How to remove Creases and Pleats from your Pants

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Pleats and creases can prove especially stubborn to iron out of pants. Whether they are the original pleats and creases or new creases caused from sitting in a drawer or getting tangled up in the dryer, you can choose from several methods to remove them from your pants. Begin by washing and drying your pants according to their label instructions to loosen up the pleats or creases. Be sure to set your iron to the fabric type of your pants and test each ironing method in an inconspicuous area of your pants to avoid ruining the fabric.

Place your pants on the ironing board. Fill a spray bottle with distilled water (using distilled water will reduce the mineral buildup on your pants). Spray the water directly onto the pleat or crease you wish to remove from your pants. Iron your pants as usual, applying pressure to the iron as you smooth it slowly across the pleat or crease of your pants.

Spray some spray starch lightly onto your pants, concentrating it on the pleat or crease you wish to iron out. Slowly iron out your pants as usual on the ironing board. To prevent flaking when you’re using spray starch, set your iron at a medium heat setting or below. AVOID HIGH HEAT.

Turn your pants inside-out. Rub a bar of soap on the inside of your pants, along the line of the pleat or crease. Turn your pants right side-out and iron them on the ironing board.

Dampen a clean cloth with white vinegar. Rub this cloth on the pleat or crease of your pants, then iron them as usual. Wash and dry your pants to get rid of the vinegar smell, and then iron them again. This extra wash may also aid you in getting the pleat or crease out.

Beware the Invisible Stain!

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Have you ever discovered a new stain on your clothes after you have picked them up from your local dry cleaner? In almost every case, you’ve become the victim of an invisible stain. So we’re here to help clear up any questions and explain how the new stain on your favorite clothing item magically appeared after visiting your dry cleaner.

What is the cause of an invisible stain?

We’ve all spilled soda, salsa, sauce or some type of food item on our clothes at some point in time.  We try to scrub it out with water or a detergent pen, let it sit, the stain will normally dry after a few moments, and disappears after it dries. You’re relieved and think you’re a stain-fighting super hero!

We hate to burst your bubble, but unfortunately, the stain is still there, hidden deep in the fabric – it has become invisible, only to reappear when you least expect.

What’s the deal? How do stains come and go?

The secret is heat. Heat is notorious for making sugar stains caramelize and oil stains oxidize and will turn your invisible stain into a noticeable eyesore almost instantly. Once the stained garment is ironed or placed in the dryer or under the iron, the stain you thought you had taken care of immediately comes back to the surface!

How can I eliminate this type of stain?

It’s very difficult to remove these stubborn stains after they are formed, but not impossible. As usual, you should address the stain immediately once a spill takes place and bring the garment to your dry cleaner’s attention as soon as possible. A trained professional at Deluxe Cleaners will be able to help you save your garment!

Outerwear Care Tips

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The cold weather will linger in Alabama through the month of March and that means you need to maintain your winter coats and keep them ready for everyday use. You cannot care for outerwear the same way you do your other laundry. Dry cleaning is the best method, but there are ways you can care for your jackets and coats to keep them looking good for years to come.

Down Jackets
Many people have down jackets because they are durable and extremely warm. These jackets require extra special care and professional dry cleaners will be able to do the best job. If you have a washing machine without a center spindle, you can wash a down jacket on the gentle cycle. You should run it through the washer once without soap and a second time with special down detergent. Allow the water to drain out and apply gentle pressure with a clean towel. The jacket can go into the dryer on low setting but remember to remove the jacket and fluff the down from time to time.

Trench Coats
Trench coats do not provide as much protection against cold temperatures but they are excellent at shedding water, so they offer great protection in the rain or snow. Trench coats should be hand washed with cold water. They need to go to a dry cleaner for seasonal or major cleaning.

Wool Coats
Wool is durable but should never be put in a washing machine. Remove dust and dirt with a suede brush and always hang a wool coat when it is not in use. If you spill liquid on it, blot the affected area with a clean cloth without rubbing. Have the coat dry cleaned if you cannot remove the stain.

Fur Coats
Fur requires special care for cleaning as well as storage. Fur outerwear should be covered by a loose garment bag with an open bottom. Never store it in plastic, and protect it from heat, direct sunlight and moisture. A furrier has the best facilities for storage during the summer. Contact a fur specialist to have it cleaned properly.

Five Lessons Learned From Doing The Laundry

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Tips from the Dry CleanerHow often do you wish there were more than twenty-four hours in a day.

The good news is that even though you may not see it at the moment, there are many ways to organize, and create higher levels of productivity from daily chores around the house. Deluxe Cleaners in Birmingham believes that laundry, often a considered a hefty chore, can be simplified and prioritized with a few simple steps.

