Frequently Asked Quesions

You might find the anwers to your most common questions in this list, if you don't see a question that you'd like answered, please email us!

Q.        Can I store clothes in the plastic bags provided by the cleaners?

A.        Plastic does not breathe and can therefore trap in moisture, which deposits on to your garments.  The cleaners, to provide protection for the garments during transportation from the store, provide these bags.  Clothes should be stored in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area.  Never store clothes in a basement or attic.

      Q.        How important is it to follow the care labels?

A.        Following the care labels on each garment is very important.  These labels are provided by the manufacturer on the best possible care for your garment.  Going against these instructions could cause irreversible damage to your clothes.

      Q.       Will drycleaning shrink my clothes?

A.        The drycleaning process is carefully controlled by a professionally trained cleaner.  Improper preshrinking by the manufacturer usually causes excessive shrinkage.

      Q.        Does frequent drycleaning shorten the life of a garment?

A.        On the contrary, frequent cleaning prolongs the life of a garment.  Not only do stains set with age, but ground in dirt and soil act as an abrasive causing the rapid wear of fibers.  In addition, insects are attracted to soiled clothes and can cause further damage.

Q.        Why can the cleaners not remove all stains?

A.        Even the best cleaners cannot remove certain stains.  The nature and age of the stain, plus the color and construction of the fabric sometimes make stains impossible to remove without damage to the garment.

Q.        Should I use hairspray to remove a ballpoint ink stain?

A.        Hairspray and water can remove ballpoint ink, but you may be trading one problem for another. That’s because hairspray could contain alcohol and oils such as resins and lanolin. The alcohol in the hairspray can cause color damage especially on silk; likewise, oils and other ingredients could lead to additional stains.

Q.        Should I store my clean garments in the plastic bag they are returned in?

A.        No, the bags are provided by the cleaner to protect the garments until you get them home. It is best to store garments uncovered or in fabric garment bags.

Q.        How can I remove stains caused by crayons?

A.        Crayon stains appear as built up, shiny and stiff stains in a variety of colors. Normally, drying--not washing--will cause these kinds of stains. Your first discovery of the stains will occur when you open the dryer door to find otherwise clean clothes covered with a myriad of colored stains. The stains appear after drying because the heat from drying melts the crayon material. The easiest way to solve this problem is to take the garments to your drycleaner, who usually can remove them by running the garments through a dry cleaning machine. If any of the stains remain after cleaning, they can generally be removed by your drycleaner through traditional stain removal procedures.

Q.        What about ring around the collar and broken buttons on my shirts?

A.        You won’t experience these problems with Southside Cleaners shirt service. We go out of our way to make sure that collars are bright and buttons are in place. We are so sure of our quality “we guarantee it”!