Alterations Tips

Shortening Trousers: To Cuff or Not to Cuff

Whether you buy a suit, or just a pair of trousers, you’ll probably need them to be altered.  Even the seemingly fully proportioned “off the rack” trousers that are 34 inches (86.36 centimetres), really need to be 33 inches to fit you well.  You can go with the too-long pants, but everyone notices this.

It’s better to get them tailored properly.  It doesn’t cost all that much and it is well worth it. For the unhemmed trousers, they usually run 38 inches long and have no hem on them.

Cuffs or Not?

Your first consideration is to decide whether or not you want them cuffed.

Cuffed pants are very traditional and often provided additional weighting to them, making them drape nicely, giving you a clean and classic look.  If the trousers are pleated, you should probably cuff the hem.

When measuring to see where the cuffs should be placed, make sure you have the trousers placed properly around your waist.  Pleated pants are to be worn at your natural waistline, not dropped like you might wear blue jeans.

If your trousers are the slim unpleated front look, you may want to consider continuing this clean line by going with an uncuffed hem.  This style of slack does not need the added weight at the hem to drape properly.

Break

A trouser without a break (a bend in the front crease at ankle height) is called a “flood”.  We sometimes call them “high waters”.  This is not a very popular choice as it usually looks as if you’ve outgrown your trousers.

A Half-break is a smaller break where the back of the pant hem ends about ½ to 2/3 of the way down the shoe.  This allows a peek of your socks when you walk.  This is a nice look, showing the slightest of breaks where the cuff or hem of your slacks hits your shoe.

Full-break hems or cuffs your trousers at the very bottom of your shoe (at the top of the heel section). This will create a much more pronounced break at the front of your trousers.  No sign of your socks should show when you walk in these trousers.

The best thing about Greener Cleaner’s FREE dry cleaning pickup and delivery service is that you will never have to carry your repairs and alterations around in your car again. We come to you! Just pick up the phone and give me a Call on 1300 796 776 or go here and sign-up online!

Your Neighbourhood Dry Cleaner,

Kris Anderson

www.willoughbydrycleaner.com.au

P.S. Call me at 1300 796 776 or go here and get signed up! Remember it doesn’t cost any more to have us pick up and deliver your dry cleaning. Put your dry cleaning out and fill it up with as many clothes as you can for the $10-Dollars-Off special.

Greener Cleaner services include:

• Professional dry cleaning, laundry and alteration.

• Shoe repair of heels, heel caps and soles.

• Offer free pick-up and delivery service.

Greener Cleaner has a number of vans on the road to provide FREE door to door services. We provide the best quality cleaning services and timely delivery throughout Sydney.

The best thing about Greener Cleaner’s FREE dry cleaning pickup and delivery service is that you will never have to worry about getting stains out of your clothes again. Just pick up the phone and give me a Call on 1300 796 776 or go here and sign-up online!

Your Neighbourhood Dry Cleaner,

Kris Anderson

www.willoughbydrycleaner.com.au

P.S. Call me at 1300 796 776 or go here and get signed up! Remember it doesn’t cost any more to have us pick up and deliver your dry cleaning. Put your dry cleaning out and fill it up with as many clothes as you can for the $10-Dollars-Off special.

This is a continuation from last week’s blog…

5. Use quality products

Laundry: Have a variety of quality cleaning products available on hand to do the best job. If you have woollens to clean, use wool wash. Pay a little extra to have washing liquid (not powder) with added oxidizing or enzymes formula. This will save you money and time on repeat washes and have brighter clothes.

Life: Use the right tools for the task at hand. The time and money invested in an education, a reliable car, or simply a replacement for that leaky sink pays dividends in the long run. Don’t skimp when it counts.

6. Set yourself up for success.

Laundry: Don’t try to machine wash a dry clean or hand wash only garment, because you’ll either ruin it or decrease its lifespan significantly. The small investment of taking the garment to the dry cleaner (or hanging it on the porch for pickup) saves you time and money in the long run.

Life: Look at your life’s bigger picture, have goals and don’t get bogged down or distracted by wolves in sheep’s’ clothing. Trust reliable people at Greener Cleaner who have Eco Friendly experience in cleaning clothes and they will always do the right thing by you, I promise.

We’d love to hear your time saving tricks, whether they’re for laundry or for life. Join the conversation in the comments below!

The best thing about Greener Cleaner’s FREE dry cleaning pickup and delivery service is that you will never have to worry about getting stains out of your clothes again. Just pick up the phone and give me a Call on 1300 796 776 or go here and sign-up online!

