Every cleaner claims to be
a true quality drycleaner. Fact is, very few are.
But that doesn't stop them from claiming that they are. So
they're forced to misrepresent, distort and even lie about the
quality of the product they produce in general, and the processes
and craftsmanship they employ to produce that product in
particular.
Let's be specific ...
Drycleaning
Their verbal assurances, their promotional materials and their
public relations professionals tell you that they gently dryclean
and hand iron ALL your fine garments (other than shirt laundry). AS
A MATTER OF ROUTINE.
Baloney! Bet they don't.
Truth is, you're paying $25 to $35 for a $10 to $15 suit that's
been tossed into a drycleaning machine and machine pressed. And
then "strategically touched up" by hand. If deemed necessary. If
you're lucky.
It's "drycleaning" at it's most basic: garments that have been
sorted into "lights" and "darks", tossed into a dryclean machine
with little or no pre-spotting, and cleaned in a relatively
aggressive, dye-stripping, toxic solvent (
perchloroethylene or synthetic petroleum) that's supplemented
with moisture/water, fragrance and sizing. All this before your
garments are machined pressed and then "squirted" with steam from a
hand iron in an attempt to conceal any evidence of machine
pressing.
What's more, many of your cottons and linens may not have been
drycleaned at all. They've probably been washed or wetcleaned,
tossed into a dryer, machine pressed, and then "squirted" with
steam.
Shirt Laundry
Their verbal assurances, their promotional materials and their
public relations professionals tell you that they gently clean and
hand iron ALL your laundered shirts. AS A MATTER OF ROUTINE.
Hogwash! Bet they don't.
Truth is, you're paying $6 to $14 for a $1 to $2 shirt that has
been boiled, bleached, baked and machine pressed. And then
"strategically touched up" by hand. If deemed necessary. If you're
lucky.
Many cleaners call this machine pressed/touched up shirt a
"hand-finished shirt," hoping that you'll never understand the
difference between a "hand ironed shirt" ($6 to $14) and a "machine
pressed/touched up shirt" or "hand finished shirt" ($1 to $2).
Fine Bed and Table Linens
Their verbal assurances, their promotional materials and their
public relations professionals tell you that they gently clean and
perfectly finish ALL your fine bed and table linens. AS A MATTER OF
ROUTINE. And that they do all their work in-house.
Poppycock! Bet they don't.
Truth is, you're way over paying for linens that are
subcontracted to some cheap, unknown wholesale laundry. Where
they're boiled and bleached before being run through a flatwork
ironer (aka a Mangle ironer) like bathroom tissue through a Charmin
factory. And yes, it's pronounced "mangler".
Summary
So there you have it. The truth about cleaners who present
themselves as true quality cleaners but whose product - minus the
fancy packaging - is, for the most part, no better than any above
average ordinary cleaner.
So where does the truth lie? With the actual performance or with
the promotional claim?
I'd suggest it's with the latter. So, what can you do to protect
yourself against claims of actual performance that cannot be
supported by the facts?
Carefully investigate all claims made by cleaners. Ask probing
questions and insist on clear, jargon-free answers.
How can I help you?