Don't Let Dry Cleaners Put You Through The Wringer
If you're a typical consumer you patronize a dry cleaner within 1 to 3 miles of your home, according to industry marketing studies.
And you probably haven't checked prices at establishments other than the one you use.
But dry-cleaning/laundry complaints rank No. 1, ahead of auto dealer complaints, at the Better Business Bureau, the only local agency that accepts them. From January through May of this year, the BBB received 259 dry-cleaning/ laundry complaints from a total of 1,727 for all categories. So maybe it would be wise to do some homework.
People don't realize "the emotions of dry cleaning," says Emilie Adams, president and chief executive officer of the BBB.
"We don't take things to the cleaners that we don't like," Adams points out. "We take our favorite garments after we've spilled on them, and we expect them to last forever."
There are dozens of dry cleaners in the region, but we recently set out to help you do your homework. We found that you aren't likely to find a price list posted in most dry-cleaning shops. But if you call, dry cleaners are willing to quote prices over the phone as long as they aren't busy.
Of the dozen establishments we surveyed around the county, only one - The House of Kleen in West Seattle - reported posting a price list.
Among other findings:
-- Many dry cleaners offer discount specials. Some are advertised only in the store; others arrive as coupons in the mail.
Many are seasonal.
-- If you drop off items early in the morning, many cleaners offer same-day service at no extra charge. Otherwise the turn-around time is 2 or 3 days, unless a garment requires special treatment.
-- Calculating costs for drapes varies. Some cleaners charge by the square foot, others per panel seam-to-seam, per pleat or per pound.
Wedding gowns varied from $25 to more than $100, depending on decorations, detailing and length. Boxing for long-term storage is an added cost. In some locations payment is required before the gown is cleaned and boxed.
-- Some cleaners charge more for silk garments than other fabrics. There also may be an extra charge for white garments.
-- Sleeping bags vary from $7.50 to $16. Down sleeping bags cost more.
-- All 12 dry cleaners we surveyed use LeatherCare Inc. for leather garments.
When goods are damaged
Most consumers believe that if a cleaner damages a garment they'll be reimbursed what they paid for it, no matter how old it is.
Actually, consumers should think of their clothing as cars with speedometers. Dry cleaners use the National Fair Claims Adjustment Guide in settling claims. The guide considers a garment's original price, age and condition. The guide was developed by the Council of Better Business Bureaus and a number of trade associations, including the International Fabricare Institute, the National Retail Merchants Association, the National Association of Retail Clothiers and Furnishers and the American Home Economics Association.
-- If you have a dispute with a cleaner, ask the business to send the garment to the International Fabricare Institute. If that doesn't work, file a written complaint with the Better Business Bureau, 2200 Sixth Ave., Suite 828, Seattle 98121. Don't send the garment with your written complaint. You'll be told when to bring the garment in. The BBB, which has offered arbitration of dry-cleaning complaints since 1972, sends about 300 garments a year to the IFI for analysis.
If that analysis shows the dry cleaner was not at fault and the manufacturer gave the wrong cleaning directions, what happens then?
"We suggest the consumer go to the retailer, who in turn approaches the manufacturer," says Norman Oehlke of IFI.
However, when the IFI finds a continuing pattern of garments with problems, the association notifies the Federal Trade Commission, which has jurisdiction over care labels.
Inaccurate care labels do cause many of the problems, says Deborah Rechnitz of the Washington State Drycleaners Association.
But the word in the industry is that 20 percent of the dry cleaners are responsible for 80 percent of the problems. Many make the same mistakes again and again.
These cleaners usually are not members of IFI or the state association and they don't attend seminars to learn new care methods, Rechnitz says.
Special problems
Not all stains can be removed and some aren't apparent until after cleaning. For instance, pop or champagne, which contain sugar, can leave a residue on clothing that doesn't appear until after it's cleaned.
Sun ages drapery fabrics and they can shred after cleaning.
There are some problems related to fabrics, too.
Rings, streaks and swales, or swirled lines, can develop in some rayons, says Crish Lind, vice president of operations for the BBB. The industry has developed a warning poster about this problem.
Silk presents some special problems. Hair spray, perfume, deodorant and toothpaste won't come out in the dry-cleaning process. Lind recommends that consumers not wipe or brush silk that's had something spilled on it because the motion will raise the fibers and make the fabric look different.
Then there are the disappearing colored stripes on men's shirts. Rechnitz said some stripes are made of dyes that disappear when certain ingredients are used in laundering. A change in washing formula can solve that problem.
But there was no solution for the case of the disappearing polka dots. The care label on a group of garments said dry clean. But when cleaners followed those directions, the polka dots disappeared.
