A little advice from Cove Cleaners on Food Stains
Five Common Food Stains and What You Can Do Before they Set
1. hot chocolate. There are few things better than a nice cup of hot chocolate, but things can get nasty if your son or daughter (or husband or wife) happens to upend that mug. Again, haste is important: fill a bowl with water and mix in water softener, then submerge the stain in the water softener and rub with a wet cloth. Afterwards, wash as normal in the laundry, and the stain should be gone.
2. Salt stains. When there’s snow and ice on the ground, the salt used to melt precipitation gets everywhere, and it can be nasty if it makes contact with your clothes. The first step to take in the case of salt stains—which are usually white and form ring patterns—is to blot (not rub) out the salt with some warm water. Then, make sure to wash the clothes within 24 hours of the stain, and if it doesn’t come out in the laundry, take the clothes to your dry cleaners and point it out to them. Salt stains can also be a big problem when it comes to leather shoes: the best way to deal with them is to mix white vinegar with water and, after dipping a rag in the mixture, wiping away the salt.
3. Coffee. You probably drink coffee year-round, but sometimes when it’s cold out, a hot cup of joe seems even more important. Any coffee spills should be immediately submerged in water and, a little later, sponged with a mixture of one part dishwashing liquid and two parts water. Then rinse and blot until dry. If milk or cream was involved, though, it might need a dry cleaning.
4. Cranberry sauce. Pretty much the only time anyone eats cranberry sauce is with the Thanksgiving or Christmas turkey; there aren’t many foods more seasonal than cranberries! Scrape up any excess spill and use a mixture of laundry detergent, white vinegar, and cool water to soak the stain, then launder.
5. Red wine. The problem with red wine is that the more wine that is consumed, the more likely someone is to spill. Blot the excess wine out of the garment immediately, and if it’s a dry-clean only piece, just get it to the cleaners ASAP. If not, combine one teaspoon laundry or dish soap and one cup hydrogen peroxide. Using a sponge, absorb some of the liquid, and then blot the stain again. Put a dry towel or washcloth inside the garment, between one side and the other, to keep the stain from seeping through onto another part of the fabric, and then wash in cool water, either in the machine or sink depending on the garment.
Follow these instructions and you can deal with some of the worst stains the season has to offer. As always, if you don’t feel comfortable with the stain or it seems too severe, just bring your clothing in to Cove Cleaners and let the professionals handle it. And if the holiday season has you feeling stressed, let Cove’s free home dry-cleaning delivery take some of the burden off you.
You Get What You Pay For!
March 25, 2013
Discount Dry Cleaners can destroy your clothes.
It’s important to know why you should not choose a dry cleaner based on price. You might save money but the less they put into using the best soaks and fluids the more amateur the dry cleaning job is, resulting in fading, additional stains you didn’t have coming in, and unpleasant, untrained counter and work staff. We all know by this time, you get what you pay for.
Top cleaners today use cleaning fluids that are gentle on fabric and safe for the environment and your health. Smaller shops cannot afford the best chemicals; therefore health dangers might be present in your clothing. Safe, effective spotting cleaners can cost $100 per gallon! Ask about fragrance-free options and green alternatives to determine whether a cleaner understands the health implications of the cleaning agents they choose to use.
Another question you might ask your potential dry cleaner is how is the equipment used by your dry cleaning establishment maintained? Old or improperly maintained equipment can cause clothes to have strong chemical smells, become itchy and uncomfortable and causes allergic rashes, or your clothing might come back to you with rips, snags, stains, and still be dirty after cleaning. So it’s important to know how often the equipment is tested, maintained, and how often the filters are changed.
With hundreds of choices in cleaning fluids and their interaction with stains and fabrics, as well as health risks due to improperly used or maintained equipment it’s so important to find a cleaner with well trained, seasoned staff people rather than a high turnover. One way to check is to look for health certificates for air quality. This will tell you whether the cleaner cares enough about employees to invest in higher quality equipment, processes, and cleaning fluids for their protection and yours.
