -- at a fraction of the cost of a brand new, high quality down and feather pillow.

What does factory new condition mean?

Your very own down and feathers cleaned, dedusted, sanitized and deodorized. Then encased in a brand new, silky smooth, tightly woven, 300 thread count, downproof, 100% long staple Egyptian cotton pillow shell with double stitched seams that's an effective barrier against dust mite allergen transfer and free of harmful chemicals.

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Do you clean synthetic bed pillows?

Sorry, we don't clean synthetic bed pillows (polyester filled, latex or foam).

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Why should I clean my down and feather pillows?

Because, over the years, your down and feather bed pillows have become musty, lumpy, and flat. They've also collected germs, dirt, dust, dander (sloughed skin), dust mites, dust mite feces, mold, mildew, fungus, body oil, hair oil, perspiration and saliva.

In particular, dust mite feces has been proven to be important triggers in asthma attacks, hay fever irritated sinuses, and sneezing attacks.

The time to restore those pillows to factory new condition is now.

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How often should I clean my down and feather pillows?

Sleep experts recommend that you renovate your down and feather pillows every 1 to 2 years. Or sooner, if required.

In much the same way as you change the oil in your car every 3,000 miles, you should clean, dedust, sanitize and deodorize the inside fill and replace the outside shell of your down and feather pillows -- as a matter of routine -- every 1 to 2 years.

And to help you keep track of which pillows were cleaned and when they were cleaned, we'll attach a dated tag to the outside seam of each pillow we renovate.

If you so desire, we can even add your name to our email list, alerting you when the anniversary date is near.

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Can I wash my down and feather pillows?

Sure you can. But should you?

We say no. And here's why ...

It's difficult to clean the outer cover of a pillow in a wash.

The outside covering of many pillows are yellowed and stained due to oil-based stains (such as body oil, hair oil, creams and lotions) and water-based stains (such as perspiration and saliva).

Removing oil-based stains with water using a home washer is a difficult task. That task is compounded by the fact that the pillow shell itself is full of down and feathers.

You see, oil is typically not dissolved or emulsified by water. Only dry cleaning dissolves or emulsifies oil -- and down and feathers should never be drycleaned.

Here's why ...

Resilience and loft are two of the most important characteristics of down. The resilience and loft of down is a function of minute particles of oil that coat the filaments of a cluster of down. As drycleaning dissolves or emulsifies oil, the natural oil will dissolve and the resilience and loft of the down will be destroyed.

It's more effective to discard the old pillow shell and start fresh with a brand new one.
It's difficult to flush out the contaminants inside the pillow shell in a wash.

The primary reason for cleaning a down and feather pillow is not only to get the outside of the pillow shell clean. It's to remove all the contaminants that are inside the down and feathers. Contaminants such as dirt, dust, dander (sloughed skin), dust mites and dust mite feces that cause allergic reactions.

Extremely hot water can kill the dust mites inside the pillow. Unfortunately, the outer shell of the pillow makes it almost impossible for the water to "flush" out the contaminants.

It's much more effective to discard the old pillow shell and to clean, dedust, sanitize and deodorize the down and feathers -- independent of the old pillow shell.
It's difficult to dry the down and feathers after a wash.

After washing, the down and feathers must be completely dried. Otherwise it'll rot.

Once you've "washed" your down and feather pillow, you'll need to dry it, fluff it, redry it, refluff it. Over and Over. 'Til it's completely dry. And that's difficult to do in a home dryer.

It's much more effective to independently clean, dedust, sanitize and deodorize your down and feathers using a process that's completely dry in the first instance. And then insert the down and feathers into a brand new pillow shell.
It's difficult to penetrate a tightly woven pillow shell in a wash.

Put a down or feather pillow with a tightly woven pillow shell into a washer and observe what happens. It "floats" on top of the water because the water takes too long to penetrate the tightly woven outer shell.

If your down or feather pillow can't even be submerged in water, how do you plan to "flush out" the contaminants inside the pillow?

It's more effective to independently clean, dedust, sanitize and deodorize the down and feathers. And then insert the down and feathers into a brand new pillow shell.

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What is your basic process?