Metallic fabrics are another problem. In some cases the metallic finish is worn off before the garment reaches the dry cleaner.
Some other words of warning: Don't assume your dry cleaner has deep pockets and insurance that will pay.
Cleaners cannot obtain insurance to cover mishandling of garments or mysterious disappearances, says Steven Ritt, president of LeatherCare Inc. They are insured for theft by forced entry or damage by fire.
Shelby Gilje's Troubleshooter column appears Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday in the Scene section of The Times. Do you have a problem? Write to Times Troubleshooter, P.O. Box 70, Seattle, WA 98111. Include copies, not originals, of documents indicating payment, guarantees, contracts and other relevant materials.
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10 TIPS ON HOW TO COME CLEAN
1. Before you buy a garment, check the care label. There are clothes with labels that say, "Cannot be washed or dry-cleaned." These are "nonserviceable garments."
2. Call the Better Business Bureau's electronic voice file, 448-6222, to check on a dry cleaner. Ask friends for recommendations.
3. If you are concerned about a garment, ask if it can be tested before it is cleaned.
4. Read and follow the garment's care label. The preferred care method usually is listed first. If the label says "dry-clean or wash," it's best to dry-clean. Be consistent. Don't go back and forth between cleaning and washing.
5. If you spill something on clothing, take it to the dry cleaner as soon as possible and explain what was spilled.
6. See that the counter person at the cleaner identifies and notes the spot on the garment and on your receipt.
7. Remove valuables and other items from pockets. A ballpoint pen left in a pocket or a garment lining can ruin an entire load of dry cleaning.
8. Always get a receipt from the cleaner.
9. Inspect clothing when you pick it up at the cleaner. If there are problems, discuss them immediately.
10. Keep receipts for major clothing because a garment's price and age are part of the calculation for reimbursement should a dry cleaner be found responsible for damage.
For more information:
-- Write the Better Business Bureau, 2200 Sixth Ave., Suite 828, Seattle 98121, and ask for brochures, including "Tips on Drycleaning," "Invisible Enemies of Your Draperies," "Understanding Your Leather and Suede Garments."
-- Write the Federal Trade Commission, 915 Second Ave., Room 2806, Seattle 98174, for copies of "Care Labels." A care label is required in most clothing sold in the United States.
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A SAMPLE OF DRY-CLEANING COSTS (1)
Silk Men's Trench Queen .
Company shell shirt Suits coat Slacks Blanket .
---------------------------------------------------------.
Ange's French Cleaners .
2000 Ninth Ave., Seattle .
$6.75 $1.95 $8.50m $12.50 $4.25 $11.00 .
10.50w .
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -.
Bakker's Fine Dry Cleaning .
215 Bellevue Way N.E., Bellevue .
8.50 1.61 10.90 11.35 5.75 11.20 .
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -.
Beacon Hill Drycleaners .
4850 Beacon Ave. S., Seattle .
5.70 1.37 8.15 8.50 3.95 9.50 .
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -.
Campus Drycleaners .
1907 S.W. Campus Drive, Federal Way .
5.00 1.20 7.00 8.50 3.50 9.00 .
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -.
Faulkenbury & Wright .
501 Denny Way, Seattle .
8.40 1.60 10.80 12.60 5.60 16.20 .
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -.
Four Seasons Cleaners Ltd. .
7800 Sunset Hwy. S.E., Mercer Island .
7.2 1.50 9.90 12.20 5.20 13.40 .
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -.
The House of Kleen .
4425 Fauntleroy Ave. S.W., Seattle .
5.50 1.45 8.29 8.75 4.20 weigh .
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -.
LeatherCare Inc. .
901 Elliott Ave. W., Seattle .
7.00 1.35 7.75 9.50 4.25 8.75 .
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -.
Lep's Dry Cleaners & Laundry .
2301 S. Jackson St., Seattle .
4.70 1.30 7.35 9.00 3.45 varies .
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -.
Sav-On Discount Drycleaning .
3008 N.E. 127th St., Seattle .
3.50 1.19 6.50 6.95 2.95 14.00 .
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -.
VIP Cleaners .
22810 100th Ave. W., Edmonds .
5.00 1.35 7.95 12.50 4.25 varies .
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -.
Washington One Hour Cleaners .
9180 Rainier Ave. S., Seattle .
4.50 1.50 6.95m 7.50 3.50 16.00 .
4.75w .
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -.
Source: Compiled by Madeline McKenzie and Cheryl Morningstar, Times staff
(1) Excluding tax m=men's w=women's