With your health and well-being at risk, make sure you choose your cleaner carefully. Cove Cleaners believes in providing the best possible service, using the safest of soaks and chemicals, and training its staff in all aspects of using the machinery, as well as giving them knowledge of the entire dry cleaning business. So when you ask the Staff at Cove Cleaners a question, you can count on getting an educated answer. And folks, don’t forget…Cove Cleaners has free pickup and delivery of all your dry cleaning from your home or business. And don’t forget Cove Cleaners has 7 locations and will pick up and drop off your dry cleaning for free!
Cove Cleaners: They Care About The Community They Live In
March 18, 2013
Cove is Tops in Our Community for Lending Support to Many Causes
Cove Cleaners, owned and operated by Alan Loring, is probably one of the major establishments in Sarasota who go out of their way to be involved in the community. They look out for their customers and try to impart important knowledge to them, giving them ways to treat their clothes so that they’ll get much more wear out of them. Cove Cleaners wants to be part of the solution concerning the environment, and what chemicals they use to sustain out great planet. Alan Loring wants to leave a remarkable legacy behind, one that will preserve the earth for future generations.
The very latest way Alan supports the community is being a part of a fundraiser for The American Business Women’s Association, Ringling Chapter. This is the latest Ladies Sing the Blues event, on March 26th at Primo Ristorante in Sarasota. The ABWA assists women in our community with tuition assistance and scholarship money through the Stephen Bufton Memorial Educational Fund. The Chapter provides opportunities for personal and professional development for those women who truly desire to get training and education to take better care of themselves, their children and their future. I knew, without question, that when I asked Alan to be a part of this latest Ladies Sing the Blues event that he would definitely say yes, and he did.
Alan and Cove Cleaners were right there to support Ladies Sing the Blues in December, when the singers rocked the Bradenton Women’s Club, a non-profit organization that helps educate, contribute to, and financially assist those children in Manatee County who need financial help and other necessary services.
Christmas on the Plaza was another community event that Cove Cleaners and Alan Loring was a vital part of, to entertain and give gifts to children from our community and people of all ages. It was a fun social event with kids crafts, face-painting and pet photos. This was important because in some cases this was all the christmas fun some of these lower income families would have.
Cove Cleaners continues to alert you to the hazards of bacteria at home, how to avoid an attack of dust mights, how to protect your family’s environment from airborne allergens, and keeps putting advice on their blog about conditions and medical alerts to keep your home safe. In May of 2012, Cove was a strong supporter in an event we had at the Flying Dog Cafe, to bring funds into Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Sarasota Memorial Hospital. We raised $5000 to help with the expansion and to support the new wing and amazing new ambulance that both give Sarasota Memorial the title of being the only NICU in Sarasota county. This was another Ladies Sing the Blues Event. The “Ladies” are always available for a good cause!
Cove Cleaners continues to offer free pickup and delivery of your dry cleaning from 7 locations, which is a time-saving and gas-saving bonus for you. They will answer any of your questions on how to treat clothing and textiles, and urge you to call or come in with any questions, and to bring your garments with you. If you’re interested in saving money on cleaning sheets, there is a 20% discount going on right now, for the month of March.
We thank you, Cove Cleaners, for being a stand-up business and a beacon in the community to show you care and that we’re all in this together. Again, the latest Ladies Sing the Blues Fundraiser is on Tuesday, March 26th, at 6 p.m. at Primo Ristorante, on Tamiami Trail in Sarasota. The $20 donation at the door will get you some great entertainment, finger food, and an opportunity to buy raffle tickets for free dinner at other venues and other prizes. We’re going to have a great time and we want to share it with you!
Does Hairspray Really Work to Remove Ink Stains?
March 13, 2013
Does Hairspray Work on to remove Ink Stains?
Ink is a difficult stain to remove effectively, even for Cove Cleaners. This is because ink is composed of a dye suspended in a carrier. The carrier is usually comprised of either water or a solvent that allows it to dry almost instantly when it hits the paper or your clothes.
So even when a garment is dry-cleaned, the ink is not automatically removed. This is because the carrier component of ink can be broken down by dry cleaning solvents, but the dye may not be. And sometimes after cleaning, the ink will even spread once the carrier is removed.