First, we'll clean, dedust, sanitize and deodorize the inside down and feather fill. One pillow at a time. And discard your original outer pillow shell.

At RAVE FabriCARE, we empty the down and feather fill from your pillow into a specialized down and feather cleaning machine. The machine rotates the down and feathers in a chamber, sifting out the down and feather dust, dust mites, dust mite feces and other contaminants. At the same time, the down and feathers are exposed to an ultraviolet germicidal light that kills bacteria, sanitizes and deodorizes the filling, and fluffs up the down clusters and feathers. After this process is complete, the down and feathers are blown into our cotton pillow shells.

At this point you may choose to add down for extra support. Or you can reduce the fill to a more comfortable level if your pillow feels too firm. In those cases where you ask us to add down for extra support, we only offer the world's finest, large cluster, white, 750+ fill power (loft), hand gathered Hungarian goose down.

Finally, we'll insert your own down and feathers into a brand new 100% long staple Egyptian cotton, 300 thread count, double stitched, white outer pillow shell that feels as smooth as silk.

What's more, our 100% long staple Egyptian cotton, 300 thread count pillow shells are certified to be:

downproof
an effective barrier against dust mite allergen transfer
free of harmful chemical substances.

After the down and feather fill has been cleaned and inserted into our 300 thread count pillow shells, your pillows will be hypoallergenic and suitable for use by those who are chemically sensitive.

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Do your pillow shells meet AAFA standards?

Yes.

RAVE FabriCARE offers the only pillow cleaning service in the country that meets the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) standards for cotton pillow shells: a tightly woven, minimum 300 thread count, downproof pillow shell with double stitched seams that's an effective barrier against dust mite allergen transfer and is free of harmful chemical substances.

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Are your pillow shells certified to be downproof?

Yes.

Our 100% long staple Egyptian cotton, 300 thread count pillow shells have been tested by the International Down and Feather Testing Laboratory and Institute (Salt Lake City, Utah) and certified to be downproof.

Why is this certification important?

It's your only assurance that the down and feathers won't leak through the pillow shell over time.

By contrast, you could take or send your pillows to an ordinary cleaner. At best, they'll use a 180 thread count pillow shell (possibly 200, if you're really lucky) that'll feel like cardboard and crackle in your ear like crumpled paper.

This hardness is due to the fact that these 180/200 thread count pillow shells are not down-proof in and of themselves. Instead, they must be heavily sized (or starched) to prevent the down and feathers from leaking through the pillow shell. Of course, when the sizing begins to break down with use, the down and feathers will quickly appear.

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Are your pillow shells certified to be an effective barrier against dust mite allergen transfer?

Yes.

Our 100% long staple Egyptian cotton, 300 thread count pillow shells have been tested by the IBT Reference Laboratory (Lenexa, Kansas) and certified to be an effective barrier against dust mite allergen transfer.

Why is this certification important?

Because, if you're allergic to dust mites and dust mite droppings -- and over 20 million Americans are -- you can minimize contact with dust mite allergens by encasing your down and feathers in a dust mite-proof pillow shell.

It's been estimated that 10% of the weight of a 6 year old pillow is due to dust mites and their droppings. Dust mite allergens have been proven to be important triggers in asthma attacks, hayfever irritated sinuses, and sneezing attacks.

You see, dust mites are attracted to your bedding and pillows because they live off the skin cells that we all shed each night.

The problem is that as you sleep, your skin sloughs off and works its way down into your bed, and particularly into your pillows. If the air in your room is even mildly humid, the dust mites in your bed and pillows grow into large colonies. And even if you live in a dry climate such as Arizona, your own body creates humidity as you breathe and perspire.

Believe it or not, there can be as many as 30,000 of those microscopic tiny creatures in one ounce of dust!

Dust mites are found all over the home, but the biggest problem is your bed, and particularly your pillows. Trying to kill the dust mites through hot water washing will only have a limited effect, because the dust mites feces that trigger allergies or asthma-like symptoms will still exist in high concentrations inside your bed and inside your pillows.