Your Neighbourhood Dry Cleaner,

Kris Anderson

www.willoughbydrycleaner.com.au

P.S. Call me at 1300 796 776 or go here and get signed up! Remember it doesn’t cost any more to have us pick up and deliver your dry cleaning. Put your dry cleaning out and fill it up with as many clothes as you can for the $10-Dollars-Off special.

This is a continuation from last week’s blog…

3. Just say no.

Laundry: If you do the shopping in your family, you may be familiar with the following scenario. You find a shirt you love, but then you check the care tag, and it’s hand wash only. If, in your household, hand wash translates into dirty because you don’t have time to deal with the delicates, just say no. Don’t buy the shirt if it’s going to be imprisoned in the dirty pile.

Life: Be realistic about your lifestyle. Don’t make promises to others or to yourself that experience shows you won’t keep, such as “I’ll do the hand washing more often.” If you don’t have time to volunteer for a charity or dog sit for a neighbour, just say no. It’s much harder to turn down an opportunity or disappoint a friend than it is to leave that shirt in the store and walk away. But if you can harness the power of saying no, both your laundry pile and your stress level will shrink.

4. Separate systematically.

Laundry: It’s impossible to keep the occasional white sock from becoming pink, but everyone (except for maybe college freshmen) knows that it’s essential to separate laundry into whites and colours. Pay attention to when mistakes happen, and set up a system to take the socks out from inside the pant leg before those socks become pink.

Life: Just like a red shirt can ruin a white sock, tension from work can damage your personal life, and vice versa. Overlaps are inevitable, but the right systems and policies can help. Set a work email curfew for when you’re home, or a Facebook browsing limit for when you’re at work. If you work with friends or family members, establish policies for when it’s appropriate to talk in certain tones or about certain subjects. Systematic separation between work and home keeps life clean.

The best thing about Greener Cleaner’s FREE dry cleaning pickup and delivery service is that you will never have to worry about getting stains out of your clothes again. Just pick up the phone and give me a Call on 1300 796 776 or go here and sign-up online!

Your Neighbourhood Dry Cleaner,

Kris Anderson

www.willoughbydrycleaner.com.au

P.S. Call me at 1300 796 776 or go here and get signed up! Remember it doesn’t cost any more to have us pick up and deliver your dry cleaning. Put your dry cleaning out and fill it up with as many clothes as you can for the $10-Dollars-Off special.

Ever catch yourself wishing there were 25 (or 52) hours in the day? Ever sleep too little and feel behind too much?

Rest assured, you’re not alone. However, there are simple ways to save time, increase productivity, and live a more tranquil (or at least slightly less hectic) life. Of course, here at Greener Cleaner, we think of these stress reducing tips in terms of laundry.

Without further ado, our 5 ways that doing the laundry right can teach us about reducing everyday stress:

1. Avoid wrinkles.

Laundry: Ironing clothes that should not have become wrinkled at all is a huge time waster.  Avoid this by taking clothes out of the dryer immediately, or hanging up a garment instead of throwing it in a pile if you’re planning on wearing it again.

Life: You can do little things to prevent wrinkles from forming in your life. Take your car for scheduled maintenance to prevent a breakdown later. Keep a running list of groceries to avoid last minute omissions. Little inconveniences now save life-ironing time later.

2. Pre-treat invisible stains.

Laundry: In our last post, we explained that even if a spill looks like it dries away, sometimes it’s just waiting to reappear under the heat of the laundering process.  These sneaky spots are known as invisible stains. Avoid them by dealing with the stain as soon as it happens, or marking it for pre-treatment.

Life: Take care of the little spills in your life immediately to prevent permanent problems down the road. For example, if you make a mistake at work, it’s tempting to dishonestly cover it up, just like blotting out a stain with a napkin and forgetting about it. But that mistake, like the stain, will come back later to haunt you. Owning up to a spill now saves a stain later.

The best thing about Greener Cleaner’s FREE dry cleaning pickup and delivery service is that you will never have to worry about getting stains out of your clothes again. Just pick up the phone and give me a Call on 1300 796 776 or go here and sign-up online!

Your Neighbourhood Dry Cleaner,

Kris Anderson

www.willoughbydrycleaner.com.au

P.S. Call me at 1300 796 776 or go here and get signed up! Remember it doesn’t cost any more to have us pick up and deliver your dry cleaning. Put your dry cleaning out and fill it up with as many clothes as you can for the $10-Dollars-Off special.

Before you start to holler about your dry cleaner, spouse, child, or pet monkey for ruining your favourite shirt, stop and read this blog post: you may be the victim of an invisible stain.

