Learning to Communicate with Your Cleaning Service

Posted on: 29 April 2015

Several decades ago, many clothes were dry-clean-only, and thus, most people visited the dry cleaner far more often. Now, more clothes are machine washable, and trips to the dry cleaner have become fewer and further between for many folks. As a result, people are less familiar with dry cleaners and the services they offer. Chances are, your local dry cleaner does more than just dry clean clothes. They probably also offer the following services.

Shirt laundering and pressing.

Many people wash their dress shirts and blouses at home and just take their suits to the dry cleaner. However, most dry cleaners will wash your shirts, too. It's not a bad idea to take your dress shirts to the dry cleaner to be expertly laundered and pressed once in a while. This professional cleaning may remove traces of stains you have struggled to remove at home. A thorough pressing will keep your collars looking snazzy.

Sewing on buttons.

Has a button popped off your suit coat? Don't worry about poking yourself with a needle because you're not a good seamstress. Just point out the missing button the next time you take your coat to be dry cleaned. If you have the button, or there is a spare sewn into the sleeve, bring it along. Otherwise, some dry cleaners keep a button collection and may find one that's suitable.

Basic Tailoring

Not every dry cleaning business offers this service, but you'd be surprised how many do. If you need your pants hemmed up an inch or two, have a sleeve that has come un-stitched, or need the waistline of a skirt taken in, your dry cleaner may employ or contract with a tailor who can do this for you. Generally, if you need major alterations done, you'll want to seek out a specific tailor shop. For quick fixes, though, your dry cleaner is a good place to start.

Shoe Polishing

If your leather dress shoes or boots are looking duller than they should, bring them along to your dry cleaner. Many offer show shining services, which is far easier than rubbing black polish onto the shoes yourself. Some will even perform this service while you wait, rather than asking that you drop off the shoes.

Now that you know your dry cleaner does more than just dry clean, you know exactly where to go the next time you lose a button, pop a hem, or need a good shoe shine. You might only see your dry cleaner, one like Cove Cleaners, every few months, but you can make the most of those visits by having these other little matters taken care of at the same time.