Studies have shown that pillow shells that are allergen barriers are very effective at reducing dust mite allergens. Pillow shells that are allergen barriers serve two purposes:

They keep any existing dust mites and dust mite feces trapped inside the pillow shell, so you won't be exposed to them.

RAVE FabriCARE can eliminate these existing dust mites and dust mite droppings by thoroughly cleaning, dedusting, sanitizing and deodorizing the down and feathers inside your pillows.
They prevent any new dust mites from getting into your pillow shell, so you won't be exposed to them.

RAVE FabriCARE can eliminate these new dust mites, and the resultant dust mite droppings, by encasing your down and feathers in a pillow shell that's certified to be an effective barrier to dust mite allergen transfer.

For many years, people with allergies and asthma have been encouraged to avoid down and feather pillows because they were thought to aggravate allergies more than the synthetic alternatives (often incorrectly referred to as "down alternative" or "hypoallergenic" pillows).

That's always been the conventional wisdom. But that's changing now that many recent studies have shown that more dust mite allergens can be found in synthetic pillows than in down and feather pillows.

A Wall Street Journal article (July 27, 2007) that compared the relative quality of different brands of synthetic pillows stated that nearly 20 million people are allergic to dust mites and dust mite droppings, and these creatures thrive in synthetic filling as well as in down.

For more information on dust mites from the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, please click here.

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Are your pillow shells certified to be free of harmful chemical substances?

Yes.

Our 100% long staple Egyptian cotton, 300 thread count pillow shells have been tested by TESTEX, the world-renowned Swiss Textile Testing Institute (Zurich, Switzerland), and certified to meet or exceed Oeko-Tex Standard 100, the international standard for certifying that a textile is free of harmful chemical substances.

Why is Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certification important?

Because textile products, such as pillow shells, are the result of a complex series of manufacturing processes, during which an extremely diverse range of chemicals are used. Some of these chemicals are hazardous to humans and to the environment. Oeko-Tex Standard 100 specifies the allowable levels in textiles of defined substances known to be a health risk to humans such as formaldehyde, heavy metals, bleaching agents and other harmful chemicals.

Accordingly, the "Confidence in Textiles/Tested for harmful substances according to Oeko-Tex Standard 100" mark is not a quality label per se, but relates only to the as-produced-state of the textile.

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Are your pillow shells comfortable?

Yes.

Fact is, they're more comfortable than other categories of man-made allergen barriers. Our pillow shells are so tightly woven (300 threads per square inch), they're silky soft. They have such a small pore size (opening between the threads) that dust mites and their wastes cannot penetrate, yet air and moisture can easily pass through for comfort.

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My pillows are top quality. How do I know that the down and feathers taken from my original pillows will be the same down and feathers returned to me in my renovated pillows?

At RAVE FabriCARE we understand your concern: the price difference between inferior down and feathers and high quality down and feathers is substantial.

Which is why we guarantee that the down and feathers taken from your original pillows will be the same down and feathers returned to you in your renovated pillows.

We can make this guarantee because we are an accredited member of Leading Cleaners Internationale, and as such, we are recognized as one of the nation's premier cleaners. Our national reputation has been built on trust. So we'd never compromise that trust by substituting or diluting your high quality down and feathers with cheap, inferior, refurbished or used down and feathers.

Unlike ordinary cleaners, we've got everything to lose. And nothing to gain.

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What can you do to ensure that my pillows are restored to the "right" level of support?

When you're making a decision as to whether you should add down to a pillow (or even remove down from a pillow), you should consider two factors:

First, every individual is different. Deciding on the "right" level of support for your bed pillows -- soft, medium or firm -- is a very personal decision, but a decision that's absolutely critical to a good night's sleep.
Second, the constant use of a down and feather pillow puts pressure on the fill inside the pillow, breaking some of the fill into very small, dust-like particles. During the cleaning process, these dust-like particles are removed (dedusted), reducing the level of support in each of your pillows.

To assist you with your decision as to the "right" level of support in each of your pillows, you may wish to consider the following fill weights as a guide:

Standard

20" x 26"

Soft

Medium

Firm

14 ounces

Queen

20" x 3-"

Soft

Medium

Firm

18 ounces

King

20" x 36"

Soft

Medium

Firm

22 ounces

How do you know whether soft, medium or firm is appropriate for you?

