Dry cleaning is a process of cleaning that uses solvents without the presence of water, hence the term "dry cleaning". There are several types of solvents used in dry cleaning machines, the most common and effective solvent used with dry cleaning is Perchloroethylene or Perc. The We Care Cleaners uses a 6th generation perc dry cleaning machine that will contain virtually all traces of perc in the machine and not in the garments, you will notice that our stores will not have that gas or chemical odor associated with many other dry cleaners. Dry Cleaning is great at removing oil and grease stains and is better at preventing shrinkage and color bleeds. Please check out this link, we feel this video clip is excellent at explaining how dry cleaning works.
As We Care Cleaners strives to become a "Greener" business, We Care Cleaners offers wet cleaning, which is an environmentally friendly alternative to the dry cleaning process. Using specialized wet cleaning machines with balanced detergents, we are able insure safer and gentler cleaning. The difference between these specialized wet cleaning systems and a home washer are these machines are designed to better hold proper water temperature, we created more delicate agitation and spin cycles specific to the type of cloths and fabrics being cleaned, and the detergents are made to better maintain color and texture of fabrics during the cleaning. After the wet cleaning, all garments will receive the same We Care touch with a finishing press and steaming just as all dry cleaned garments.
If you would prefer to have your garments wet cleaned, please specify at the counter when dropping your cloths that you would wish to have your garments wet cleaned, and the counter person will be able to label your garments for this process. Our dry cleaner may still continue with the dry cleaning process instead of wet cleaning, based on experience with fabrics and garments. Although the wet cleaning system can be used for most fabrics and the most delicate of garments, there are still some type of fabrics and garments that will be best maintained if dry cleaned such as wool, certain silks and acetate lined garments because of shrinkage and color retention.
When I went to pick up my garments I was asked to sign a release form. Why am I signing this?(top)
In some cases, we may request to wet clean "DRY CLEAN ONLY" garments because of the nature to the stain. Some stains, such as water rings and other water based stains, can only be removed with wet cleaning. In this case we would need a release signed by the customer that will allow We Care Cleaners to go against the care instruction label and releasing us of any liability if the garment gets damaged during the wet cleaning process.
What should I do, I just got a stain on my garment?(top)
Before you panic and reach for soda water, hair spray or any household stain remover, remember that you have We Care Cleaners is on your side. We always tell our customers that the best thing to do whenever a stain is made is to blot the stain with a clean white or dye free towel to remove any excess liquids or solids and try to bring in the garment as soon as possible. You never want to rub or wipe a stain because this action will press the stain further into the fabric and could rub out surface color, especially with silks. Also, letting the person at the counter aware of what caused the stain, they will be able to pass this information along and this will give us the best chance at approaching and removing the stain.
Most of the time, trying to remove the stain with different products or stain removers will make the process of stain removal more difficult. There are some excellent household stain removers out on the market, but you must realize that these are water based stain removers. These stain removers are intended to be used with laundry only and if used on "DRY CLEAN ONLY" garments, you may create a water ring, set the stain, or damage the integrity of the textile. In our experience when dealing with stains, we feel that the first time at stain removal must be successful, if not you run the risk of making the stain a permanent fixture on the garment. If you tried to remove a stain and were unsuccessful and decide to bring it in to anyone of our stores, please let us know how you treated the garment and what may have been used to remove the stain.
What is We Care Cleaners doing to becoming "Greener" business?(top)
We Care Cleaners is doing its part to make our company a "Greener" and more responsible member of our progressive business communities. Since the beginning, we have always recycled and reused hangers and plastic bags and we encourage our customers to return any of our hangers and our plastic garment bags. We are now sending our plastic garment bags back to our supply company to be recycled into new bags. We also offer the option of "No Paper, No Plastic" for any of our customers who request it. Please note we use these bags to protect your garments from the elements during transport and storage.
Although our solvent is not considered a "green," it does have its benefits in regards to public safety and is still the industry standard in cleaning performance. Perc will destroy 99.9 % of bacterial viruses, and in light of recent flu outbreaks, dry cleaning could be the front line protection for you and your family. Alternative solvents such "Organic" dry cleaning cannot fully protect your family against bacterial viruses and when garments are are all mixed with other customers garments, cleaning with perc can ease your mind about bacterial viruses. The term "Organic" in cleaning can be very misleading; organic is defined as any solvent that is carbon based in nature. "Organic" Cleaning is considered to be a safer alternative, but there is still waste created in this process like all other dry cleaning solvents and this is how use of the term "organic" can be misleading.
My pet had an accident on my bedding, what should I do?(top)
This happens a lot, we always recommend that our customers buy bedding that can be laundered/ wet cleaned. A dry cleaning system is designed to remove oil based stains, for example Paints, Oils, and grease. Unfortunately, when dealing with urine, feces, vomit and blood or any bodily stains, the only way to approach these stains is by using the wet cleaning method for many reasons.
The first and most important reason is sanitation. Dry cleaning is a closed system were solution all the solvent is enclosed within the system and recycled. We will not knowingly put any garments or household items into our system that has heavy bodily stains. Although we distill and purify our solvent on a daily basis, we try not to additionally contaminate our solvent for the sake of our customers.
Secondly, wet cleaning is designed to remove protein based stains. We have spotting agents specifically designed to remove these stains but they are only for wetside cleaning.
The third and most important reason why we wet clean in these types of situations is to remove and deodorize any odors associated with these types of stains. With wet cleaning there are multiple rinses that are involved with our customized washing programs and ph balanced soaps. We would like to emphasize the importance of letting us know when there has been an accident. You only have one shot at getting these stains out, if we don't get it out the first time the stain will become permanent.
I have garments that need alterations, what do I need before I come in?(top)
At We Care Cleaners, we are able to take on most repairs and alterations from simple hemming of pants to full fittings on formal dresses and suits. We recommend that you make an appointment or call ahead just to make sure that someone at the location is able to fit the garment if a fitting is required. We also recommend to clean and preshrink the garments that will be laundered, especially with jean and khakis, so that the garment won't shrink after the alteration.
We always tell our customers to bring in the shoes and accessories that will be worn with the garments as if you were going to wear the garments the day. For example with pants, you would want to bring the shoes you would normally wear with the pants and to bring all proper undergarments for suits and dresses as well as the shoes.
All of our alterations are done in our York location with our own full time seamstress and most alterations and repairs will take about a week. We suggest allowing for two weeks with any formal gowns and dress so that we may schedule a second fitting so that we have time to make any final adjustments if needed.
I just pick up my garments and I noticed there was still a stain, what should I do?(top)
We Care Cleaners takes pride in all of our work and tries to offer the highest standard of quality with our cleaning and pressing. We inspect all garments along the way during our process to insure this quality, but occasionally there is a stain that may have been over looked. We are a customer driven business and if you are not completely satisfied with the cleaning or pressing, please return these garments and we will happily re-clean or re-press them at no additional charge. We just ask that you keep the garments with the packaging and to refrain from wearing these garments before returning them to the store to have them done over. Unfortunately, We Care Cleaners cannot guarantee that all stains can be removed, but we are willing to give the stain all that we got to try to remove the stain.
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