Why is one garment called a pair? Even the earliest pair of pantaloons were attached in the middle. Linguists call this a plurale tantum, Latin for plural only. English has lots of pluralia tantum: electronics, odds, surroundings and thanks. Items that have two symmetrical or attached halves are popular examples, like scissors, pliers, and glasses.…

A few minutes prepping laundry before throwing it into the machine saves grief and adds life to your clothing. Unroll shirt sleeves and pant cuffs. Zip up zippers to avoid snagging the metal teeth on knits and woven garments. Unbutton button-down collars and button-front shirts to avoid stressing buttons and buttonholes. Tie drawstrings together so…

When a favorite knit garment starts growing, it’s time to bring it back to shape. We can block it to the right size and shape when we clean it. We’ll even keep measurements on file for special garments – remember, we’re customer service specialists. May we serve your sweater’s special needs?

When powder makeup gets on dark clothing (always when you’re in a hurry), ignore the instinct to brush it away. Instead of rubbing to spread the mess and push the powder into the fabric, blow off the powder, using canned air, hair dryer or your breath. Makeup remover on a cotton ball should pick up…

Velour, velveteen and velvet all rely on cut pile for the luxurious look and feel. Velvet is woven, cut and crushed while velveteen is simply woven and velour is knit. All the “v” fabrics are comfortable, warm and susceptible to wrinkles, creases and pilling. Always hang velvet on padded hangers, steam to remove wrinkles. Professional…

Free-flowing robes and tunics are as ancient as civilization, but pants are only about 3 or 4 thousand years old and were created by nomadic horse-riding people for pretty obvious and practical reasons. Greeks thought pants-wearers were barbaric, that’s what Persians, Scythians and other Asian people wore. The Romans hated pants, thinking them unsophisticated and…

Clothing was an important indicator of wealth and social standing in ancient Roman culture, and fullonicas provided laundry services to clean their white woolen togas. The best cleanser for sweaty togas was ammonia, and the best source of ammonia was urine. The garments were soaked and agitated in a mix of water, alkalis and urine,…

Too often, keepsake garments take up valuable closet space and get crushed in the process. We not only clean and archivally pack wedding gowns, we also preserve baby outfits, prom dresses, christening gowns, letter jackets, costumes and ceremonial garb, military dress uniforms, even Grandma’s afghan. Give your treasures the special treatment they deserve. Thoroughly cleaned…

Shirts and blouses can go both ways – let us know if you like a lot or a little starch for crispness. Or do you like a smooth softer feel instead? Our professionals launder and press shirts and blouses with the finish you like best. Not all shirts are the same, so remember to tell…

Get the most out of your winter sportswear. Check for salt, grit or food spills après ski. Close zippers and release tension on drawstrings or elastics, dry thoroughly before storing. Specifically follow care instruction tags: high tech fabrics need special attention, sometimes more sophisticated than a home washing machine. We’re your garment cleaning and care…