1. Wrinkles should always be avoided.
Getting the clothes out of the dryer as quickly as possible can eliminate the need for ironing them which will save the person involved huge amounts of time in the course of their day. When bringing your dry cleaning to Deluxe Cleaners, you’ll never have to worry about ironing your clothes, saving you hours each month.

2. Invisible stains should be pretreated.
Any spots that are discovered should never be left for later and avoided. Dealing with stains directly as they happen will reduce stress and frustration later on when they have ruined the garment. The truth is that trying to take the easy way around these matters will inevitably cause greater issues down the road. If you don’t feel comfortable dealing with a particular stain, let your professional dry cleaner take care of it. Many times, we’re able to save an otherwise ruined garment, so don’t play the guessing game at home!

3. Don’t be afraid to say no.
In many families, the person who has taken on  laundry duties receives a number of different requests and directions. Many times these issues totally interfere with the process and place demands upon the person performing the task that are truly difficult and slow the entire process down. We all have special care and delicate clothing items, and many time they can’t be avoided as part of our ensemble. Make an effort to identify what type of laundry new clothing purchases will create for you.  One must gather the strength necessary to at times just say no if it will create extra loads of laundry r special hand-washing techniques.

4. Separate systematically
Mistakes are going to happen because there is always a sock hidden in a pair of pants, but one must make every effort possible to separate colors from whites. This effort will save much aggravation further down the road and simplify the laundry process.

5. Get prepared for success.
Making the decision to pull certain garments from the wash and take them to the dry cleaners. Dry cleaning can extend the life of a garment and if acted upon quickly, and can remove stains from important suits and business attire.

Hopefully some of these ideas help save you even just a few minutes of precious time and inspire you to not put things off until later, especially when it comes to your clothes. Deluxe Cleaners can help you take a load off and professionally clean and restore items so they’ll live longer, happy lives. For even more convenience, we’ll even pick up and drop off your dry cleaning  for free! Feel free to leave any tips in the comments below that you may have picked up along the way.

Proper Clothing Care – General Tips

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clothing care - how to wash clothes - deluxe cleaners, birmingham, al Here are a few quick tips to help you decide what to do the next time your favorite clothing item gets stained:

  • Use caution in storing clothes. In order for them to retain their shape and freshness, the clothing needs some breathing room. Never hang sweaters over a hanger as they can be stretched out of shape. Instead, store them folded. Provide time for a wet or damp coat to dry before it is hung in the closet.
  • Remove the cleaner’s bags before hanging clothes to allow for air. If you are concerned about dust, cut enough of the bag to just cover the shoulder and allow the remainder of the garment access to air.
  • Use proper hanging techniques. Jackets should be unbuttoned on a wishbone hanger and not a wire one. Make sure that all heavy or bulky items are out of the garment so it retains its shape.
  • Use gentle brushing to keep dirt from settling into the fabric.
  • Do not iron dirty or stained clothes to prevent setting of stains.
  • If clothes need to be stored with mothballs, do not let them contact the clothes. Place the mothballs in a separate cloth or paper bag.
  • Allow time to dry before getting dressed when applying deodorants or other scents to the body. If wearing silk, use underarm shields to prevent stains.
  • Protect clothing from excess sunlight that can cause fading.

 

If you have a question about a specific type of stain or issue with your garment, please contact us before playing the stain guessing game!

How to Properly Store Seasonal Clothes

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Deluxe Cleaners Birmingham - Once it begins to warm up, it is time to pack your winter clothes away. Most of us simply toss our coats, sweaters and gloves in a box, on a shelf, or in the spare bedroom until they are used again next year. However, there is a right way to store clothes, and the following tips will ensure your clothes are ready to be worn next winter:

1.   Dirt and other items left on your clothes when you put them in storage can stain them, especially after several months. Always clean or dry clean your winter/summer clothes prior to storing, and another advantage of cleaning your clothes is that they are less likely to attract insects.

2.    Although you can use plastic containers to store your clothes in, any bugs or larvae left in clothing will be more of a problem. New and clean cardboard boxes are a better storage solution, and even better are suitcases that have been cleaned thoroughly. Use acid free tissue to line the containers.

3.   Mothballs can be useful, although you should be careful that small children and pets do not eat them. Cedar lined storage, or cedar blocks are both perhaps a safer option than mothballs, although ultimately, whether you use cedar or mothballs, there is no way to completely guarantee their effectiveness.

4.   If they are left hanging for several months, sweaters and other items can become misshapen. A better idea is to fold and stack them in your containers, with the heaviest items at the bottom, a technique which allows air to circulate.

5.   Use the extra hanging loops, if you do hang clothes, to minimize the chances of misshapen clothes. Allow clothing to breathe, by wrapping in fabric, rather than plastic bags. If your clothes have room to breathe, they are less likely to become creased and wrinkled, and there is less chance of mold and mildew.

