If you can't find an answer to your question below, please give us a call or stop by one of our four convenient locations.

Pick-Up & Delivery Service

Is there an extra charge for Pick-up and Delivery service?

No. This service is FREE. You are charged the same price as our in-store customers. However there is a minimum order of $20 required to qualify for pick up and delivery .

Do I have to send in clothes every time?

No. There are no minimum order sizes or frequency of use requirements.

How do I notify you that I have clothes for pick-up?

Join our eClub and take advantage of our automated pick-up request system.  Once you join, all you need to do to request a pick-up is enter your e-mail address in our convenient form on our home page.  We will send you an e-mail confirmation of your request and we will pick up your dry cleaning on the next regularly scheduled pick-up day.  See our Delivery Guidelines for our schedule. 

Alternatively, call any one of our stores or send us an e-mail to schedule a pick up. 

Do I have to be home for service?

No, we pick-up and deliver from/to a protected location at your home. Call us and we will discuss an appropriate location.

If I'm not available, how will the driver know where to put my cleaning?

Determine the appropriate location with the driver on your initial pick-up; he or she will take care of the rest.

Where are the clothes delivered?

Most customers choose their front door, while others prefer their back door, side door, or inside their porch.

Do I have to come into the store to pay my dry cleaning bill?

No.  We can automatically bill your credit card or send you a bill.

What if it rains?

We only deliver to covered locations.  Also, your clothes will be protected with plastic covers, so rain is not a problem.

How do I inform you of a special instruction I may have?

Attach a note to your garment with your specific instructions (e.g., coffee stain on chest pocket, grass stain on elbow, etc.) or give us a call and we will do the rest.

How often do you come to my location?

Our driver will visit your location twice per week.  See the schedule under our Delivery Guidelines.

What happens if I put my dry cleaning out and it's not picked up?

If we missed your pick-up, please call us right away, since we may still be in your area. If not, we will try to pick up your order the following business day and have your clothes delivered on your normal delivery day.

General

Do you do alterations?

Yes. We have an entire store dedicated to professional alterations at 200 Washington Street, Hudson, MA. For detailed information about your specific needs call 978-562-5492.  No job is too big or too small. 

Do you have a price list for the services that you provide?

Yes. Please refer to our Price List for details.

Do you have same-day service available?

Yes, for the Hudson area.

Why was my shirt dry cleaned instead of being laundered?

Certain types of stains come out better when the garment is dry cleaned. Also, some fabrics can't take the heat of the pressing form used to dry and press a laundered shirt.

Can I get medium starch on my laundered shirts while my spouse gets light starch?

Yes, we can set your account up however you like. Just tell us your special needs and we'll work with you to make sure it happens.

Is dry cleaning really performed "dry"?

In spite of the name, dry cleaning is not completely dry. Fluids are used in the dry cleaning process. In the early days, garment scourers and dryers found several fluids that could be used as dry cleaning solvents, including camphene, benzene, kerosene, and gasoline. These fluids are all dangerously flammable, so dry cleaning was a hazardous business until safer solvents were developed.

In the 1930s, percholoroethylene or perc (a nonflammable, synthetic solvent) was introduced and is used today in many dry cleaning plants. Other cleaning solvents have been added, and still others are currently being tested.

Dry cleaning is not the answer to all soil and stain removal problems. Sometimes, stains become permanently embedded in the fiber, or fabrics cannot withstand normal cleaning and stain removal procedures, or decorative trim is not compatible with dry cleaning solvent. It is important that consumers as well as dry cleaners read all care labels and follow the instructions.

Does frequent dry cleaning shorten the life of a garment?

To the contrary, frequent cleaning prolongs the life of a garment. Not only do stains set with age, making the garment unwearable, but ground-in dirt and soil act as an abrasive, like sandpaper, causing rapid wear of fibers. Also, insects are attracted to soiled clothes and will cause further damage.

What equipment is used in dry cleaning?

There are various makes/models of dry cleaning machines. Despite the differences, all dry cleaning machines work on the same principle.

A dry cleaning machine consists of four basic components:

• Holding or base tank
• Pump
• Filter
• Cylinder or wheel

The holding tank holds the dry cleaning solvent. A pump is used to circulate the solvent through the machine during the cleaning process. Filters are used to trap solid impurities. A cylinder or wheel is where the garments are placed to be cleaned. The cylinder has ribs to help lift and drop the garments.

The operation of the dry cleaning machine is easy to understand. The solvent is drawn from the tank by the pump. The pump sends the solvent through the filters to trap any impurities. The filtered solvent then enters the cylinder to flush soil from the clothes. The solvent leaves the cylinder button trap and goes back to the holding tank. This process is repeated throughout the entire cleaning cycle, ensuring that the solvent is maintained to give effective cleaning at all times.

After the cleaning cycle, the solvent is drained and an extract cycle is run to remove the excess solvent from the clothes. This solvent is drained back to the bare tank. During extraction, the rotation of the cylinder increases in order to use centrifugal force to remove the solvent from the clothes

Once the clothes have finished extracting, the cylinder stops. At this time, clothes are either transferred to a separate dryer or, on most machines, dried in the same unit, a closed system. The drying process uses warm air circulated through the cylinder to vaporize the solvent left on the clothes. The solvent is purified in a still. Here the solvent is heated. The vapors are then condensed back to a liquid leaving behind all impurities in the still. This clean solvent is then pumped back into the holding/base tank.

Dry cleaning machines are rated in pounds of fabric (dry weight) the machine can hold. Machine sizes vary from very small (20 pounds) to large (100 pounds) capacity of clothes cleaned per cycle.

Before cleaning, garments are inspected and classified. The length of the cleaning cycle is dependant upon the type of article cleaned and the degree of soiling.  Some heavily stained garments may go through a stain removal process prior to cleaning to aid in better soil and stain removal. A stain removal technician will treat specific items just prior to cleaning.

A lot of effort goes into the process, and there are many skilled technicians involved in caring for your garments.