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Starched or soft?
Shirts 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 us your…
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Watch for wear.
Dress shirts, especially often-worn favorites, can show signs of aging after twenty or thirty wearings. Check your cuffs and collars for signs of wear. If you see darkness at the edges, you’re seeing the interfacing through worn fabric. Don’t forget the elbows. Thinning fabric that’s been stressed by elbow bending can tear or burst, never at…
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Club soda, pros and cons.
The stain removing “magic” of club soda works part of the time for part of the stains. It never works on grease or oil. Greasy stains look absorbed and have no “ring.” Never use club soda on fine fabrics like silks. The dyes may bleed and run. Splashing club soda on wine, coffee or colored…
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Women dress for work.
In our lifetimes, we’ve seen women’s workplace attire move from conservative jacketed suits to denim and t-shirts. For a pictorial history showing how fashion has changed since women started office work, Mashable’s photo story shows the shift from crinoline hoops to thumb rings and tattoos. One thing will never change and that’s a woman’s desire…
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The jean jacket.
The denim coat was first seen on 19th century Japanese firemen, marked with bold indigo symbols. By the end of the century, Industrial Revolution factory workers wore blue jackets, source of the phrase “blue collar.” In 1905, Levi’s “Type I” was the choice for rugged workwear. By the 1950’s, Brando, Presley and those crazy beatniks…
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Science to the rescue.
It’s not your imagination that some workout clothes reek after ten minutes while old-school all-cotton stays relatively sweet. NPR reports that researchers have found there are certain malodorous microbes that only thrive on polyester. The traditional solutions for stinky gym clothes like vinegar or baking soda just can’t fight the tenacious Micrococcus bacteria. Impregnating polyester…
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The gender politics of buttons.
Why left handed buttons for women? In Victorian times, right handed maids did most of the buttoning for fashionable women. Left-handed buttons indicated wealth (you had enough to pay a maid to do the tedious work). As with everything, there’s an answer on the Internet. By the time sewing machines and patterns became popular in…
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Save the memories.
Everyone has an heirloom item made of fabric. Wedding gowns are such popular heirlooms we offer special preservation services. But the same careful cleaning and archival storage can benefit any textile. Grandmother’s lace tablecloth, Dad’s letter jacket or uniform, antique tapestries or christening gowns. We’ve seen it all and can recommend the right procedures and…
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Hanger humps.
We’ve all seen sweaters with humped shoulders from incorrect hanging. Sweaters and knits should be folded and hung over the padded hanger bar. Better yet, stored flat on a shelf or in a cedar-lined drawer. The weight of the fabric pulls and stretches, even while wearing. Hump not: we can get garments blocked back into…
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Out, out darned spot
Our dry cleaning service would be incomplete without our expert spotters. They know how to treat stains without damaging the fabric, the color or the texture. Home cleaning might work on jeans or a golf shirt, but bring your valued garments to us for prompt treatment when there’s a spill. Silk just can’t be treated…