I've got some shirts that I need to get cleaned. I can do my own laundry here at the house, but after washing every week, the shirts will eventually shrink and not look as good.

At the cleaners, is getting your shirts laundered the same thing I could do at home. If so, what are some prices on just getting them dry cleaned?

1/9/2006 1:57:38 AM

You mean shirts as in polo shirts? Depends on the cleaners, some cleaners will actually "dry clean" the polo shirts and others will water wash it. If they water wash it, it'll fade much faster than getting it dry cleaned and I don't think there will be a difference in price cause they'll press the shirts either way and that's where most of the cost comes from. I believe it starts around $3.85 where I live.

1/9/2006 3:15:52 AM

usually if they say laundered, it means water.

dry-clean means petro. based solvents and whatnot.

1/9/2006 3:48:53 AM

A good dry cleaner will follow the care instructions on your shirt. There are two methods in getting your shirts cleaned. If the shirt is cotton or a cotton/polyester blend, then it can be "laundered and pressed." That means it will be washed in water then pressed. If the shirt is made with silk, rayon, or some other type of delicate material or if you request it to be done, you can get your shirts "dry cleaned." That means it will be cleaned in a chemical solution and then pressed.

Wolf Laundry offers pick-up and drop-off dry cleaning for on or off campus students. A dress shirt that can be "laundered and pressed" costs $2. A dress short that needs to be "dry cleaned" costs $4. http://www.wolflaundry.com/drycleaning.html

Many types of clothing fade over time with repeated washing. If fading and shrinkage is an issue with your shirts, then maybe getting then dry cleaned is an option you should consider.

If interested, call 215-8575 or visit http://www.wolflaundry.com for more information.

[Edited on January 9, 2006 at 7:24 AM. Reason : ]

1/9/2006 7:23:23 AM

Holy shit, a user called Wolf Laundry.

Also, I always get my button downs dry cleaned/laundered. The ironing alone pays for itself. I fucking hate ironing and refuse to do it. $1.50 per shirt is a small price to pay.

1/9/2006 8:38:59 AM

non-iron shirts from brooks brothers are the only way to go for dress shirts

1/9/2006 8:42:07 AM

buy some wrinkle release spray
that shit works wonders and you will never have to iron again

1/9/2006 9:18:58 AM

^ that stuff's alright in a pinch, but i wouldn't say it's a replacement for a pressed shirt.

1/9/2006 9:20:04 AM

i had an interview on friday and i took a brand new dress shirt out of the pack,

sprayed it down w/ wrinkle release

put it in the dryer for 10 minutes and the shirt came out looking like it was just pressed

BUT

this was a blended shirt and not 100% cotton

and there is a 1.50 dry cleaners on peace street by capital blvd.


[Edited on January 9, 2006 at 9:22 AM. Reason : true bobby]

1/9/2006 9:21:53 AM

I used to work at a dry cleaners in high school. Most dry cleaners follow the label if they're smart. (If they don't follow manufacturer's instructions on the label and your clothes get messed up, the dry cleaner is at fault. If they do follow the label and it gets messed up, the manufacturer is at fault.)

If it's a button down dress type shirt, then all they do it wash it, press it with the special shirt press and starch it if you request starch. This is NOT dry cleaning.

If it's a cotton sweater, blouse or a knit shirt, they wash it, press, and starch if requested. Again-NOT dry cleaning.

If the label says dry clean only like with a suit or whatever, they 1) test a small area with the dry cleaning solution to ensure that the color won't bleed. Then 2) put like items in the dry cleaning machine. (Looks like a big funky dryer) 3) Press and voila!

As a side note, if you have any stains on your clothing and know about it ahead of time, it's a good idea to point them out to the cashier so that they can mark them with a sticker. That way, the dry cleaner can use the dry cleaning "gun" and apply the solvent directly to the stain so that there's a better chance on the stain coming out.

Oh and just as you can't wash dry clean only items, there are many items that you can't dry clean! For instance if you come in and tell me, "I want my jeans dry cleaned and starched" then that's impossible. If you dryclean normal jeans, they will fall apart. (The chemicals in dry cleaning solution can dissolve a styrofoam cup in about an hour or so-it's that strong.) So what do we do? We wash them and starch them for you.

[Edited on January 9, 2006 at 10:27 AM. Reason : edit]

1/9/2006 10:17:01 AM

cameron davis

1/10/2006 9:16:23 AM

hey my family owns a dry cleaning business.......pm me and you can get a 30% discount....there are a couple of different locations and i'll hook you up. But in general, the care instructions on the shirt are the way they go about it....but the steam and press makes the shirts look really nice.

1/11/2006 7:29:55 AM

it isn't the washing that is doing the shrinking; it is the drying. wash your shirts in cold water with a mild detergent to prevent fading. then hang them up to dry or place them on a rack. then iron.

1/11/2006 10:14:53 AM

can't believe no one has mentioned this

if they're gonna shrink, they're gonna do it in the first two or three (max...2 is the norm) washes.

1/11/2006 1:45:57 PM

hey -- i have to pick up some shirts and such tomorrow -- do people tip the dry cleaners? are you supposed to?

thanks!

-ZiP!-

3/2/2006 11:29:57 PM

I never have. The only situation where I think i would is if they picked up/delivered the shirts to my house or something.

3/3/2006 7:47:45 AM

i took some of my shirts to a dry cleaner and they came out stretched out. whats the reasoning for that?

3/3/2006 7:57:26 AM

Same reasoning behind dropping your mother off at the whorehouse and her coming back all stretched out...
























seriously...there's no good reason. I don't know of any process that stretches out.

3/3/2006 8:35:43 AM

hey now this is the lounge!

3/3/2006 8:39:18 AM

Throw out all of your dry-clean-only shit, and buy some real clothes.

3/3/2006 8:52:24 AM

3/3/2006 9:00:43 AM

Quote :

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3/3/2006 9:02:14 AM

awww he looks like frankenstein

3/3/2006 9:13:46 AM