Consider this guide:

Soft is great for people who sleep mostly on their stomachs. Good for those who change sleep positions frequently during the night.
Medium is the best choice for people who sleep on their backs. Comfortably soft, but firm enough to offer plenty of support.
Firm is recommended for people who sleep primarily on their sides. Offers the highest level of neck and head support for all-night comfort.

Using these fill weights as a guide makes your decision easier. Just ask us to "adjust" your pillows to the weights specified on your Fine Bed Pillows Service Order Form.

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When you're adding down to pillows, what type of down do you use?

We only use the world's finest Hungarian down. Our Hungarian down is large cluster, white 750+ fill power (loft), hand gathered, goose down.

Our source raises their geese on farms for the sole purpose of harvesting the down. The down is hand harvested from mature birds during the natural molting process in a manner that is veterinary certified to cause no injury to the birds.

Typically, the fill used in many down pillows manufactured today is a by-product of the meat industry. The down is machine harvested from young birds. The result is cheap, inferior, small cluster, low loft down.

Once the down is harvested, its washed and rinsed repeatedly until it's hypoallergenic and meets the stringent sanitary requirements of German regulatory authorities governing all down products sold in Germany.

Our Hungarian down is another important difference between RAVE FabriCARE and ordinary cleaners. Should you wish to add some down to your pillows for additional support, you're likely to end up with cheap, small cluster goose down, small cluster duck down, turkey and/or chicken feathers. Even if you were charged for the "highest quality European goose down and feathers" (a fancy sounding statement that means absolutely nothing!).

It seems that most ordinary cleaners figure that what you can't see or can't understand you can't know. And this is particularly true when it comes to pillow restoration.

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How long does it take to renovate pillows?

At RAVE FabriCARE, we can restore your down and feather pillows to factory new condition. In less than a day. Simply drop off your old down and feather pillows in the morning and you could be sleeping on a brand new pillow that very same night.

Or take advantage of our convenient nationwide clean by mail service if you're not located close to our facility. We'll turnaround your pillows in 2 working days or less.

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How much do you charge to renovate down and feather pillows?

Our prices for cleaning, dedusting, sanitizing and deodorizing your down and feathers and inserting your own down and feathers into a new 100% long staple Egyptian cotton, 300 thread count, double stitched, white outer pillow shell are as follows:

Standard (20" x 26") $27.50

Queen (20" x 30") $30.00

King (20" x 36") $32.50

Should you choose to add down to any pillow in order to provide additional support, we'll add the finest, large cluster, white, 750+ fill power (loft), hand gathered Hungarian goose down at the following cost:

Hungarian down fill $ 9.00 per ounce

Our nationwide clean by mail service prices are identical to the prices you would pay if you were a local in-store client or a local pickup and delivery client.

Unlike ordinary cleaners, we do not add a 3% to 6% environmental surcharge to each service order.

There is no sales tax on drycleaning and related services in Arizona.

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Can I ship my down and feather pillows to you?

Yes.

And it's so easy. For further details, please click here.

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Household Textiles

Why should I clean my household textiles on a regular basis?

Primarily because exposure to humidity, sunlight and airborne atmospheric and environmental pollutant gases can cause significant color loss and permanent damage to your household fabrics.

Most individuals, however, choose to clean their household textiles for one simple reason: they want to revive their living and bedroom space, without having to go to the expense of redecorating.

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Does RAVE FabriCARE clean household textiles?

Yes.

RAVE FabriCARE provides expert care for all your household textiles. Such as draperies, sofa and cushion covers, comforters, bedspreads, blankets and quilts. Our fabricare professionals can gently remove the most stubborn stains, whiten whites, and brighten colors to make your entire home look beautiful.

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Area Rugs

Why should I clean my area rugs on a regular basis?

A normal cleaning schedule for your rugs will prolong their life, minimize the possibility of moth and insect damage, and keep your house smelling and looking fresh. We recommend that you clean your rugs at least once every two years (every year for rugs in high traffic areas).

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Do you steam clean area rugs?

