Dry Cleaning Zen

Welcome

 Isn't it a pain living in an era where knowledge of almost anything you want to know about is on the web at your fingertips, yet we still can't get straight answers on so many things we deal with everyday?  The other day I met someone at a community meeting and when he found out I was in the industry, he cornered me to ask how the buttons on his $400 Eton shirt could break if his cleaner is hand pressing his shirt?  I won't bore you, but obviously he wasn't just "hand pressing" his shirt!  This well educated professional was simply dumbfounded.  He was buffaloed by someone not doing the job right and not fessing up to it either.  That's when it hit me, I'm going to set the record straight.

So... want to know 'bout dry cleaning?  This is the place for you.  From couture to country, heirloom to Hermes, vintage to Versace, I can answer your questions and give you the straight answers you're looking for.  Dry cleaning is a mystery, let me pull back the curtain.

When I was a young teen, circumstances required that I become the family expert in the laundry room, not something I chose, but something I found that I had a talent for when pressed into service by my parents.  I also noticed a strange thing happening - I started to like the cleaning challenges my family threw at me through the laundry room door.  No... I won't confess this with my belly scratching, beer drinking buddies, but still - I had, and have, a talent with fabrics, finish and garment construction.  I'm not a chemist and I don't have a formal degree in anything related to the fabricare industry, I just 'know' how to clean your clothes the right way.

Got questions?  I've got answers.

We take pride in our high quality dry cleaning services

 In the latest issue of Laundry and Cleaning News International, Roger Cawood, a cleaning auditor advises on best practice. Cawood believes that the best method to gain customers is to put even more effort into showing established and potential customers that the business maintains the highest standards throughout the operation.

He emphasizes that dry cleaners cannot afford to allow any garments to leave the store unless it is clean and well finished. Good stain removal is essential and damaging a garment in any way through carelessness in stain treatment is unacceptable.

Cawood outlines his two most important points:

1. A dry cleaner should be capable of carrying out a thorough pre-cleaning inspection to spot faults that might cause problems in processing, such as localized color loss.

2. And at the other end of the production line, a thorough final inspection procedure is vital to ensure that high standards are consistently maintained.

We completely agree with the main points Roger Cawood highlighted in his article and try to exercise these best practices on a daily basis. To prove our point, we would like to walk you through the steps we take in order to care for your shirt or any garment at that.

Here at Z Cleaners, we provide a complex and methodical system to properly service the cadre of custom, made-to-measure and standard dress shirts that enter our shop. This exclusive distinction is not modeled by other cleaners throughout the valley. It’s not rocket science, but, it really does take a highly trained skill level and personal desire to provide the very best cleaning, ironing, inspection and packaging for a very large volume of shirts day-in-and-day-out, for our valued clientele.

Our system begins with…

Pre-Inspection

We begin by removing collar stays. Stays are replaced, after pressing, to eliminate irreversible impressions on the shirt. Pockets are checked and all items are removed. Manufacture care labels are read to note any special cleaning care requirements and all stains are identified and noted. Shirts are then super-sorted, keeping in mind the individual care regimens recommended for the various shirt colors, fabric types, buttons, shapes and pre-existing stains.

Cleaning, Steps 1 through 4

1. Correctly pre-spot all stains.  Stains are sorted into various classifications and require one or several approaches to ensure the stains release, during actual cleaning.

2. Dry clean most shirts, to gently dissolve the oil-based stains, such a body oils, food oils, and personal care lotions.  This prevents oxidation that may occur during the pressing process, which causes yellowing of the stains, and/or unsightly rings around the collar and cuffs.

3. Soak all shirts in our own gentle proprietary blended solution for a minimum of 12 hours. This releases all water based stains and soils and greatly brightens the colors. More importantly it eliminates any and all scrubbing needed, to minimize wear. Agitation, friction (caused by brushing and scrubbing), harsh chemicals and heat are the culprits leading to the early demise of your garments.  Z Cleaners’ 3 step process truly make us unique compared to ANY other drycleaner in the valley.

Our methods and systemic approach are guaranteed to significantly extend the life of your investment.  As a bonus, your white shirts will be the WHITEST in town!

