Care In Use
Who has not had the experience of spilling something on a garment on its first wearing, fresh from the cleaners? It seems wasteful at such times to send an entire garment back to be cleaned again simply to remove one little spot. But spot removal at home should be undertaken only with great care. Improper use of water or chemicals in removing spots at home sometimes sets the stains or damages the color, water can loosen soil or sizing and simply displace it, causing a "ring" that looks worse than the original stain.

The resurgence of natural fibers such as silk and wool make it even more difficult to remove stains safely at home. Silk should never be rubbed when wet. This causes fibers to break, resulting in a permanent light area. Wool is difficult because often the staining substance will be absorbed deep into the fibers.

Spillage
Spillage of food and beverages is probably the most common cause of spots on clothing. Many of these are combination stains containing oils, sugars, and other staining substances. These stains may take more than one procedure to remove completely. Stains from beverages containing sugar may seem to disappear, but will show up later when the sugar caramelizes in response to age or exposure to heat.

Another cause of accidental stains is the many ordinary chemicals found in your bathroom cabinet. These agents may also leave stains that aren't visible at first but become visible later. This phenomenon is particularly true with protein fibers such as silk and wool. Such stains need immediate attention.

Alcohol in perfumes and colognes can be damaging to silk, It is a good idea to use these products and let them dry before you get dressed.

Skin care preparations containing benzoyl peroxide also require special care in use. Benzoyl peroxide is a bleaching agent and can cause permanent areas of color loss on towels and clothing.

Be careful, also, in handling chlorine bleach. Bleach spillage can cause color lose and can weaken fabric to the extent that holes appear when an the garment is next washed or cleaned. Exposure to acids, such as in car batteries can also cause disintegration of fabrics.

Good first aid for stains is to blot up the staining substance at once. Don't rub a stain. This may make it penetrate further into the fibers and may damage the fabric surface. Consult a stain removal guide or call your drycleaner before attempting further action at home. And never return a stained garment to the closet. Spots and stains can set with age, and food spills attract insects, which can do permanent damage.

Getting the Most from drycleaning
If you have been alert at the time of purchase and careful while wearing your clothes, you can help your drycleaner to 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 drycleaning process.

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 its with several pieces and any accessories, such as belts, should all be cleaned at the same time to avoid any color discrepancies resulting from cleaning.

Knits that have shrunk can often be shaped back to size if you ask for this service. Sizing, which is applied during manufacture to give a garment body or shape, can be removed after one or more cleanings, as can water repellent and spot repellent finishes. These finishes can be re-applied if you ask your cleaner to do so. Your cleaner can also provide professional repairs and alterations, garment storage, and other clothes care services.

After Cleaning
You may not always be completely satisfied with the way your clothes come back from the cleaner, even if you have followed our suggestions. Look at your drycleaned clothes as soon as they are returned to you and point out any problems right away. Some problems may be curable, such as a spot that was missed or an inadequate pressing job. Some wools and synthetics may show pilling, the appearance of tiny balls on the fabric surface. Cleaning may increase their number, but sometimes your cleaner can remove them.

Although drycleaning does prolong their Iife, clothes, like people, eventually show their age, and some problems the cleaner can do nothing about.

Fluorescent brighteners, 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 following section carefully.