Hair Spray?
An internet search on “ink removal” will sometimes suggest hairspray. Here at Cove Cleaners, we have seen more garments damaged from the application of hairspray in an attempt to remove ink. This is because hairspray has alcohol in it, and though alcohol can sometimes be used as an ink remover, it cannot be safely used on all fabrics and dyes. Using hairspray to remove ink can cause permanent damage that even Jeeves cannot reverse.
Leave it to the professionals..
Removing the dye portion of an ink stain is a delicate and tricky process, as occasionally the ink will bond to fabric to a greater degree than the fabric dye. Removing ink takes experience, patience and a broad knowledge of chemistry. And here at Cove Cleaners, we have found that ink stains are best left to professionals, as even we cannot remove every ink stain safely. So as a rule of thumb, be careful with ink around precious garments! And don’t forget that Cove Cleaners has a free pickup and delivery service to your home or workplace!
Next Ladies Sing the Blues Event at Primo in Sarasota, March 26
The American Business Women’s Association, Ringling Chapter, is the motivating force behind the latest Ladies Sing the Blues event on March 26th at Primo Ristorante in Sarasota. The ABWA assists women in our community with tuition assistance and scholarship money through the Stephen Bufton Memorial Educational Fund. The Chapter provides opportunities for personal and professional development for those women who truly desire to get training and education to take better care of themselves, their children and their future.
The Ringling Chapter continues to meet national standards of excellence, where only a few chapters across the nation have reached this level of distinction. Their mission statement is to bring together businesswomen of diverse occupations and to provide opportunities for them to help themselves and others to grow personally and professionally through leadership, education, networking support and national recognition.
We have 15 ladies lined up to put out the best entertainment and their time, which they offer freely and with joy. All the proceeds go directly to the charity, and in fact, no one handles the door money ($20 donation) except the women collecting at the door of Primo’s. We are so excited that we are having the fundraiser at Mauricio Colici’s restaurant that he has so graciously offered for the event. When several parts of a community come together in support of a cause like this, it’s an unbelievable heart-warming and unforgettable celebration. If you’ve never been to Ladies Sing the Blues before, you won’t want to miss this one.
Again, it’s on Tuesday, March 26th, at 6 p.m. at Primo Ristorante, on Tamiami Trail in Sarasota. The $20 donation at the door will get you some great entertainment, finger food, and an opportunity to buy raffle tickets for free dinner at other venues and other prizes. We’re going to have a great time and we want to share it with you!
Cove Cleaners With Important Information About Getting the Best Service from a Dry Cleaner
February 25, 2013
All Cove Cleaners employees will be glad to answer questions and make suggestions about what should not be dry cleaned.
Understanding How to Get the Most from Your Dry Cleaning Store
If you have been careful while shopping for and caring for your clothes, you can help your dry cleaner give you the very best service. Be sure to inform the cleaner of any spots or stains, especially if they are colorless spills. The cleaner will want to treat some stains before the dry cleaning process begins. Bring with you any hang tags that contain extra care instructions or fiber information. Acrylic knits, for example, are difficult to identify and are inclined to stretch with the heat of cleaning and finishing. So if you know what fibers the garment contains, tell the cleaner.
Point out the presence of items containing glues, plastics, or cardboard stiffeners, and point out any special trims you are concerned about. Outfits with several pieces and accessories, such as belts and scarves or removable trim should all be cleaned at the same time to avoid any serious color changes resulting from cleaning.
When you have a sweater or other knit garment, and it has lost its shape, ask your dry cleaner to shape and stretch the garment back into its original size. This is a special service provided by Cove Cleaners. There is a sizing substance that is applied during the manufacturing process to give a garment body or shape. This substance can be removed after one or more cleanings, as well as removing water repellent and spot repellent finishes. If you decide you want these substances restored into your garment, Cove Cleaners can provide that service, as well as professional repairs and alterations, garment storage, and other clothing care services.
