Category: Care Tips

  • Saggy sweater?

    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?

  • Makeup explosion.

    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…

  • The plush life.

    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…

  • Who invented pants?

    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…

  • Ancient Roman laundry.

    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,…

  • Closet clutter.

    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…

  • Starched or soft?

    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…

  • Hitting the slopes?

    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…

  • The cuff story.

    Back in the 1890’s, King Edward VII popularized sewn-in “turn-ups” as an alternative to rolling up pant bottoms in rainy weather. Cuffs were a sign of elegant tailoring until WWII wartime clothing restrictions banned cuffs and flaps on pockets to save fabric. Today, cuffs are recommended on trousers with wide or long legs, double pleats and high…

  • New Year’s resolutions.

    First, a long and healthy life. Second, peace to all. Followed by the usuals: eat better, smile more, lose weight, learn something new, share, drink more water, walk. To that we’ll add “Say Hello” to someone new every day. We say hello a lot every day as part of our job. And the more we…