No.

We use the same process we use to clean designer, high fashion, specialty and couture garments.

Whether Persian or Oriental, antique or modern, our gentle, deep cleaning, immersion process will protect and prolong the life of your cherished area rugs, leaving them fresh, bright, and free of ground in dirt.

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What about Navajo and other southwestern rugs?

At RAVE FabriCARE, we specialize in Navajo and other southwestern Indian rugs, especially those with deep black, red and navy dyes that typically "bleed" or "run" when cleaned by ordinary cleaners.

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Purses & Handbags

Do you clean personal accessories such as purses and handbags?

At RAVE FabriCARE, we offer complete care and repair of personal accessories for dress, business and travel.

We specialize in high-end brands from designers such as: Badgley Mischka, Bally, Bottega Veneta, Burberry, Chanel, Coach, Cross, Dior, Gucci, Fendi, Ferragamo, Fiore, Lauren, Leiber, Prada, Spade, Valentino, Versace, Vuitton, and many more.

We can refurbish and repair handbags, purses, totes, satchels, belts, suspenders, wallets, backpacks, briefcases, attachés and soft luggage made from

Leather, suede, canvas, vinyl, brocade, satin, etc., and combinations thereof
Exotic skins such as alligator, crocodile, lizard, snake and ostrich

Our refurbishing services include:

Cleaning and refinishing
Patching, rebinding, repiping and relining.

Our repair services include:

Straps and handles -- restitched, replaced and shortened
Chains and leather threaded chains -- replaced and repaired
Zippers and pulls -- replaced and repaired
Hardware (catches, snaps, studs, locks, hinges, etc.) -- replaced, fixed and replated
Ornamentation (buckles, beads, sequins, rhinestones, tassels, etc.) -- reinforced and replaced

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What's the cost and turnaround time?

The average charge for cleaning and refinishing a handbag or purse is $90. Some are more; some less. The minimum charge for repairs is $30. Processing time is typically 3 to 6 weeks.

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Fire, Soot and Water Contaminated Garments & Household Textiles

Coming Soon.

Services to Couturiers and Upscale Retail Stores

What types of retailers do you serve?

RAVE FabriCARE offers the fashion world Arizona's most complete garment cleaning and restoration service.

Whether you're preparing for Fashion Week, restoring trunk show garments that have arrived in soiled condition, cleaning garments used for a photo shoot, or freshening up garments that have become soiled in inventory, you can trust RAVE FabriCARE to deliver the finest hand cleaning and hand finishing in Arizona.

In addition to serving individual clients, RAVE FabriCARE provides specialist cleaning services to:

Couturiers
Upscale department stores
Upscale clothing boutiques
Upscale resale boutiques
Upscale direct sale clothiers
Custom clothiers and tailors
Upscale bridal salons
Fine linen stores
Interior designers

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What types of services do you provide?

Our cleaning and finishing services to couturiers and upscale retail stores include the hand cleaning and hand finishing of:

Trunk show garments
Photo shoot garments
Store inventory
Store management personal garments
Store associate personal garments
Store associate "uniforms"
Customer-owned garments entrusted to you for corrective stain removal, corrective finishing, corrective blocking and/or restoration.

Our advisory services to couturiers and upscale retail stores include:

Conducting training seminars on a variety of care-related topics
Providing technical advice on stain removal, finishing and storage
Testing the serviceability of fabrics
Testing the serviceability of beads, sequins, and other trim and embellishments
Providing garment and household textile labeling advice.

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What's the philosophy underpinning your services to retailers?

At RAVE FabriCARE, we strive to foster close working relationships with couturiers and upscale retail stores by developing store-specific service programs and arrangements for each store served.

We even have a full-time Retail Store Service Representative on staff whose responsibilities include:

Visiting your store on a regular basis
Picking up and delivering any garment or household textile requiring service
Coordinating all services to your store.

The stores receive extraordinary care for their inventory, for their management's and associate's personal garments, and for customer-owned garments entrusted to them for corrective stain removal, corrective finishing and/or restoration. RAVE FabriCARE, in turn, receives a forum to showcase our extraordinary procedures, processes and skills.

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