I
receive many emails from dry cleaners. Many are anonymous rants
accusing me of demeaning ordinary cleaners.
I plead guilty as charged. After all, how can I explain true
quality cleaning if I don't juxtapose true quality cleaning against
ordinary cleaning.
Occasionally, a cleaner will identify him or herself and we'll
engage in a useful discussion. Often, it's an attempt on their part
to convince me why they don't qualify to be labeled an
"ordinary cleaner."
At other times, it's an attempt on their part to convince me
that they don't engage in certain practices when, in fact, they do.
Such as the
Phoenix "organic cleaner" who informed me that he does not dry
clean his customers' garments in perchloroethylene (aka perc) at
one of his two locations when, in fact, I have personal knowledge
that he does (he claims that he wet cleans all his customers' dry
clean only garments at that location, that he only uses perc for
"restoration" work, and that I raise the issue only because I'm
"jealous of his business").
As a result, I've come to a singular conclusion: most
ordinary cleaners say one thing, but do another.
- They say they pre-spot every garment, but they just load all
garments into a dry cleaning machine and maybe post-spot them.
(Pre-spotting is targeted stain removal by a skilled technician
prior to cleaning the garment in a dry cleaning machine).
- They say they clean your garments in an odorless,
fabric-gentle, dermatologically-friendly dry cleaning fluid, but
they still use fabric aggressive, dye stripping, toxic solvents
like perchloroethylene (aka perc) or synthetic petroleum.
- They say they purify their dry cleaning solvent after every
load, but they only do so a few times a week.
- They say they dry clean your cottons and linens as you
requested or as specified by the care label, but they wet clean or
wash them and toss them in a drier.
- They say they operate their dry clean machines with zero
moisture, zero fragrance and zero sizing, but they inject moisture,
fragrance and sizing into their dry cleaning solvent.
- They say they gently hand-iron your garments, but they machine
press them at a rate of 20 to 40 per hour per presser.
- They say they employ a skilled tailor or seamstress to
make all necessary repairs, but they often assign the task to a
customer service representative with some free time on their
hands.
- They say they soak your laundered shirts in a gentle dry
cleaning fluid (to dissolve oil-based stains) and then in a
water-based solution (to eliminate water-based stains), but they
scrub your collars and cuffs with hard-bristled brushes and
"collar/cuff solution" in an attempt to get them reasonably
clean.
- They say they gently wet clean your shirts in cool or warm
water, but they wash your shirts in hot water in an attempt to
dissolve the oil-based stains.
- They say they use a gentle enzyme detergent, but they use a
harsh, caustic, industrial grade detergent in an attempt to
eliminate the water-based stains.
- They say they use no bleach, but they add fabric-destroying
bleach in an attempt to get your whites really white.
- They say they use a premium, natural wheat starch, but they
starch your shirts with cheap synthetic glue (that adheres to your
shirt's fibers like multiple coats of paint) in an attempt to save
a few pennies per shirt.
- They say they hand iron your shirts, but they machine press
them at a rate of 40 to 50 per hour per presser, which leaves your
shirts with puckered seams, wrinkled collars, cuffs, underarms,
sleeve pleats, sleeve plackets and front plackets, and wrinkled
cuff/sleeve and sleeve/body joins.
- They say they conduct detailed inspections of every garment
prior to packaging, but they do a cursory look over.
- They say they package your garments individually and use the
finest packaging materials, but they stuff them in a bag and use
materials that "look pretty" but aren't technically aligned with
and supportive of your garments over the short and long term.
- They say that they charge a price that reflects the quality
they deliver, but they still charge relatively low prices.
- They say they take the time to do the job right (3 to 5 days in
most cases), but they routinely offer same and next day service or
3 day pickup and delivery service.
The contradictions are endless. I suppose this explains why
clients are amazed when a cleaner actually does what they say they
do.
How can I help you?