What is an invisible stain?

The scenario:  you spill a drop of soda on your cashmere sweater. At first, it looks like it’s the end of the sweater. However, a few minutes later, the stain has dried up and disappeared. Whew, you think, that was lucky!

Think again. The stain is still there, it has just become invisible. Which is not a problem…until the garment is exposed to heat in the dryer or under the iron. The heat makes oil stains oxidize and sugar stains caramelize, turning your invisible stain into a dark eyesore.

How can I get rid of invisible stains?

Once these stains are set under heat, it’s very difficult to remove them. So the best way to get rid of invisible stains is to prevent them.

If you spill something, tackle the stain immediately, even if it appears to have disappeared when it’s dry. Don’t just throw your garment in the laundry pile because it looks ok right now. You’ll be sorely disappointed when you take your clothes out of the dryer or pick them up from the cleaner and, voila, there’s a mystery stain.

If you’re taking your clothes to a dry cleaner, go as soon as you can, and tell the cleaner that there may be a stain. That way, the cleaner can remove the stain before any solvent or heat brings it back to life.

If you’re washing your clothes at home, pay special attention to the possibly stained garment. It’s essential that you remove the cause of the stain before the garment comes in contact with heat.

If you miss an invisible stain, and it’s now visible, you’re probably going to need expert help removing it. An expert at Greener Cleaner dry cleaners in Sydney is a good bet, but there’s no guarantee.

The best thing about Greener Cleaner’s FREE dry cleaning pickup and delivery service is that you will never have to worry about getting stains out of your clothes again. Just pick up the phone and give me a Call on 1300 796 776 or go here and sign-up online!

Your Neighbourhood Dry Cleaner,

Kris Anderson

www.willoughbydrycleaner.com.au

P.S. Call me at 1300 796 776 or go here and get signed up! Remember it doesn’t cost any more to have us pick up and deliver your dry cleaning. Put your dry cleaning out and fill it up with as many clothes as you can for the $10-Dollars-Off special.

P.S. Have you ever come in contact with an invisible stain? Share your horror and success stories in our comments.

1. Mud. Let the mud dry before you try to clean it. Once dry, shake the item to get the loose pieces of dried mud off and follow up with a hand-held vacuum, if possible. Next, cover the stain with a stain removal product or an eco-friendly detergent and let the item sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Then fill your sink or tub with water and soak the item for an additional 10 to 15 minutes. Scrub the stain with your fingers or a brush to remove as much of the stain as you can. Continue soaking the item if you can’t get the whole stain out. If it’s a really bad stain, apply more stain removal product and let it sit for 15 more minutes. Finally, wash the item in your washing machine with liquid detergent.

2. Grass. Grass stains can be the toughest to get out once they’ve set, but there are several ways to remove them and you can even do it naturally. One popular method (but NOT for wool or silk items) is to pat the stain with rubbing alcohol, let sit, and then gently blot the alcohol off. Repeat a few times for stubborn stains. After washing the item in detergent, remove it and inspect the stain; if the item goes into the dryer before the stain is removed, the stain will set and it will be impossible to get out later. Another natural method is to use white vinegar mixed equal parts with warm water. Soak the stain in the solution and rub the area and allow the vinegar solution to sink into the fabric before machine washing.  Again, check the stain before drying.

3. Rust. Place your item on a towel and saturate the stain with lemon juice. For this technique, it is important not to rub the stain, just allow the lemon juice to soak into the stain and voila! Another easy method is to again use the white vinegar and water solution to soak and then blot the stain out.

4. Pollen. Take the garment with the pollen stain outside and gently shake it to remove as much loose pollen as you can.  Next, take the sticky side of a piece of tape (or sticky lint remover), place it over the stain and carefully pull it up, removing additional loose particles.  Another way you to achieve the same effect is to rinse the item from behind with cold water so that the loose particles go down the drain.  Be very careful not to rub the stain into the garment.  Once you have completed the above, soak the garment in cold water for 30 minutes, then apply stain remover and launder.

What other kinds of stains do you encounter when you’re gardening? Let us know, and we’ll have an expert reply from the best dry cleaners in Sydney – Greener Cleaner dry cleaners!

The best thing about Greener Cleaner’s FREE dry cleaning pickup and delivery service is that you will never have to worry about getting stains out of your clothes again, I promise. Just pick up the phone and give me a Call on 1300 796 776 or go here and sign-up online!

