Why Preserve Your Wedding Dress

The decision to clean and preserve your wedding dress is very important.  Whether you’re hoping your dress becomes a family heirloom or you expect to wear it again yourself one day, understanding the delicate nature of your special garment may help make the decision a bit easier. 

In normal wearing, skin oils and perspiration are absorbed into the fabric – wine, champagne or other sugary beverages may have even spilled on your dress; these organic compounds will undoubtedly damage the fabric if they are not neutralized or properly removed.

Here at Comet Cleaners, we uphold the importance of having your bridal gown professionally cleaned before being stored long-term.  In fact, in addition to cleaning, proper storage is vital to the overall safety and security of such a special garment.  Scientific research proves that archival materials can protect delicate fabric from age and decay.  For these reasons, we strongly advise against having gown vacuum-sealed as plastics are used.  Instead, the preservation process must ensure that your gown be wrapped in acid-free materials before being placed in an acid-free textile storage box.
The box should be stored in an area where temperature and humidity levels are as constant as possible, preferably in a closet that is located on an interior wall; attics or basements are not appropriate locations for storage – in fact, spaces that are in close proximity to heating or air conditioning vents, pipes and even spaces that are exposed to direct sunlight should be carefully avoided.

Upon storage, about every 2-3 years your box should be opened and your gown inspected.  But brides remember, always wash your hands with a small amount of baking soda and warm water before handling this precious garment or wear cotton gloves.
At Comet Cleaners of Denton Texas we follow the guidelines recommenced by the Smithsonian Museum in Washington DC. This is just the final detail that protects all of your wedding day memories and guarantees your gown’s perfect preservation for years to come!

What does Spot Clean Only mean?

So that beautiful dress you found at that trendy little boutique fit perfect and looked amazing on you! Yay! It’s definitely a keeper, so now it’s time to clean it and have it ready for your next fancy shin-dig. Looking at the care label, you realize it says Spot Clean Only… Well what does that mean? Should you do it at home or take it to the cleaners?

Unfortunately this is a situation I see daily.  Clothing manufacturers are required by law to attach care labels to indicate the best way to clean a piece of clothing.  If any part of the garment is too delicate to be machine washed, dry cleaned, or even hand washed, then it may be labeled Spot Clean Only.

In theory, to spot clean something means to only clean a stain and not immerse the entire garment for cleaning.  Realistically, this is quite difficult or impossible. To treat most any stain or spot, water or chemical formula must be used. Even if the stain is removed, the water may leave a ring or the chemicals may leave a stain of their own requiring immersing in water or dry cleaning solutions. The chemicals must be flushed out as long term effects are uncertain. They may bleach, erode, or completely eat away at the fabric. The chemicals can also give you a nasty allergic reaction. When pressed, ironed, or steamed, the chemicals may also oxidize into an ugly yellow stain that is sometimes impossible to remove. So how does one go about removing this new hassle?

Well, that’s where knowledge and expertise come into play. For most garments, there’s no real way to “Spot Clean Only.” Usually the entire garment will have to be immersed or cleaned in some way to avoid water rings or residual chemicals. A Certified Professional Dry Cleaner will be able to determine the best method based on the garment. If she feels there is a risk to the garment, she should let you know in advance and have you make the decision as to whether or not you feel comfortable. Sometimes, especially with high value items, they may ask you to sign a waiver releasing them of responsibility in case the garment doesn’t come out as planned.

But why are some garments labeled as “Spot Clean Only?”  Usually it is because of the combination of fabrics in a garment that require different and mutually exclusive cleaning methods, the presence of embellishments like beads and rhinestones that cannot hold up to immersing, or fabric that does not hold dyes when cleaned.  Unfortunately, the care labels don’t have to say why it cannot be cleaned using traditional dry cleaning or wet cleaning methods.

 At left is the ruined hem of a Spot Clean Only Debutante’s gown. The hem was poorly sewn with raw edging under the skirt. The dress would have shredded it it were cleaned. The only issue was with the hem so the best result could be obtained by making it shorter an wearing it as a party dress.

 It might happen that a Dry Cleaner will not clean a Spot Clean Only item. It may mean that they know that any cleaning will ruin the item or that it is already beyond salvaging. It’s unfortunate but this does happen. Creative alterations can sometimes solve the problem.


Finding out an item is Spot Clean Only after it’s been worn is a real bummer. Here are a few tips to avoiding a blunder:

• Always check care labels when shopping. If something is spot clean only, you can then decide if you love it enough to be worth potentially only being able to wear it once.
• If you wear a spot clean only item, take precautions. Avoid getting things like hairspray and perfume on the garment. Don’t use spray tan. Be extra careful to keep it clean.
• If you do happen to get a stain or spot on the garment, take it to a dry cleaners immediately.

If you happen to see that a garment is labeled Spot Clean Only, take it to a Professional Dry Cleaner immediately. Attempting cleaning at home will more often than not lead to a ruined item.
 

Let’s Prevent Insect Damage to wool clothing

Few things are more disappointing than donning an expensive wool sweater, only to find that moths have been snacking on the threads for weeks. Reweaving is costly and patching is almost impossible.

Although we imagine that it is the winged creatures that have done the damage it is actually the larvae that feed on the wool, hair or feathers. What ever they can get access to.