4. After soaking, we gently launder your shirt and add the recommended personal starch preference.  We use softened, cold or warm water (never hot), along with mild, PH-balanced soaps and starch. We never use chlorine bleaches or other harsh chemicals.  And, we use only the finest natural starches available.  Unlike the synthetic starches used by most other cleaners, natural starches remain consistent in body, after each wash.  There is never that annoying starch buildup.  Now they’re perfectly clean and starched. Finishing is next…

Hand Ironing

All shirts are hand-finished.  In addition, those made with high-quality textiles, along with the custom/ tapered shirts and darker-colored fabrics are completely hand ironed, from head-to-toe. We pay extra-special attention to the collars, cuffs, side and sleeve seams, pockets, body-to-sleeve seams, plackets and even the labels.  For those shirts requiring our premium, hand ironed shirt service, we have dedicated staff who hand-iron all day long, using no machines.

Final-Inspection 

Following ironing, all garments are inspected multiple times, reviewing for any imperfections, including stains, pressing deficiencies, broken buttons and any other repairs needed.  All items deemed deficient are personally reviewed by the owners, Steven & Geralyn Phillips.

Packaging

Collar stays are put back in, metal (chrome) cuff-links studs are added to the formal and French cuffs, and collar supports keep your collars looking great!  Each shirt is individually packaged, to preserve the finish.  Folded shirts are stuffed with tissue paper to preserve the ironing and make our product even more unique!

Dry Cleaning To Go

 The founders and co-CEOs of fast food chain Panda Express have shifted their attention from Asian cuisine to pressed shirts. Andrew and Peggy Cherng recently announced their investment in the $8 billion U.S. dry cleaning industry with a new venture called Panda Dry cleaning. The duo has partnered with consumer goods leader Procter & Gamble and plan on opening over 200 stores throughout the U.S. within the next five years.

Through a franchised relationship, the chain of dry cleaning stores will operate under the name Tide Dry Cleaners, hopefully giving consumers brand recognition of Proctor & Gamble’s popular laundry detergent.

The first storefront has recently opened in Nevada and test locations are set for Arizona, California, Las Vegas, Portland and Seattle. The Cherngs are focusing on tackling the dry cleaning market on the west coast but hope to eventually open stores all over the nation.

This concept may seem interesting to many consumers but clearly not everyone is thrilled with the idea of a new dry cleaning chain. Traditionally, most dry cleaners are family owned businesses passed on from generation to generation. We believe that a chain dry cleaner would deplete the value of a mom-and-pop store. Ray Rangwala, owner of Esteem Cleaners in Pasadena and member of the board of directors for the California Cleaners Association agrees. Times are already tough for independent dry cleaners as a result of the struggling economy, he said, and increased competition will only make it worse.

Many dry cleaners are left wondering how to combat the competition if a Tide Dry Cleaners opens in their neighborhood. We strongly believe that each cleaner that has been in business for several years is doing something right. There are unique touches that cleaners put on garments that keep their customers coming back. Whether its excellent customer service, eco-friendly methods or taking excellent care of items, customers really do appreciate it.

In addition, the Tide Dry Cleaners aren’t promising anything new that we at Z Cleaners and those in the industry don’t already know or use, such as same day delivery service, all day drop boxes and dry cleaning vending machines or ATMs. The only distinction that Tide Dry Cleaners offers is standardize service throughout all their stores. But as we in the business know, there is nothing standard about dry cleaning; each garment can be different and more challenging to clean than the next.

In the end, those in the dry cleaning business are doing what they do best, which is master the art of dry cleaning. So while small businesses should be alert of this national chain, they should not be worried, their loyal customers will not stray away from the quality of work that is delivered. With that said, dry cleaning clothes is nothing like delivering fast food and the Cherngs have openly admitted that they don’t have any experience in dry cleaning and are trying to learn very quickly.

 

 

The Dirt Exposed

 In a recent article found in the Wall Street Journal, dry cleaners get put under the microscope to answer consumers’ most pressing questions, such as what exactly is dry cleaning, why do women’s shirts costs more to clean than men’s and can some chemicals used by most dry cleaners be harmful to the environment? And as reporter Ray Smith attempts to mitigate these answers, we’d like to provide our own as well, from the perspective of a dry cleaner.

A lot of controversy has recently stirred up regarding the health hazards caused by a common dry cleaning agent called perchloroethylene, or perc. Many dry cleaners are required to find a replacement for perc by 2020 and in many states the ban of the agent could come even sooner as directed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

According to statistics cited in the article, perchloroethylene has been used since the 1930’s and 80% of all cleaners rely strongly on the agent. With such a high dependency many dry cleaners use the agent to tackle tough oil based stains. At Z Cleaners, we are aware of the environmental concerns and in an attempt to play our part in being eco-friendly, we are currently researching other alternatives available that will deliver the same results. In addition, we are also considering dedicated machines and better waste-handling technology that will make perc safe to use.

