Professional Cleaners Care
| Trims/Dye Bleeding | Fading | Unseen Stains | Multi-Colored Garments | Polyurethane Coatings on Garments | Storing Your Clothes | Table Linens | Flag Care | What is a Care Label? | Read the Label | Spot Clean Only| Home Dry Cleaning Kits | Antiperspirants | Caring for Silk | Hair Spray | Glitter | Moths |

For some specialty cleaning services,  we ask that our customers sign a release form indicating  they have been made aware of the various aspects of the cleaning of these items. For your convenience, you can review the forms by clicking on the link at the left side of this screen. Please fax any form that you complete to 308-236-6354, retaining a copy for your own records.

Trims/Dye Bleeding

Some trims on suits and dresses will bleed onto the rest of the fabric in the cleaning process. It is difficult to know if and when this will happen. The dye bleed pictured here occurred after several cleanings. Typically, dye bleeds happen upon the initial cleaning of an item.
 

Fading

Likewise, fabrics will also fade in the cleaning process. The lavender trim (shown on the right hand side of the photo along the edge of the comforter) was a bright pink prior to cleaning. Household items do not have to be labeled for cleaning care instructions in the same manner as clothing nor are regulations about the quality of dyes, etc. as stringent for blankets, comforters, etc. When having household items cleaned, it is always best to bring in shams, dust ruffles, drapes and other pieces along with a comforter so that the color of those items is as consistent as possible after cleaning.

Unseen Stains:

There was no stain on your white blouse when you brought it to the cleaners and now there is. Did the cleaner put it there? No. Some clear liquids such as 7-Up or Sprite will cause a stain that is only visible after cleaning. Grape juice or red wine shows immediately, but clearer stains are harder to spot until after cleaning. As a consumer, you will help your dry cleaner by taking note of, and pointing out, spills and stains and telling your cleaner about them when you bring you clothing in. Also remember that when you spill on a garment, you should send it to the cleaners immediately and not wear it again—even when the stain doesn’t show. A stain that has had a chance to “mature” is harder to remove.

Multi-colored garments:

Color loss is becoming a problem with some particular clothing brands. Before you buy a garment with multiple bright colors, such as a Hawaiian shirt, read the label. If there is a warning about possible color loss or bleed during cleaning, think twice before you buy. If color loss or bleed occurs during cleaning on such a garment, it is the responsibility of the store where the garment was purchased to refund your money.

Polyurethane coatings on garments:

Polyurethane coatings are becoming more common on leathers. These coatings may be either on the front or the back of the garment. Polyurethane will abrade in wearing but during cleaning may separate or stick together, thus causing the garment to have a drawn up or blistered look. There is no way to determine if this will happen until after the garment is cleaned. Other garments are also being made with polyurethane coatings as a wind protector. Again, as with all garment purchases, read your care label before buying. Defective coatings that come off in the cleaning process are the responsibility of the retailer and manufacturer.

Storing Your Clothes

Long term storage in plastic is not recommended for your clothing. This includes but is not limited to the "poly" that your orders are packaged in and plastic garment bags. Plastic is petroleum based and over time may give off a gas that may cause discoloration of clothing. When you bring your cleaning home, remove the poly bags immediately.

When storing clothing for long periods of time, look for cloth storage bags. If you use plastic bins for storage be sure to line them with acid free paper or 100 percent cotton sheets that have been laundered without bleach or fabric softener and thoroughly rinsed to remove all detergent residue. Better yet, utilize Liberty's off season storage for one low price for an entire order. (portions of this information come from "Good Advice--Heloise to the Rescue" Good Housekeeping Magazine, January 2005)

 

Your table linens deserve professional attention

 

From your grandmother’s lace table cloth to the fun and funky place mats you found at the department store, soiled table linens are best left to professional care.

 

Because the fabrics these items are made from are exposed to grease, lipstick, candle wax, sugar, chocolate, coffee, wine and a host of other substances that can stain them, it is important to resist the urge to try a “home remedy”. There’s a good possibility that not only will you NOT remove the stain, you may complicate its removal even further by adding to the chemical composition of the stain.

 

What do you do when you have a stain on a table linen?

 

First and last….leave it alone and bring the linen to Liberty as soon as possible after your dinner. Whenever you can, identify what the stain is.

 

When you purchase table linens, be sure to read the care labels BEFORE buying. The fabric may look washable or dry cleanable, but many of the new “fun” linens are not designed for multiple uses. Only a care label will tell you that.

1. Save the packaging as the care instructions may be on the packaging and not the table linen itself.

2. Alert your cleaner to the age of any antique linen and how long it has been since it was cleaned.

3. Clean a table cloth on a routine basis—sometimes after only one use—to avoid having stains “set”.

The photos below show soy candle wax being removed from a lace table cloth and the table linen that was underneath it. The customer picked off the large chunks of the melted candle but left the remainder of the wax for removal in our spotting area.  Click on the thumbnail image to see a larger image.
 

Because Liberty was built on the principles our country stands for-- American Flags are ALWAYS cleaned at NO CHARGE.

 

Flag care: Your flag should always be dry before storing. Flags on staffs should be carefully furled, placed in a flag case or wrapped in plastic and stored upright. Outdoor flags should be correctly folded and sealed in moisture and bug proof plastic bags. Always store your flags in a safe, cool, dry place. When your flag is worn beyond repair, it should be thoroughly burned and reduced to ashes. Special ceremonies are usually conducted by the Boy Scouts of America for these flags.
                                             (information courtesy of www.bsa.scouting.org)
 

You can help your dry cleaner do a better job of stain removal by offering this information when bringing items in for cleaning. 

1. Identify the stains--where are they and what are they? This will help the dry cleaner know the best method of stain removal to use.
2. How long have the stains been on the item?
3. Did you use any home remedies to try to remove the stain? What did you use?

     What about the Care Label?
Liberty Cleaners follows the instructions on the care label.  If we find it necessary to deviate from the care instructions, a signed permission will be requested.

     ...If There's a Question, WE DO OUR BEST to check it out!
Many care labels look the same.  Most are accurate, some are not.  As your professional cleaner, we follow the Care Label instructions.

What is a Care Label? 
A care label is a tag that provides care instructions for a garment. The label must be securely attached to most clothing, must not become separated from the product, and it must remain legible during the useful life of the product. You should be able to see the care label or find it easily.

Under the provisions of the Care Label Rule, manufacturers must also ensure that their care labels:

     give full instructions for at least one satisfactory method of care necessary for the
       ordinary use and enjoyment of the garment,

     have a reasonable basis for the recommended care procedure given on the label,
     warn about any part of the recommended method of care that a consumer or professional
       cleaner could reasonably be expected to use that would harm the garment or harm other
       garments being laundered or cleaned with it,

     warn when there is no method for cleaning a garment without damaging it.

Occasionally, a consumer may wish to remove the care label, but this may entail some risk as full information or warnings regarding proper care will no longer be available to you or your drycleaner/ launderer.