After Cleaning
Cove Cleaners strives to provide their customers with a high level of satisfaction. Occasionally a garment can come back to you and be less than satisfactory. This might happen even when you follow the instructions that Cove Cleaners provides. Look at your dry cleaned clothes as soon as they are returned to you and point out any problems right away. Most of these problems are solvable, such as a spot we might have missed or a pressing problem that is inadequate. Certain wools and synthetics may show the appearance of tiny balls on the fabric surface. Cleaning may increase their number, but sometimes your Cove can remove them.
Although dry cleaning does prolong the life of your clothes, linens, etc., they will eventually show their age, leaving us unable to cure the problem. Some brighteners that are used by garment makers to make colors brighter or whites whiter, may become dull or yellowed with exposure to sunlight. This may not be apparent until a good cleaning job removes surface soil that may have masked the condition. Insects often finish their meal leaving the skeleton of the fabric intact. The weakened fibers are flushed away in cleaning and the garment comes back full of holes. Chemical damage sustained in use may also not be obvious until after cleaning.
If you feel that damage to your garments was caused through no fault of your own, read the Liability for Damaged Clothing section carefully.
Liability for Damaged Clothing
If clothing comes back damaged from the dry cleaner, the dry cleaner is often blamed as the last to handle the garment. But the responsibility may lie with the manufacturer or retailer, or with you — the consumer. As mentioned before, care information must be permanently attached to all garments. If this information is not present and the garment is damaged as a result, or if care instructions are followed and the garment or some component part fails, the responsibility is with the manufacturer. Your best recourse is to go to the retailer who sold you the item. Good retail practice requires that a store exchange a defective item or refund the price.
If the information was available to you but you did not follow it, for example washing a garment that should have been dry cleaned, then, unfortunately, you are at fault. If your Cove Cleaners fails to follow care instructions or did not exercise reasonable care, then then we are at fault. Some stains simply can’t be removed by any known method, and while no one is to blame, there is no remedy. This is also true of the damaging effects of age on all fabrics.
If Cove Cleaners is deemed responsible for your dry cleaning being less than satisfactory, you are entitled to recover the value of the garment’s remaining life expectancy. According to the International Fair Claims Guide for Consumer Textile Products, published by the International Fabricare Institute, suits are expected to last 2 to 4 years, dresses 1 to 5 years, coats 4 years (fur coats 10 years), and dress shirts 2 years. The guide assigns such life expectancy ratings to all categories of textile products, and it provides tables by which to determine the worth of a product based on the unused portion of its life expectancy and its condition at the time it was lost or ruined. It is up to you to negotiate an adjustment with cleaner.
If there is disagreement about the party responsible for the adverse condition, it is suggested that the item be sent to the Textile Analysis Laboratory at the International Fabricare Institute for testing and determination of the party responsible. Such items can be submitted by the member dry cleaner, retailer, Better Business Bureau, consumer protection agency, or textile affiliate. Items cannot be submitted directly by the consumer. Most cases are successfully settled when the customer first returns the article to Cove Cleaners. Although this rarely happens, Cove wants all relationships with their customers to be positive and we want to provide the highest level of customer satisfaction possible.
We hope this information will make you a customer who can make educated decisions about dry cleaning. We also want to remind you that COVE CLEANERS PROVIDES FREE PICKUP AND DELIVERY OF ALL YOUR GARMENTS OR TEXTILES FROM YOUR HOME OR OFFICE. CALL TODAY TO OPEN YOUR ACCOUNT!
Home Textiles, Including Upholstery and Draperies, Need to Be Cleaned Every 3-5 Years
February 18, 2013
Even your furniture and drapes need to be dry cleaned
Your Home Furnishings Need to Be Dry Cleaned, too!
When you look around your home and see the creative work and time it took you to achieve that special look of comfort and ambience, most people don’t realize that most home textiles can and should be dry cleaned.. A thorough cleaning of your upholstery, draperies and area rugs is a necessary job that needs to be done so that you’ll get many additional years of usage.