Another important consumer question that the article addressed was why do women pay significantly more for laundered shirts than men? And the reasoning for that is plain and simple, women’s shirts are smaller and because they are more uniquely designed they do not always fit as well on standard industry presses, therefore requiring more work done by hand. The increased prices for women correlate with the manual work required to hand press their shirts.

Also mentioned in the article was a study conducted by research firm Mintel, where customers were confused about what was actually happening to their clothes and felt that most dry cleaners were dark. We believe that this is a valid concern, as most consumers like to spend time in stores that are bright and welcoming. To mitigate these concerns, at Z Cleaners we try to keep the lights bright and will gladly give our customers a behind the scenes tour of our facilities and take them through every step of the dry cleaning process. We firmly believe that our customers should know what exactly they are paying for and that their garments are in good hands.

After tackling consumers’ questions, the article attempts to help customers create a better dry cleaning experience. The article lists several points on how to “judge a dry cleaner before handing over clothing”. Their first question asks if the cleaner has a certificate or decal? We believe that this question is also quite important and that is the reason why we take pride in our Certification from America’s Best Cleaners as a couture care specialist.

Two other points asks if the cleaner is orderly and if the cleaning is actually done on site? We can check off both of these points, we take careful inventory of each item that comes into our facility by attaching a small barcode that gets scanned into our system and tracks your item along every step of the way.

An important factor that we felt the article did not place heavy emphasis on is what steps or measure dry cleaners are taking to become more eco- friendly to appeal to green consumers. We believe in doing our part to save the environment, therefore, we offer our customers a hanger buy back program, where we offer incentives to our customers that return our wooden hangers rather than the traditional wire hangers. We also try to conserve energy by turning off the lights when our doors are closed. As we work on trying to become greener in some areas, we are doing what we can to be sustainable with factors we can control.

We appreciate the Wall Street Journal taking the time to address consumer concerns and in part bridging the gap between many dry cleaners and their customers. Our staff here at Z Cleaners have used the article as check points to clean up the “dirt on dry cleaners”. After all, we don’t like to have a bad rep.

To read the full Wall Street Journal article please visit The Dirt On Dry Cleaners

For any additional questions please email us at info@Zcleaners.com or 602-CLEANER

 

The Value of Z Cleaners

 What if your favorite designer blouse got stained? Would your first instinct combined with the help of Yelp direct you immediately to the local and closest dry cleaner? And although it may be the most convenient place, how can you ensure that it is equipped to clean your specialty item? Most consumers do not know that expensive designer garments need special attention, not just the basic care that everyday items can endure.

Well, at Z Cleaners it’s not just about convenience, it’s about expertise. We proudly provide all garments with hand inspections, individual attention and pure cleaning solutions. In addition, for those customers who value the convenience factor, we offer free scheduled pick up and delivery straight to your home.

Our attention to detail is the key to getting your order exceptionally clean and back to you complete. When your order is dropped off or scheduled for pick up we apply a small barcode and scan each item in our system that tracks your garment in every step along the cleaning process. This ensures that your item will never get lost in the mix. Along the way, we also have a series of hand inspections that ensures each item is clean and in better shape than you left it.

The most common mistake that most dry cleaners make is that they treat all stains the same. But at Z Cleaners we recognize that a stain is just not a stain, different stains require different solutions. Our staff specializes in stain chemistry and the agents that most effectively remove unsightly offenders without harming your item.  The solutions we use are themselves are cleaned and distilled after each use so your items are returned to you odor free, clean and bright.

We offer a variety of expert services that are designed to meet costumers’ different needs. Services include dry cleaning, laundry services, fluff and fold, household item cleaning, leather and suede cleaning and repair, wedding gown preservation, alterations and fine tailoring, shoe repairs and shine, cleaning of pillows, teddy bears and more. Being the only certified couture care cleaners in Arizona certified by America's Best Cleaners, we are 100% set to care for your couture items. If you want the best for your clothes, take them to Z Cleaners.

 

For more information about our services please visit www.Zcleaners.com or call (602) 253-2637.

 

Shirts Last Longer . . . When Cleaned at Z

 It’s obvious your shirts look better when serviced at Z Cleaners.  But, did you know that the life span of each garment is also significantly increased because of our superior regimens?  Z Cleaners employs procedures that can DOUBLE / TRIPLE the lifespan of your investments.  Now, that’s a savings!  

According to insurance companies, textile manufactures, and the league of better business bureaus, the average lifespan of a business shirt is two years.  Naturally, contributing variables can increase/decrease this statistic.  And, the general populace of dry-cleaners has created the median-line.  Bottom-line, shirts cleaned at Z Cleaners last much longer.  Item tracking of our long-time customers’ shirts proves they last 2 -3 times longer before showing signs of wear-n-tear.

