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The Dilemma

Imagine getting home from the dry cleaners and taking off the plastic covering your clothes and noticing a hole or tear in one of your shirts. You’re likely to be angry and most immediately you’re probably going to blame your dry cleaner for ruining your clothes. Problems with garments do happen at even the best cleaners. So what happened here? At first glance it would appear that the shirt was carelessly handled and was somehow torn on a press or other type of equipment. That is exactly what the owner of this shirt believed. He was outraged because his linen shirt was relatively new and he had only worn it a few times.

The Culprit

Deodorants and antiperspirants contain many chemicals including aluminum chloride, alcohol and fragrances. (Also include tanning creams, perfumes, hair and insect sprays and many other hygienic products). When these active ingredients, which happen to be quite acidic, bond with your sweat, they can stain, weaken and ruin your clothes.  Cotton, linen, rayon and some synthetic blends are especially susceptible to stains and damage from aluminum chloride. Your dry cleaner has no way of knowing that your underarm fabric is becoming weakened until the effects are visible, often AFTER the item is cleaned.

How to Avoid this Type of Damage

You might consider changing to an underarm product that is labeled “natural” and doesn’t contain aluminum and has a neutral PH. Check out this list from Goodhousekeeping.com. After showering, wait until your skin is completely dry before applying deodorant and then apply a very thin layer and allow it to completely dry before putting on your clothes. Another solution, although not as popular as they once were, wearing an inexpensive undershirt can very effectively protect your expensive dress shirts from stains and premature aging. Disposable underarm shields are another product that can help protect your clothing. Finally, washing your shirts as soon as possible helps remove the product from the garment. Keeping soiled clothing in hot cars before your trip to the dry cleaners can make the matter even worse, so again clean sooner than later.

We’re On Your Side

As a quality cleaner, we know your clothing is important and a big investment of both time and money. We’re always looking for ways to extend the life of your clothing. We feel your pain when a favorite item is damaged and our goal is to give you a speedy resolution and keep you as a happy customer.

So What Happened with the Shirt Above?

It was sent to the National Center for Garment Analysis where lab experts carefully examine garments, test them and prepare an objective report on the cause and responsibility of the problem.  The report from the lab concluded that the hole in the shirt was caused by perspiration and antiperspirants and is not always visible prior to cleaning. Cellulose-based fibers, like linen are more susceptible to this type of damage. This chemical reaction degrades fibers virtually making them dissolve. (A link of the entire report is here.)

Photo ShannonBerrey.com

Laundry 101 for College Students

Laundry may not be the most exciting part of college, but just follow these simple tips to get high marks for clean clothes!

We know how tough chlorine, salt and sand can be on your swimwear. Finding a well fitted swim suit is quite a task, but once you’ve found one, take special care so it will last more than one season.  Here are a few tips to help you do that:

Quality Counts  This is where buying a well known brand can be especially important. More spandex is a good thing here…your suit will hold its shape longer. Also, alternate swimsuits.  Let your suit dry 24 hours before wearing it again.  Spandex is a memory yarn and needs time to return to its original shape. Pool Use  Chlorine is the main culprit here.  It’s a disinfectant, but it is also a BLEACH. Some fading can occur.  Be sure to rinse your suit with fresh water after you swim.  The same goes for hot tubs. Salt Water  Again, here’s where it’s important to rinse with fresh water after a dip in the ocean.  Salt water can deteriorate fabrics and dyes. The Sun  Sun changes your skin’s color so you can count on it having an effect on your swimsuit’s color as well. Be especially careful applying sunscreen and self tanners, they can change the color of your swimsuit. Watch Where You Sit  Scratchy pool decking, wooden lawn chairs and other rough surfaces can snag your suit and cause pilling which makes it look old and worn.  Take care to sit on a towel to save your seat. Dryer Beware  Nothing will wear out a suit faster than heat from a clothes dryer.  The heat will cause a breakdown of the elastic quality of your swimsuit.  If drying outdoors, be sure to hang in the shade.

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: March 4, Tuesday
Media Contact: Chris White, Executive Director

Westbank Dry Cleaning Named One of America’s Best Cleaners for 2014

Westbank Dry Cleaning is honored to have been selected for the sixth year as one of America’s Best Cleaners (ABC) for 2014. ABC is a national organization that recognizes the best dry cleaning establishments in major metropolitan areas throughout the United States. In order to be selected, Westbank Dry Cleaning had to meet strict criteria.

In order to be accepted as a Full Affiliate of the organization, Westbank Dry Cleaning was required to undergo on-site inspections by certified ABC representatives to determine if the company met minimum requirements of cleanliness, machinery equipment, stain removal and finishing quality. As one of only about 30 cleaners certified by ABC for 2014, Westbank Dry Cleaning will be also required to undergo monthly quality tests and quarterly mystery shopping reports, testing for customer service and quality as part of the most stringent certification in the dry cleaning industry.

“Full Affiliation with ABC, and the associated requirements, gives our customers the assurance that we are fully committed to continually exceeding their expectations of quality and service,” says Westbank Dry Cleaning owner, William Charnes. We know our customers expect top quality for their garments and we are proud to be part of this elite group of cleaners.

