Helpful Tips

  • There exist "invisible stains" known as tannin stains. Most often, these stains remain invisible until heat or age turns it yellow or off-white. Usually this happens while the garment has been hanging in a closet or during the heat of dry cleaning and pressing. Soda, liquor, and fruit juices are the most common items containing tannin.
  • Fabrics can also be affected by acids or alkalis. A common strong acid to be aware of is battery acid. Damage can also be caused by chloride salts which are found in many beverages, foods, and perspiration. Silks seems to be the most affected by acids and alkalis.
  • Some stains need special attention and the chances of removing these stains is improved by letting your dry cleaner know. Special techniques are used to clean the following stains: blood, medicine, nail polish, lipstick, and other cosmetics.
  • The alcohol contained in perfumes and colognes may damage fabric dyes and cause color loss. Discoloration and fabric weakening can be caused by antiperspirants, deodorants and perspiration. Hair wave treatments can also cause loss of color to fabrics.
  • Water stains from radiators, leaks, open windows, animals, etc. are extremely hard to remove. These stains become visible with age or after dry cleaning.
  • Sun light causes havoc on drapery fabric causing deterioration and fading of colors. Lined draperies will last longer.
  • Furniture covers are subject to shrinkage and sun fading. When washed replace them on the furniture before they are fully dry.
  • Never wash wool fiber-filled comforters. Dry Clean only! They are prone to dramatic shrinkage. Inform your dry cleaner of the wool filling.

Extending The Life Of Your Clothes

  • Garments dry cleaned on a regular basis will last much longer. The accumulation of perspiration, dust and dirt particles can shorten the life of these garments. Do not delay
    dry cleaning a stained garment. This may allow the stain to permanently set.
    Pressing a soiled garment is also not advised. This may set an "invisible stain"
    permanently too. NaeTone will treat all your property according to label instructions.
    When a label does not advise dry cleaning, we will professionally wet clean and finish with
    our high quality pressing.

What is Dry-Cleaning?

  • Dry-cleaning is not a process of cleaning that is “dry” in the sense of the word. It is a method in which garments are cleaned with special liquid chemicals that do not contain water.

    Here is an example: If you were to take an aspirin and put it into a glass containing dry-cleaning solvent, the aspirin would not dissolve. If you were to take the same aspirin and put it into a glass of water, it would dissolve. The water causes similar reactions to fabrics and dyes. As it dissolved the aspirin, it may remove color, shape, and even shrink a garment. Where-as dry-cleaning did not disturb the aspirin; it would not harm the fabric colors, shape, or size of the garment. Since there is a possibility of damage to your garments during a cleaning process, manufacturers recommend dry-cleaning as the safest method.
    When a garment is damaged in dry-cleaning, ninety percent of the time, it is caused by a manufacturers defect and not dry cleaner error. Almost all garments will have a care label attached by the manufacturer as to what the proper method of cleaning should be. If the label states ‘Dry clean only” and the dry-cleaner follows the instructions and damage occurs, it is more often the case that they manufacturer did not properly test the entire garment. Usually it is determined that the base material or fabric is dry-cleanable but the added accessories of beading, sequins, leathers, buttons and or other materials used to manufacture the garment were not. If you have a problem or question relating to this, please feel free to contact us. Also see our “Garment Alert” Page On The Site.

What is Wetcleaning?

  • What Is Wetcleaning?

    Wetcleaning is simply not just washing a garment with water. Professional wetcleaning is different than what you may do to your clothes at home. Both processes may contain water and soap, however those are the only to similarities between the two.

    Professional wetcleaning uses state of the art technology such as advanced water and chemical solutions and finishing or “pressing” machinery to clean your garments without posing the many risks that plain water would cause. Washing alone can damage, distort, or even shrink your garments and may even damage the linings and interfacings of the garment.

