Drycleaning 101 - Real Simple Magazine

Problem: You're mystified by the whole process. Is dry cleaning really dry?
Solution: Actually, it isn't dry at all. Your clothes get plenty wet in what look like large, front-loading washing machines, explains Steve Boorstein, a Bethesda, Maryland-based cleaning expert known as the Clothing Doctor. However, instead of water, the process typically uses either a petroleum-based solvent or perchloroethylene (perc), a synthetic solvent. The dry-cleaning solvents remove oily stains without shrinking most fabrics. Over time, though, perc's aggressive cleaning power can weaken or dissolve fabric glues and finishes. Your clothes are cleaned and dried in the same machine, all in about 55 minutes, after which an employee generally re-inspects them for stains. If any remain, he'll spot-treat and clean the item again before pressing or steaming and then packaging it for pickup or delivery.
Problem: You have dry-clean-only clothes that are wrinkled but not dirty. Is it advisable to take them to the cleaner for a simple pressing?
Solution: Not if you're talking about items that touch your skin directly. If there are traces of perspiration on a blouse, for example, the hot steam may cause them to oxidize and set, and you'll end up with a permanently stained or sweaty-smelling garment. Pressing alone works fine for things like suit jackets and tablecloths - but note that just pressing will cost anywhere from 60 to 80 percent of the price of a full cleaning, because most of it is done by hand.
Problem: Your neighborhood cleaner charges a lot more than the one near your office, and you're worried you're paying extra for no good reason.
Solution: Rest assured, the difference between passable and premium cleaners is evident in the prices they ask - and the results they deliver. Quality cleaners take extra time when handling delicate garments, spot-treating trouble areas, and re-inspecting for stains, and they'll often hand press clothes for the best drape and body. If an item does not look perfect, they'll touch it up or send it through the process again until it does. Women's garments, as a rule, cost more to clean than men's because their details, construction, fabrics, and delicate finishes often require greater attention and care.
Problem: At the last minute, you decide you need your dress back, clean or unclean - but the cleaner doesn't have it on-site.
Solution: Ask an employee if the cleaning is done on-site. If there is a chance you could want your clothes the same day, steer clear of storefront "dry stores," which don't have cleaning machines on the premises, says cleaning expert Steve Boorstein.
Problem: You waited a few days to bring in a jacket with a stain, and now the cleaner can't remove it.
Solution: Improve your chances next time by taking stained items to the cleaner within 48 hours. Then, tell all: what the stain is (even if it's blood, sweat, or urine) and exactly what you did to it. "If you know the composition of a stain - whether it's earth-based, protein-based, or oil-based - we can use the right method to remove it from the start," says Charles Ickes, manager of the New York City-based Madame Paulette.
Problem: Your suit came back from the cleaner torn and with two broken buttons.
Solution: Structural damage, such as broken zippers and ripped seams, can be due to manufacturing defects in the garment, according to analysts at the International Fabricare Institute (IFI), the industry's leading trade group. Reputable cleaners will notice such problems before packing up your cleaned items. (They can also offer advice about returning to the retailer or manufacturer a dry-clean-only garment whose dyes, for example, bleed during dry cleaning.) The same goes for clothes damaged by an employee, such as a pant leg that gets caught on a pressing machine and tears. Your cleaner should call the damage to your attention and offer to repair it to your satisfaction; if a repair isn't possible, he should replace the item or reimburse you . He'll no doubt consult the Fair Claims Guide, published by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), to gauge the value of the garment. If you spot the problem at home, tell your cleaner and trust he'll make good. "The test of a good cleaner is what it does in your time of need," cleaning expert Steve Boorstein says. If you feel your problem hasn't been dealt with properly, ask to speak to the owner, or contact your local Better Business Bureau for help in resolving the complaint. The Better Business Bureau handles such cases all the time, offering mediation and arbitration. What's more, the IFI extends membership to all Better Business Bureau branches, which can use the trade group's resources, including analysts and experts, to determine where the fault lies.
Problem: The cleaner can't find your clothes.
Solution: "A dry-cleaning operation is a lot like 52-card pickup," Boorstein says. Cleaners usually work on clothes in groups of 50 to 100 pieces, and 5 or 10 items always get shunted aside for re-cleaning or special pressing. Sometimes these stragglers lose their way and aren't returned to their assigned lot. On rare occasions, paired items get "misassembled," or garments are returned to the wrong customer. Either way, give your cleaner two to three weeks to find your clothes; they'll usually turn up. If not, the cleaner may ask for a purchase receipt for the lost garment and information about its age and condition. The valuation protocol is the same as for damaged items: He'll consult the FTC claims guide to appraise your loss, then pay you for it.