Westbank Dry Cleaning is a progressive, technologically advanced, environmentally conscious drycleaner. The company offers premium garment care, exceptional customer service, expert spot removal, hand pressing and finishing and thorough, personal inspection of every garment. ABC’s founder, Ed D’Elicio, commended Westbank Dry Cleaning for its cutting-edge technology, and stressed the importance of such attributes in the selection process, an essential component in sustaining ABC’s relationship with the fashion and garment industry, which has taken notice of the accreditation organization’s ability to act as a liaison between high-end clothiers, cleaners and clients.

For more information on the America’s Best Cleaners’ program, please visit http://www.americasbestcleaners.com
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About America’s Best Cleaners:
America’s Best Cleaners™ is an independent certification organization for the dry cleaning industry, dedicated to the continued excellence of the dry-cleaning industry. To that end, America’s Best Cleaners™ has devised and implements the toughest standards of quality in the dry cleaning industry. To assure dry-cleaning clients, designers, retailers, and manufacturers that they will receive the utmost professional care, America’s Best Cleaners’™ affiliates are inspected thoroughly and tested monthly and yearly with on-site inspections. America’s Best Cleaners™ also takes surveys of retailers and clients, secret shopping reports and we listen to you, the customer to ensure the continued quality of service for all affiliates.

Today we are thrilled to announce the 20 winners of our $2,500 dry cleaning giveaway.  Twenty people were randomly selected as $100 winners. From those twenty, (1) $500 winner was selected. The winners have been contacted and have received an in-store credit if they were existing Westbank customers. Those new to our business will receive a gift certificate in the mail. We’d like to thank everyone who entered our sweepstakes and helped make our 20th anniversary month so special.  We’re delighted to have grown our Facebook family and are honored to have such wonderful and loyal customers. Congratulations to all of the winners!
Below are the names:

Full Steam Ahead Approach Leads to Two Decades of Success; Westbank Dry Cleaning Celebrates 20th Anniversary

 This month officially marks our 20th anniversary in business in Austin, Texas.  Time sure does fly.  We remember preparing the store for the first day and wondering if anyone would bring us their clothing to clean!  We’re so grateful to the community for embracing us and trusting us with their wardrobes for two decades.  As a “thank you” to the community, we’re having a ribbon cutting ceremony and would love our friends and customers to attend.  The ceremony is Wednesday, April 24th, 2013 from 11:30-1:00 p.m. at our original location, 3300 Bee Caves Rd. Ste. 380, Austin, TX 78746.  The Westlake Chamber of Commerce will be officiating and owners William and Angie Charnes will be there to meet and greet guests. Finger foods, beverages and cake will be served.

View Full Press Release

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/4/prweb10620878.htm

Click here to view our 20th Anniversary Video:    http://youtu.be/zlquSvgnTAU

To top off our month-long celebration of our 20th anniversary, we’ve launched a sweepstakes through Facebook.  We’ve had several customers ask how to enter if you aren’t on Facebook.  We’ve added an option to do just that!  Go to this link: http://bit.ly/12RJXZ0 and you can enter to win one of the prizes…..One Grand Prize of $500 or one of 20 prizes of $100 in free cleaning at Westbank Dry Cleaning.  The contest ends at midnight, May 5th and winners will be chosen randomly May 9th and notified by email and phone.  *You must be at least 21 years old to win and Westbank Dry Cleaning employees and their immediate family are NOT eligible to win. Prize may not be combined with other offers or discounts.

In some parts of Texas there are still people who like the look of ultra-starched jeans and shirts. To starch or not to starch is a personal preference.  It’s important to know that not all clothing will react to starch in the same way.  Fabric thickness and weight determine starch saturation. Poly blends don’t absorb starch at the same rate as cotton shirts. Dark shirts do not respond as well to starch and will begin to develop a “shine” if overly saturated.  You should never starch a garment that is “wrinkle-free”.  Some people shy away from starch because they think it will make their clothing overly stiff, but that is not the case.  Adding some amount of starch provides crispness to the body of a garment and you’ll be less likely to develop a wrinkled shirt while wearing it over the course of a day.

Starch is a carbohydrate produced by all green plants as a source of energy. When mixed with warm water, it creates a thick, sticky paste. It’s used in the commercial laundry to stiffen fabrics. Starch is added to the actual wash cycle and then garments are actually dried when put on the press. The press gives shirts their shape and form.  Shirts that receive no starch in the actual wash cycle will feel stiffer than shirts washed and dried at home due to the heat from the metal press. If you prefer hand-finishing over machine finishing, then you should have your shirts processed on the dry cleaning side. 

Most ordinary cleaners starch their shirts with a cheap synthetic glue (it’s poly vinyl chloride commonly known as PVC). Synthetic starch adheres to your shirt’s fibers like a coat of paint and each time it is cleaned, another coat gets added. Corn starch is another alternative but the particles do not stick to fibers as well and doesn’t provide a lasting finish. At Westbank, we use a combination of fine natural and synthetic starches that dissolve immediately in water. The combination of the two starches allows for consistency and staying power so your shirt looks perfect every time.