DRAPERIES need to be cleaned and restored at least once every 3-5 years. It’s very important for us to access the condition of your draperies before considering what to do because years of sunlight and other conditions might actually disqualify your drapes from being cleaned. Dry Cleaning actually may accentuate any damage done to your drapes. The following conditions can render your draperies impossible to restore:
- Sunlight can discolor and weaken fabrics resulting in a shredding of the fabric after cleaning.
- Exposure to humidity and moisture from rain or leaks in your windows or even pet stains can cause dye bleeding and water rings that are impossible to remove.
- Some fabrics that have been improperly preshrunk, had previous unsuccessful dry cleaning, or have been spot cleaned can result in shrinkage.
- Insulated or reflective coated backing may degrade or completely come off.
- The combined effects of age, moisture, light, heat and smoke can cause fabrics to be permanently discolored.
Before we will clean your draperies we must evaluate their existing condition prior to taking on any dry cleaning service.
UPHOLSTERY is usually cleaned by a professional cleaning process while still on the furniture. This ensures that the cushion covers continue to match the rest of the furniture and reduces the possibility of shrinkage. The zippers on furniture cushions are generally used by the manufacturer to get the cushion INTO the cover, not take it out. You will find cleanability codes attached to the upholstery, perhaps in the form of a temporary label.
HELPFUL HINTS:
How long your interior furnishings last depends in part on their selection and on the care you give them. Consider the amount of sun exposure the fabric will receive. Keep in mind when choosing fabrics that acrylic and polyester fibers are the most resistant.
You should rotate your draperies to vary their exposure to the light. Save all care instructions, and vacuum your home furnishings frequently to prevent buildup of dust and airborne particles’.
Cove Cleaners would be happy to come to your home and evaluate your draperies and home furnishings and explain to you what process will be followed. Don’t forget….Free pickup and delivery will make the job easier!
Knowing How To Treat Your Silk Clothing…
February 10, 2013
Delicate, Yet Shiny and Beautiful, But Must Be Treated with Kindness
Silk is a fabric produced from silkworms. This fabric is very soft and smooth so the price can be very expensive. Clothing made from silk material always looks beautiful. With many choices of colors, motifs, and very fine material, both women and men enjoy wearing this material casually, or for formal wear.
If you have clothing made from silk fabric need knowledge and patience to care it. Because the price is more expensive compared to other clothing textiles, you definitely don’t want your silk clothing to become damaged by the wrong treatment or cleaning method. Here are some proven methods and tips about cleaning and protecting silk.
1. Never use a washing machine. Silk must always be washed by hand. The delicacy of the fabric, as well as the unique sheen, might very well be damaged even using the gentle cycle on the washer.
2. Silk clothing can be soaked, but never in detergent. Instead, use a shampoo that has a gentle formula or use baby shampoo. Soak your silk items by themselves, and only with like colors. Never mix it in with other non-silk clothing.
3. When rinsing silk, you must be careful not to squeeze your silk clothes too hard. You might want to gently put the item between two towels and press gently.
4. When hanging to dry, pick a place that is airy but never in direct sunlight..
5. When your silks are almost dry, you can iron them. The safest way is to turn the garment inside out and not iron on the wearable side. Also, be sure not to go above a medium setting on your iron. Too hot an iron could actually scorch the item permanently.
6. Make sure your wardrobe is free from insects that can damage your silk clothes. Use insect repellent specifically formulated to spray on your wardrobe.
7. When storing your beautiful silk clothing for any length of time, please cover with a dry cleaning bag or garment bag for longer wearing life.
Cove Cleaners wants you to get the most out of your all of your clothing items, and especially silk, because of its natural beauty and the special feeling your get when wearing it. Remember, Cove Cleaners has free pickup and delivery to your home or office.
Do I Really Need to Dry-Clean This?
February 5, 2013
Simple Tips to Decide On Method of Cleaning
Can you just hear yourself complaining about taking your sweater or other item of clothing to the dry cleaners when you’re more than sure it’ll turn out fine if you hand wash it? Here are some tips to help you to make the right decision.
1. Interpret the label. Most manufacturers are required to list just one way to clean a garment. If the tag says DRY-CLEAN ONLY, obey it. If it says DRY-CLEAN, that means that is the recommended method, not the only method.
