Sometimes customers come in desperate for help. We share their concerns, and don't take the trust they place in us lightly.
Recently one of our regular customers came into the shop, wearing an uncharacteristic frown. She pulled a fancy white shirt out of her bag and said, "I know it looks bad, but it's one of my favorite shirts. Do you think anything can be done?" She told me that the large stain on the front of the shirt was red wine, and it was about two weeks old. (You can choose your friends, and you can choose your clothes, but you can't choose how your friends treat your clothes!)
Further complicating things was the fact that the area covered by the stain was decorated in tiny silver sequins which were glued to the fabric. Removing tough stains like these requires a watchful eye and a delicate touch. I assured her that we would do our best to clean it, and she left the blouse with me.
Since stained garments often take extra time, we always get to work on them as soon as possible. I took the shirt to the back of the shop and began working on it. Choosing the correct cleaning solution is critical. There are many to choose from, and each is very good at removing a specific type of stain. With careful application of the solution, and monitoring the degree and amount of effort put into working the fabric, I was able to completely remove the stain without damaging any of the sequins.
Sometimes it works out faster than you could hope for! We finished washing the shirt by hand, and dried it hanging over a fan. We called the customer to let her know that her shirt would be ready for pick up the very next day. She was clearly delighted to hear from us, and even more so when she saw the shirt the next morning. I was happy to send her off with her favorite shirt, now fully restored and ready to wear again. It may sound cheesy, but moments like these make the practice of dry cleaning all the more rewarding.
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