    Many customers receive their garments back from dry-cleaning with a tag stating, “Garment should be wetcleaned”. The reason for this tag is that there are soils and/or stains that cannot be removed through traditional dry-cleaning methods. Using a wetcleaning method will greatly improve the chances of the garment becoming clean. However, even with all the new advancements in wet-cleaning, there is still a risk of dye bleeding, shrinkage, and possible distortion etc. Be confident that the utmost care is given to your garment so these risks are limited.

    Many customers have seen these tags and brought it upon themselves to clean the garments at home. They assume that the wetcleaning tag was a green light to be able to wash the item at home-this is NOT the case. It is meant to inform the customer that additional care is needed to process the garment as to not cause any damage. These garments are then brought back to us with the question of “is there anything we can do to fix the garments?”. It is often the case that the colors have bled and the fabric has lost their body. At this point we are very limited as to what we can do to fix the garment.

Invisible Stains?

  • Yes-they do exist. An invisible stain is not recognizable to the naked eye until after the garment has been cleaned. Often the consumer does not even realize that the stain has even occurred and does not bring the garment in for cleaning. This poses a challenge to drycleaners as the stain has had time to “set” and becomes difficult to remove. This is the same concept as when you cut into an apple and over time it turns brown. In scientific terms, this is referred to as “oxidation.”

    Oxidation occurs in clothing when the garments are cleaned and exposed to the heat in the dry-cleaning process. This exposure caused the stain that was “invisible” before to reveal itself. Many customers will then insist that we put the stain on their garment when in fact it was already there. You would be surprised as to many other “invisible” stains that can occur by using everyday products. Whitening toothpaste, deodorants, perfume, cologne, hairspray, and nail polish remover are just a few items that may cause an invisible satin.

Dry Cleaning Customer's Rights for Garments

You Have The Right To:

  • Expect a permanent care label on every garment.
  • A correct care procedure label on every garment label.
  • Every garment purchased should be serviceable.
  • A refund from any store that sells you a garment that is unserviceable.

    Contact NaeTone when in doubt on a fabric problem. Our many years of experience plus
    our affiliation with NCA will provide you with the best care of your garments.

When We Are Responsible

  • In the event an item is lost or damaged (very uncommon) by NaeTone, we will take full responsibility for compensating you fairly. What is a fair settlement? It is unreasonable to expect 100% reimbursement on item in service for some time. That is why we use an industry standard called the "Fair Claims Guide" when figuring the current value with depreciation.

Shirt Laundering?

  • One of the most misunderstood processes in shirt laundering that customers don’t understand is why a woman’s blouse cost more than a man’s oxford shirt. Customers feel that dry cleaners are discriminating against women. The reason that there is a price difference is that most men’s shirts can go through a commercial pressing process and a woman’s cannot. Women’s’ blouses have many more sizes, cuts and styles, and fabric combinations that they must be “hand finished” which takes up to 3-6 times longer to press. Even men’s shirts are subject to “hand finishing” due to their larger sizes (XXXL and higher) as they are to big to go through the pressing process.

    The main shirts that should go through the commercial pressing process are men’s cotton shirts and polyester/cotton blends. The reason why is that they can withstand the extreme heat and pressure of the commercial pressing process.

    The following are some examples of shirts that should not go through the commercial pressing process: Silks, rayon, spandex, micro fiber, flannel, and corduroy. That does not mean that these shirts cannot be washed or laundered. It refers to the finishing of the shirt or pressing that will keep the shirt to retain their texture and softness. If these shirts are commercially finished or pressed, the fibers in the shirts could melt, shine, or become stiff and irreversible damage could occur. Many customers will waive this disclaimer because they do not want to pay the higher price. However, it often results in the customer being dissatisfied with the condition or end result of their shirt.

Saving The Environment With Recycling

NaeTone is committed to doing whatever we can to protect the environment.

  • Hanger Recycling
    Many of our customers return their hangers in good condition. NaeTone inspects these hangers and uses those that are in new condition.
  • Plastic Bag Recycling
    We accept plastic bags that are returned by our customers. They are picked up by a recycling company and made into new bags and products.

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