People often think that it is better to have your clothing dry cleaned. While this is true in some cases - often having them laundered and pressed expertly can be just as effective if not better than having them dry cleaned.
First, let's talk about the differences between dry cleaning and laundering. When you have your clothing and household items dry cleaned, they are cleaned with non-water-based solvents and pressed to look fresh. When your items are laundered, they are cleaned with water and detergent. However, the laundering that we (and other cleaners too) do is not like doing laundry at home. During laundering, once your items are washed, they are taken out slightly damp and pressed by hand.
Having your clothing expertly laundered is usually the best option long as it does not say "Dry Clean Only". Laundering is more gentle on fabrics than dry cleaning, by not exposing your items to the chemical over and over again, extending the lifespan of your items. Laundering is also more effective at removing things like sweat, body oils, and dirt build-up. The laundering that we, amongst other cleaners, launder your clothes is not like how you would do it at home. At Gurcan Tailor, we look over each customer's order to see if any major stains need special treatment. If we find that a certain item needs to be treated, we try to identify the source of the stain and treat them in ways that we have found to be most effective over the years. Once cleaned, all items are individually pressed with an industrial press to a crisp to give a fresh look.
So why even have items dry cleaned when you could just have them laundered? Items that are made from natural fabrics such as silk and wool and actually be damaged if laundered. Laundering items that need to be dry cleaned can cause fading, loss of shape, and even affect the material's texture. Even if your item can be laundered, dry cleaning may be the only way to get out certain stains. Some items that can normally be laundered such as polyester and other synthetic materials need to be drycleaned no matter. For example, if you have a suit that is made from polyester, rayon, and viscose you would still have to have it dry cleaned to avoid damaging the canvas materials that hold different layers together.
At Gurcan Tailor, we look over each time to determine if it's best to have your items dry cleaned or laundered. We dry clean and launder all clothing and household items, including leather and wedding gowns. If you tried other places and still have stains, have us take a look.