Q: 1 – At this time of the year, we are putting away all of our winter clothes and thinking about what has to go to the dry cleaners, yet we hesitate because of environmental concerns.
A: The dry cleaning industry has been hit hard by stricter environmental laws. Dry cleaners spend thousands of dollars installing containment tanks so there are no chemical leaks that could get into the sewer systems and they doubly treat the water for the same reason. Excess waste is avoided in polyethylene dry-cleaning bags by using new bagging machines with robotic arms. A magic eye is designed to size up a garment and cut the bag off 2″ below the garment.
Q: 2 – Is there a way to save on dry cleaning bills or to use less chemicals?
At Western Cleaners if you bring in a minimum of 10 lbs. of clothes, they can be bulk dry cleaned at only $1.89 per lb. Sweaters are the most popular, but blankets, coats and even suits can be cleaned this way. An inexpensive service to quickly remove stains on suits is the “while-you-wait spot, sponge and press”. The stain is removed, the jacket or pants are refreshed and all are given back to you in under 10 min. Knitters bring their sweaters here to be blocked, or to get holes repaired or sleeves shortened.
Q: 3 – What other special services do dry cleaners offer?
Miss Brown and Bellingham Cleaners and Tailors, can both empty and old feather pillow, sanitize it, deodorize it and even replace the ticking with a new one. A good dry-cleaning can also remove dust mites from area rugs. Miss Brown can even get skunk odors out of your house.
Q: 4 – Does dry cleaning affect the repellency of raincoats with repeated cleanings?
Yes, it removes the water repellency. You can have them re-coated; They are placed in a spray booth and get a water repellent shower. If you didn’t know how to properly stash away your wedding gown, these cleaners can do an expert cleaning job and then pack the gown in an acid-free box for storage.
Q: 5- What about cleaning our leather and suede coats?
These are now washed rather than dry-cleaned. Hides are tanned these days with water-proof dyes so this method is less harsh on the skins, and the jackets come out less stiff.
Bellingham Cleaners and Tailors 2655 Bates Rd. at Wilderton Ave.
Tel: 514-733-4444.
Also offers a drive-thru service and a 24-hour night deposit box using VIP bags.
Western Cleaners, 4460 Ste-Catherine St. West at Metcalfe St., Westmount.
Tel: 514-935-2000.
Miss Brown, 67 Provost St.
Tel: 514-637-6741;
4930 Sherbrooke St. West at Claremont Ave., Westmount.
Tel: 514-489-7669.