clothesYou'd be surprised at the number of garments we see that were -�cleaned-� at home and then brought to DELIA'S Cleaners for salvaging. Here are some inside tips based on how our professionals wish you'd treat your clothes at home.

Tips for Clothing Care
  1. Read care labels carefully before you purchase new clothes and before cleaning any garments. The labels provide information on the safest way to care for clothing, not the only way. However, it takes a trained professional to know which alternatives will work without damaging the item.
  2. Clean your clothes regularly. As a general rule of thumb, wear dress shirts once, then, clean them; suit jackets twice; and sweaters three times. Of course, if something spills on them, bring them in right away.
  3. If laundering at home use as little detergent as possible, a teaspoon is almost always enough.
  4. Zip you zippers so they don't snag and tear other clothes. Don't wash Velcro. It can stick to fabric and ruin a nice sweater if washed and dried together.
  5. Don't use bleach to remove spots; it only removes the color of the spot and the clothing. If you aren't sure about spots, it's less expensive in the long run to bring your clothes to DELIA'S Cleaners.
  6. Washing in cold water only is a myth. If you think a color might bleed, it will regardless of the water temperature. Red, black, and purple are unstable dyes and if washed with lighter colors or prints, may ruin them. Never substitute water for dry cleaning; it is a huge risk if you that may result in undesired consequences.
  7. We love tennis balls. When drying bulky or large items, like a blanket, tennis balls will ensure that the filling is evenly distributed throughout the item.
  8. Hang dry whenever possible to prevent shrinkage. The majority of shrinkage happens during the drying phase. Line drying saves money on energy and the need for new clothes.
  9. Some stains require a professional. Stains and remedies that you think you understand are more complicated than you realize. Dry cleaning is part skill, part chemistry, part time, and part magic. Send stains to DELIA'S Cleaners and let us deal with them.

If you follow these tips, your clothing will look and feel better, and last longer than ever before.