Presenting a business-like image when working from home? Always make sure your shirt (and tie, if that serious) are professionally cleaned and finished to wrinkle-free crispness. Going back to the office? Bring those unused suit trousers, slacks and chinos to us. We’ll make them look fresh and ready for work.
Most things can be washed at home, but specialty table linens and decorations, like flags and bunting, should be professionally cleaned to ensure they last year after year. Bring them to us now and you’ll be ready to entertain with your favorite decorations bright and bountiful. Once the party is over, get them back right away – grease stains and mustard spills set faster than other foods, and can become permanent in as little as a week.
When the heat is on, sweat happens. Temperature, humidity, stress or activity can trigger perspiration, it’s natural. But sweat stains aren’t. When moisture combines with deodorant, hard-to-remove yellowing or white residue can occur. Too much product is often the culprit – apply one thin layer and allow it to completely dry. There’s no evidence that more is better at protecting against moisture or odor. A little is enough. Good old-fashioned dress shields do a good job of containing perspiration and protecting your garment. Men should wear cotton undershirts to absorb dampness. When a stain does happen, bring the garment to us. We use professional stain removal products and techniques, specific for fabric type and finish.
This casual classic is seen everywhere, especially in warm weather. Originated by French tennis champion René Lacoste and introduced at the 1926 U.S. Open, the shirt quickly became favored tennis attire. Soon, polo players ditched traditional button-down Oxford-cloth long sleeves for his crocodile-marked shirt. The combination of comfort, breathability, long tuckable tail, and soft collar quickly made the Lacoste popular for golfers. In 1972 Ralph Lauren founded his company on the “Polo” shirt. Today, every major clothing line includes polo shirts, worn by men, women and children for work, play, school and even for tennis. Nothing brings out the style of a polo shirt better than our professional cleaning and pressing. Try it once, we think you’ll like the combination of crisp and casual.
Displaying our national symbol is actually mandated by an official Flag Code. For instance, the flag should not be flown in the dark or inclement weather. It should not be used as decoration – that’s a job for bunting, streamers and decorative materials. Always display the blue part on top. When the flag is lowered, it should never touch the ground or any other objects, it should be gathered by waiting hands and arms, respectfully and ceremoniously folded (ask a veteran how). Flags should be mended and cleaned when needed – we clean American flags at no charge as a courtesy year round.
Spring and summer wouldn’t be nearly as comfortable without classic cotton. Breathable, long-lasting and easy to clean, cotton’s a staple for every wardrobe, from workwear to sportswear, casual to classy. Yes, cotton will wrinkle (we all do, after a few years) but a few laundry-room tips can help. Try air drying cottons to avoid shrinkage and fading from hot dryers. Mist lightly with water before ironing for a crisp finish. Or let us delight you with drycleaned or laundered cotton cleaning. We make chinos, golf shirts and jeans look crisp and fresh.
We all have a favorite pair that fits like an old friend. When you buy a new pair made of untreated raw denim, the denim aficionados recommend wearing them for six months before washing. Why? It takes wear to break down the super-stiff denim, and during the process the fabric actually starts to conform to your shape. When you do wash (or have us expertly wash or clean your denim), turn inside out, use cold water in a gentle cycle. If you want them to fade, use hot water. Lay flat or hang upside down to air dry, avoid a hot dryer. Then lay the jeans on a flat surface, fold in half from left to right. Grab the stacked jean legs and fold them in half so the bottom lines up with the waistband. Fold in half one more time and store in an uncrowded drawer or shelf.
Book as early as you can – caterers, venues, florists and popular bands and DJs are first-come, first-booked. Think seasonal: flowers in season are prettier, fresher (and a lot cheaper) so choose your flowers and let them guide the color scheme for your special day. This is a good time to mention we are very, very experienced with wedding gowns, alterations, formal wear and the inevitable last minute emergency. You can count on us for more than archival gown preservation after the event. Let’s get your date on our calendar so we can be part of your total wedding plan.
In the cleaning business we hear a lot of ways that people try to take care of things. Here are a few we found at fashion blog StyleCaster. Stinky vintage clothing can be freshened by spritzing with a mixture of one part vodka in two parts water. (Or drink the vodka and bring the garments in for dry cleaning.) Never put a garment on right after ironing – let it hang for five minutes to set the press. (Let us do your pressing and this won’t be a problem.) Use white wine to remove red wine stains. (This sounds like a waste of white wine.) Whatever the stain, finish or fit, trust the professionals to take best care of your garments. Our success has been built on customer satisfaction. Our cleaning and stain experts can even undo some home remedies. But we do best when you start with us.
Warm weather means chinos for most guys, dressed up with a white cotton shirt, dressed down with t-shirt or polo. Chinos come in colors way beyond khaki; we’re seeing classic blue, green, grey, brown and black. And there are a lot more colors in chinos than ever before (try Dockers). For a crisp tailored look, let us clean and press all kinds of cotton trousers. For home care, wash your chinos inside out in warm water, avoid bleach and over drying. If the seams wrinkle, touch up with a steam iron. Then hang on a trouser hanger, ready for wear.