No other dry-cleaner in Arizona has a more thorough and gentler process for servicing a shirt, as compared to Z Cleaners.  Our multi-stage cleaning and finishing processes are far-more extensive and thought-out than any other in town.  If lucky, other cleaners follow a very few number of the steps (listed below).  That is why shirts universally last only 2 years, before they look old and tired.

Each shirt serviced at Z Cleaners receives the following treatment:

Step One: Preparatory: 

-          Pre-existing conditions (stains, etc.) noted

-          Collar stays removed

-          Buttons protected

Step Two: Cleaning: 

-          Expert Pre-treatment of stains

-          First wash to remove oil-based stains and ring-around-the-collar

-          Second wash /soak to remove water-soluble stains and perspiration

-          Third rinse to add the preferred amount of natural / vegetable starch

-          REPEAT of the above, as required

Step Three: Pressing: 

-          Extensive hand-finishing to collar, cuffs, placket, body and yoke

-          Many shirts completely hand-pressed (only), head-2-toe

           (dark-toned shirts, custom-made/contoured shirts, fragile buttons, etc.)

Step Four: Inspection and Finishing: 

-          Thorough inspection for residual staining, repair needs, blemishes

-          Collar supports, collar stays and cuff studs added (Diamond Couture Service)

-          All buttons checked (reinforced or replaced, as required)

Step Five: Packaging: 

-          1-to-3 shirts per package (Individually packaged under Diamond Service)

-          High-end shirts receive tissue paper, for extra support

Considered the “loss-leader” in the dry-cleaning business, most companies do not want to contribute too much expense toward servicing your shirts.  Rather, they might pre-scrub the collars and cuffs (a harsh treatment) and employ a single-wash method, only, to clean the shirt.  Pressing is quick and minimal.  Buttons are broken.  Stains remain.  Packaging is inferior.  Therefore, poor results are often achieved . . . and the shirt ends its usefulness in 2 years or less.

Many customers to Z Cleaners are still enjoying their shirts after 4, 5 or more years.  Shirts are expensive to replace.  Now, that’s a savings!

The Right Way to Store your Sweaters

When you invest considerable money in your clothing, it is important to preserve them for    years-to-come.  Now that it is summer, there are necessary steps to take to specifically prevent damage to your wool and cashmere sweaters while in storage.

First, your sweaters should be cleaned to remove any stains, visible or not.  When stains oxidize from sitting for too long, they become more visible and sometimes irreversible.  Cleaning your clothing before storage will detract insects from damaging your items.  Lastly, your sweaters should be neatly folded and stored in a breathable bag.  To further protect your sweaters, include a cedar block inside the breathable bag, as a natural insect repellant!

At Z Cleaners, we provide all of the custom materials needed to properly store your sweaters through the off season.  Ask us for more details.

 

Fuzzy Spandex

 

The name sounds like it should be a character from a child's cartoon. However, Fuzzy Spandex is not funny if exhibited on one of your garments.

The problem called 'Fuzzy Spandex' can occur in both men's and women's garments with between 4 and 6% spandex content, blended with other fibers, such as wool, polyester or nylon. Spandex also goes by other names, such as: lycra, elastin, etc.

Often mistaken as "lint", this problem occurs when the spandex content breaks out of the fabric and loses its dye, albeit a recommended or correct dry cleaning treatment.

Infrequently, Fuzzy Spandex can develop during a garment's first, second or third cleaning. In these instances, the garment was not properly manufactured and is clearly unserviceable without harm that can result, in the process.

More-often-than-not, Fuzzy Spandex can develop gradually over time as a result of the combined effects of normal use, wear and cleaning. Eventually, in much older garments, it can simply be considered to be indicative of the garment nearing the end of its wearable life.

Donate Pet Food, Save on Dry Cleaning

 How can you help the dogs and cats of the Arizona Animal Welfare League, while saving significant money on your dry-cleaning bill? Simple! Donate some canned pet food. In return, you will receive 50% off your dry-cleaning bill at Z Cleaners.

February 14 thru March 14, 2011: For each 5 ounce (or larger) can of dog or cat food that you donate, you will receive 50% off one garment cleaning. No limit! (on the same visit). When you bring in four cans, you will receive 50% off four garments for cleaning. Bring in five cans and receive 50% off of five garments (and so on). It’s that easy. Some restrictions apply.

Restrictions include formal dresses, wedding gowns, leathers, suedes, shoes and alterations.