In truth the larvae can"t live on pure wool.  They need proteins, mineral salts and vitamin B complex to complete their life cycle.  Sweat, food crumbs or beverage stains provide just what a healthy moth larvae needs. That why having your wool clothing cleaned regularly.  At Comet Dry Cleaners of Denton, Texas we know just exactly how to starve these guys.

If your planning to store your sweaters or other items away for the warmer months we have moth proof cedar lined bags available for storage. Remember, mothballs and moth flakes must be used in a tightly close container (not a closet) to be effective. Extreme caution should be used before breathing their vapors. Regular cleaning and tightly closed bags and chest are the best ways to deal with clothes moths.

How to Clean A Handmade Quilt - Advice From A Dry Cleaner

Quilts are perfect in the winter; they add warmth to the bed as a blanket or warmth to the walls as decor.  Cleaning a Quilt is a little more difficult than cleaning a standard blanket.   A quilt that is mass produced and purchased from a commercial retailer can be cleaned as directed on the care label.  Hand and machine artisan quilts (home-made) are quite different and require a more hands-on approach.  Antique and heirloom quilts are the most delicate of the three types.

How often should my hand-made quilt be cleaned?

Artisan quilts should be cleaned once per year, two or three times if a pet sleeps in the bed at night or your quilt happens to be a stain magnet.  Antique and heirloom quilts should be cleaned even less often due to their delicate nature.
As always, the best way to care for any quilt is to take it to a Professional Dry Cleaners like Comet Dry Cleaners in Denton, Texas.
You can do it yourself so here is our DIY Advice For Cleaning Your Quilt.  Be aware that many dry cleaners will not clean hand-made quilts or any quilt without a care label so don't be surprised if you get a rejection from your dry cleaner.  Not having a care label is an automatic rejection due to the liability the dry cleaner may incur with something a valued as a family heirloom.

So how do I clean a quilt at home?

1. Test for color-fastness. Take white fabric and moisten it.  Rub on all the colored parts of the quilt.  If any color shows on the white fabric, then the colors will run if washed traditionally.  Take this quilt to a Professional Dry Cleaners.
2. If the white fabric stays clean, fill a large sink or clean bathtub with cold water.  Use a gentle laundry detergent, preferably with no dyes or fragrances.
3. Agitate gently and allow to soak for 10 minutes, longer for heavy soil.
4. Drain tub and refill with clean water; repeat until water is clear and no longer suds.
5. When the water is clear, drain the tub and fashion a sling from a clean white sheet.
6. Carefully drape quilt over a sling and allow to drain.  Lay out towels on the floor, Lay quilt flat on top of towels and cover with an additional layer of towels.
7. Roll towels and quilt together to squeeze out water.  Repeat till fairly dry.
8. Place yet another layer of towels down and again lay the quilt flat.  Allow to sit until completely dry.  Note:  A quilt feels dry on the outside may not actually be fully dry.  The batting on the inside of the quilt can still be moist.  Placing a fan in the room can help speed up drying time.  This process may require several days to completely dry.  You may also need to turn the quilt over to allow it to thoroughly dry.
9. Another option is to dry the quilt outside.  Place a clean sheet on the ground and lay the quilt on top.  Cover with an additional clean sheet.  Allow to lay flat until dry.  Note:  Never hang a quilt to dry.  The quilt will be very heavy when wet and hanging can and will cause stitches to pull or break and the piecing will become misshapen.

Never machine wash a handmade quilt.  The agitation, even on the gentle cycle is far too rough for a quilt.

That's a lot of work!

It really is.  There are a lot of areas that Home Quilt Cleaning can go wrong.  For this reason, we always suggest taking any quilt, or garment of value, to your Local, Professional Dry Cleaners for Expert Care and Cleaning.

What is Dry Cleaning?

Doing laundry has been a common household activity for years. Whether the techn­ology­ was­ beating the garments on rocks by the river or pushing buttons on programmed washing machines, this process depends on water and a mechanical action usua­lly assisted by soap. Dry Cleaning uses the same washing machine principle but replaces the water used at home with a cleaning solvent. 

Like many inventions, dry cleaning came about by accident. In 1855, Jean Baptiste Jolly, a French dye-works owner, noticed that his table cloth became cleaner after his maid accidentally overturned a kerosene lamp on it. Operating through his dye-works company, Jolly offered a new service and called it “dry cleaning.”

The modern dry cleaning machine is generally a “dry to dry” machine like the one above.  That means the clothes go in dry, are cleaned as in your home washer and then dried as in your home dryer.  The primary difference is that as the cleaning solvent evaporates during the dry cycle it is condensed and returned to the storage tank at the bottom of the machine. The solvent is continuously filtered to remove soil, dye, oils and other “dirt” from the clothes.

A variety of solvents are used. At Comet Cleaners of Denton Texas we use a petroleum solvent. Safe, gently and environmentally friendly it cleans well without the health risks of other chemically engineered solvents.

Dry cleaning allow us to cleaning many natural and synthetic fibers without the risk of damage or shrinkage that would otherwise occur if washed in water.  It is generally much gentler and keeps your clothes looking new much longer.  A real benefit when you find something that you really like to wear and want to keep it around for a while.