2. Consider the fabric. Unless the label suggests otherwise, bring silk, acetate, velvet, wool, and taffeta items to the dry cleaner. Cotton, linen, cashmere, polyester, acrylic, and nylon can usually be washed at home. Just check for colorfastness first: Moisten a cotton swab with mild detergent and dab it on a hidden seam to see if any dye comes off.
3. Test the detailing. Often care instructions are for the fabric only―not the accents, which may be tacked on at another factory. That’s why you see EXCLUSIVE OF DECORATIVE TRIM on some tags. Before you wash anything with beading, sequins, and the like, make sure they are sewn on (you’ll see stitches, not glue) and colorfast (quickly dab a wet cotton swab over each type of accent to see if any dye comes off). If you insist on washing it at home, follow these simple rules:
1. Machine-wash the garment if you’re certain that’s OK (always check first before washing). To minimize agitation, turn the item inside out, place it in a mesh bag, and run a short, delicate cycle.
2. In every other case, hand wash. Use cold water to prevent shrinking and bleeding, and a mild detergent (try Ivory Snow 2X Concentrated liquid detergent; $4.50 for 25 ounces).
3. Always―always―skip the dryer. Too much heat harms the accents and the fibers. Instead, gently push out excess water (don’t twist) and lay the garment flat to dry on a white towel to prevent discoloring. Or let a garment air-dry on top of a working dryer. The moderate heat given off by the machine will speed up the process.
Cove Cleaners is available to answer any of your dry cleaning questions and maybe if you opened a free pickup and delivery account, it would make your life easier. Call Cove today!
Choosing a Reliable Dry Cleaner is Important
January 28, 2013
Your Dry Cleaner is One of Life’s Important Relationships
Choosing a reliable dry cleaner is a must, since many of us own clothes that require dry cleaning. There are many ways to assess the value of a dry cleaner. One can examine the level of customer service offered, the timeliness in which services are rendered, the appearance of clothing after it has visited the dry cleaner, and the additional services made available by the dry cleaner. One might also want to consider choosing a “green” dry cleaner that uses carbon dioxide, rather than less environmentally friendly chemicals.
Customer service is a valuable aspect of any dry cleaner service. One can first note the degree to which the staff is friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. Do they, for instance, write down any special requests? A good dry cleaner should also emphasize its focus on cleanliness by having a clean storefront. One doesn’t want newly clean clothes passed over a dirty counter.
Timeliness is extremely important from your chosen dry cleaner. If a dry cleaner gives one a specific time period in which to pick up clothing, clothes should definitely be ready at the time stated. Further, your clothes should appear neat, with no visible stains. They should smell and appear clean and be pressed appropriately. The dry cleaner should also note if a stain was impossible or difficult to remove and customer satisfaction should be supported with a money back guarantee.
Some dry cleaner services will offer free mending, but with most dry cleaners, this often includes an extra charge. Since clothes are subject to rips and tears, a dry cleaner should offer these services. Tailoring services can be an added bonus. Further, any clothing delivered to the dry cleaner in whole and perfect condition, albeit in need of cleaning, should be received back in the same manner. A dry cleaner should not charge for injuries to the clothing that occur on his or her watch. Thus if a button comes off in the dry cleaning machine, the dry cleaner should properly reattach it.
Some dry cleaner establishments will offer other services like same day or next day pick-up. Other useful services might include preserving or restoring wedding gowns, free pick-up or delivery of your clothing, leather-cleaning services, and no money charged on very small repairs. One can also evaluate the dry cleaner by asking about their use of chemicals. In an effort to cause less environmental damage, many dry cleaners now offer “green” dry cleaning.
“Green” dry cleaning may be an excellent way to go, tends to be gentler on clothing, and is less likely to cause skin irritation. Sometimes the fragrances or chemicals used in regular dry cleaning are not only bad for the environment but also can irritate the skin. Looking for environmentally friendly dry cleaning companies may ultimately make a difference in one’s impact on the environment, and can still provide excellent results.
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