Your Neighbourhood Dry Cleaner,

Kris Anderson

www.willoughbydrycleaner.com.au

P.S. Call me at 1300 796 776 or go here and get signed up! Remember it doesn’t cost any more to have us pick up and deliver your dry cleaning. Put your dry cleaning out and fill it up with as many clothes as you can for the $10-Dollars-Off special.

When disaster strikes on your precious garments, quick attention with a little home remedying are often your best defences to removing stains successfully. But before treating any stains you must first ask yourself “What type of stain do you have?” Different types of stains must be treated differently for effective stain removal. But for all types of stains, treat them as quickly as possible. The fresher the stain, the more likely it will come clean. And remember to never rub a stain; blot, blot, blot. If the garments are labelled “dry clean only,” however, the job is best left to the professionals at Greener Cleaner dry cleaner and laundry in Sydney

Wine

• Soak tough stains for 30 minutes in 1 litre of warm water and 1 teaspoon enzyme pre-soak product like NapiSan.
• Launder the garment with detergent in the hottest water that is safe for the fabric. Do not use soap (bar, flake or detergents containing natural soap), which can make the stain permanent or at least more difficult to remove.

Coffee and Tea

• Saturate the stain with a pre-treatment stain remover.
• Lay the stained area down on a couple layers of paper towels and blot the backside of the stain with a heavy-duty liquid detergent. This will help the stain leech out onto the towels. Follow by laundering the garment using detergent — not soap — in the hottest water safe for the fabric. (Soap can make stain permanent or at least more difficult to remove.)
• If the stain remains, take it to a dry cleaner.

Chocolate

• Lay the stained area down on a couple layers of paper towels and blot the backside of the stain with a heavy-duty liquid detergent. This will help the stain leech out onto the towels. Launder according to fabric care label.
• If the stain remains, take it to your dry cleaner.

Chewing Gum

• Place garment in plastic bag and put in freezer.
• Scrape off frozen gum.
• If residue remains, blot with oil solvent or mineral spirits.
• Rinse with isopropyl alcohol; let dry.
• Follow up with an enzyme detergent before washing.

Lipstick

• Gently scrape off excess lipstick.
• Using an eyedropper, apply a dry solvent such as mineral spirits and tamp with a soft-bristled brush.
• Rinse with isopropyl alcohol and tamp.
• Repeat until all of stain is removed.
• Once removed, spray area with diluted dishwashing-soap solution.
• Follow up with an enzyme detergent before washing.

Perspiration

• Soak the garment in warm vinegar water prior to washing.

Blood

• Spray diluted dishwashing-soap solution on stain, and let sit.
• Rinse in tepid water.
• If stain remains, follow up with an enzyme detergent and wash according to label instructions.

Grass

• Apply a dry solvent such as mineral spirits to stain.
• Press with cheesecloth; tamp with a soft-bristled brush.
• Repeat to remove as much of the stain as possible.
• Rinse with isopropyl alcohol, let dry.
• Follow up with an enzyme detergent before washing.

Ink

• For fabrics that will not be damaged by alcohol, blot rubbing alcohol directly on the stain; let sit and then wash according to label instructions.
• If ink stain is on coloured fabric, soak it in milk overnight and then wash according to label instructions.

If the stains are particularly pesky, visit Greener Cleaner dry cleaner and laundry in Sydney and trust the trained stain removal specialists with the task of making your clothes look as good as new!

Just pick up the phone and give me a Call on 1300 796 776 or go here and sign-up online for FREE home PickUp and Delivery!

Your Neighbourhood Dry Cleaner,

Kris Anderson

www.willoughbydrycleaner.com.au

P.S. Call me at 1300 796 776 or go here and get signed up! Remember it doesn’t cost any more to have us pick up and deliver your dry cleaning. Put your dry cleaning out and fill it up with as many clothes as you can for the $10-Dollars-Off special.

Getting Grass Stains Out of Uniforms

You are either an athlete who enjoys frequent contact with the grass on a ball field, or you’re the parent of someone who is. Either way, you have grass stain issues on a regular basis.

Grass is one of the most stubborn stains there is because of the chlorophyll in the blades, which acts as a dye. They sometimes take more than one washing to get rid of them. Follow these tips and the stains will not be permanent. Grass stains are easier to remove from synthetic fabrics than they are from cotton or wool.