6.   An ideal storage area for clothing should be cool, clean, dry and dark, and the ideal area is not too close to a source of heat or damp. A dark area will keep your clothing cool and can prevent fading. Wherever you store clothes, always clean the area beforehand.

 

Stop by one of our many Birmingham locations to have one of our professional cleaners guide you on proper storage of your favorite seasonal clothing.

Tips For Treating General Clothing Stains

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Deluxe Cleaners, Dry Clean Birmingham, Stain Removal tipsRemoving tough stains can feel as difficult as a really involved algebra equation.  Once you have actually determined the type of stain that you are dealing with, the fabric requirements and color scheme, the actual stain removal process can feel impossible.  These 10 basic rules for getting stains out will help you to keep your clothes in phenomenal condition.

1.  Take Immediate Action
Addressing stains while they are still fresh help to make removing them much easier.  Take control by addressing stains as quickly after they occur as is possible.  If you have stained a fabric that is non-machine washable, they should be taken to the dry cleaners right away.  You should inform the dry cleaners about the stain and detail how the stain occurred.

2.  Adhere To Instructions

If you are using a stain removal product, make certain to adhere to the manufacturer’s instructions.  You should also follow the directions on the actual articles as well.

3.  Conduct Hidden Tests

Never simply slather a stain removal product on your clothes.  Instead, test a small amount on a hidden area of the garment before using it to make certain that no color change occur.

4.  Perform Stain Removal From The Back

Lay the item on top of a clean cloth while upside down.  The cloth should be white.  The stain treatment should be applied to the back of the stain.

5.  Use Care With Dry Cleaning Solvents

Garments that have been treated with dry cleaning solvents should be thoroughly rinsed and air dried.  These can create a fire hazard when place in washing machines.  These solvents should never be added directly to washing machines.

6.  Avoid Bleaching Out Color

If you only bleach the stain, this can cause uneven coloration.  Use instead, the appropriate bleaching solution as per the garment instructions.

7.  Avoid Mixing Products

If you mix different products you risk the release of toxic fumes and may obtain undesirable results on your clothing.

8.  Wash Items That Have Been Stain Treated

The articles that you have treated with stain removal solutions should be thoroughly washed.

9.  Practice Patience

Some stains will take time to remove and you may even have to perform repeat treatments.  Check each garment carefully before drying them in order to avoid allowing the stain to set before retreating.

10.  Accept That Some Stains Are Permanent

There are simply some stains that cannot be removed, regardless of the removal method that is employed.  Using the other nine above-mentioned steps, however, can help to keep this process simple and effective.

Don’t hesitate to call us or bring your stained clothing in for a professional opinion. We’ve saved many clothes from the graveyard and would be happy to assist you in any way we can!

Tips for Buying a New Washer and Dryer Set

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Energy Star Appliances - Deluxe Cleaners - Birmingham, ALMost American families wash over 400 loads of laundry, making an energy efficient washer and dryer an important purchase decision.

Saving With Energy Star

You can save money over the long term by buying a washer that is Energy Star certified. In fact, you can potentially save enough money over the lifetime of the washer, to pay for the dryer.

You could fill up three average sized swimming pools with the water that you save, and can save an average of $135 per year on your power and water bills.

Dryers are not eligible for the Energy Star designation, as most dryers use the same amount of energy.

You can expect to spend around $1530 to operate your clothes dryer during the time that you own it. Drying your clothes on a rack or a line, or bringing your clothes to a dry cleaner can help to eliminate home energy costs.

 

TIP: Your dryer can use up to 30 percent more energy simply because the lint trap is dirty, making it essential to clean your lint trap out after use.

 

Costs To Consider

Consider the following costs if you are shopping around for an energy efficient dryer and washer.

In addition to the actual cost of the machine, consider how much it will cost you each year to run the machine.

The yellow energy guide label on the washer will give you an idea of lifetime costs, and this information can help you determine which models are more efficient. The label is not required on dryers.

 

TIP: This Energy Star search form can help you find special offers and rebates on energy efficient washers in your area; simply enter your zip code.

 

Washer Type and Size

Buying the correct size washer is a big step towards saving energy. A small stackable model is ideal for someone living alone, although not for a large family.

Top loading washers use more energy and water, although they do cost less. A front loading washer costs more, but will save you money in energy costs, largely because you can wash more in a single load.

A dryer does not need to work so hard if clothes have been washed in a front load washer.

Energy Star produces this convenient comparison chart showing the energy efficiency of different models, and a model with a sensor is recommended, as this shuts the machine off when clothes are dry.

 

TIP: When shopping for machines, make sure you know whether your washer and dryer room is hooked up for electricity or gas.