• Reach first for a stain removal pre-wash treatment like Shout. Pre-treat the stain, soaking the area completely with the solution. Scrub it with a terry-cloth cloth to make sure you get it deep into the fibres of the fabric. Allow this to sit for at least one hour. Wash as usual with your normal detergent.
• A second method is to soak the garments in an enzyme cleaner like Nappysand, or Oxiclean. Soak for at least two hours prior to laundering. Best results are obtained when the garments are allowed to soak overnight. For the most stubborn of stains, make a paste out of the powder with a little bit of water and rub it directly into the stained portion of the garment. Launder as usual.
• Some people use vinegar to remove grass stains, washing them with a vinegar and water solution in a 1:2 ratio. For deeply ground in grass stains, use vinegar full-strength. Rub it into the garment and let it work for two to three hours before laundering as usual.
• For a really stubborn stain, it may be time to visit your friendly local dry-cleaner. They have special cleaning products, some of which target grass stains specifically.
• Now you can watch the game without cringing every time that uniform hits the ground!

Laundering Checklist

• When you’re ready to throw a load of laundry into your washer at home, here are a few things to look for.
• Check for loose buttons or embellishments and secure prior to laundering.
• Check pockets, not only for loose change, but what you find you get to keep…that’s the rule in our house, if it’s in the laundry and you left money in the pocket, the one doing laundry keeps it as a tip.
• Check your children’s pockets too. A single crayon overlooked managed to make it all the way into the dryer where it made beautiful turquoise streaks on a whole load of white dress shirts.
• Pre-treat all spots and stains prior to laundering. It’s what we do for you when you bring your clothes in here. You must do the same.

The best thing about Greener Cleaner’s FREE dry cleaning pickup and delivery service is that you will never have to worry about getting stains out of your clothes again. Just pick up the phone and give me a Call on 1300 796 776 or go here and sign-up online!

Your Neighbourhood Dry Cleaner,

Kris Anderson

www.willoughbydrycleaner.com.au

P.S. Call me at 1300 796 776 or go here and get signed up! Remember it doesn’t cost any more to have us pick up and deliver your dry cleaning. Put your dry cleaning out and fill it up with as many clothes as you can for the $10-Dollars-Off special.

Caring for Your Lingerie

Lingerie is one of the most decadent purchases you will ever make.  In order to luxuriate in that decadence a bit longer, let’s talk about how to take care of these items.

Dry cleaning is the probably the best way to keep your lingerie in top-top condition, especially if the care tag recommends dry cleaning.  If it allows hand washing, you have the choice of either dry cleaning them or hand washing them. We do understand if you live in a small town you may be a little shy, so we’ll give you a few tips on how to care for your lingerie in-between dry-cleanings.

Hand washing is how you will take care of these garments.  Use your hands, be careful and gentle. Never, ever put your lingerie into the washing machine.  Even the gentlest cycle can still result in snags and tears. When you hand wash your lingerie, use cold water so that you avoid shrinkage.

Use a mild lingerie soap or silk wash that is designed to be used in cool water.  Soak for about 25 minutes, drain and refill the sink with cool water and soak for an additional ten minutes. Using your hands to support the lingerie, lift them from the bottom and fold them over and over so that you remove all the soap from the fabric. One rinse should be enough, but you can repeat the rinse technique one more time to be sure that all the soap has been removed.

Never use bleach for your lingerie items.  It will ruin them. As with all wash, combine lights with lights and darks with darks so that you avoid discolouring your lighter coloured items. The best way to dry your lingerie is to first roll it in a towel to remove the majority of the water, then  place towels on a flat surface, and lay the garments on them flat to dry.  If you wish, you can use a warm iron while the garments are still slightly damp.

Lavender:

One of my favourite herbs is lavender because it can do so many things. Lavender has been used since ancient times, strewn on the floor to mask odors and to keep bugs away. Its name comes from “lavere” meaning “to wash”. Here are a few ways to use lavender.

• Make lavender sugar by blending sugar and dried fresh lavender from your garden.
• Use as a fragrance for massage oil by adding a few drops of essential oil to almond oil.
• Make sachets of lavender from your garden and place one inside your pillowcase to aid in a quiet, refreshing sleep. Place a sachet in your lingerie drawer to add fragrance to your lingerie as well as repel any lurking bugs.

The best thing about Greener Cleaner’s FREE dry cleaning pickup and delivery service is that you will never be embarrassed dropping off your dirty clothes at the dry cleaners again. Just pick up the phone and give me a Call on 1300 796 776 or go here and sign-up online!

Your Neighbourhood Dry Cleaner,

Kris Anderson

www.willoughbydrycleaner.com.au

P.S. Call me at 1300 796 776 or go here and get signed up! Remember it doesn’t cost any more to have us pick up and deliver your dry cleaning. Put your dry cleaning out and fill it up with as many clothes as you can for the $10-Dollars-Off special.