After countless hours spent searching for your dream dress (not to mention the dollars spent), it’s only fair to give your gown a happily-ever-after too, right? Whether it’s because of the way it made you feel on your wedding day or the possibility of passing it down to your daughter or another family member in the future, preserving your wedding dress is the best way to maintain it’s color, fabric and shape.

What Is Wedding Dress Preservation?

This is a special cleaning and packaging techniques used to ensure your gown retains its beauty. A professional preservationist will survey your gown: the materials, embellishments and various stains, then formulate a specialized cleaning procedure. “Cleaning your gown is the single most important part of the preservation process and all the stains, including the hidden ones containing sugar that turn brown over time, must be removed,” says Sally Lorensen Conant, the executive director of the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists. You can usually wait until after the honeymoon to take your dress to a preservationist, but remember it’s better to take your gown in while the stains are fresh and not set in (especially if it’s stained with mud or red wine). “The longer you delay, the less likely all stains can be removed, and if you wait years, your gown will need restoration rather than just cleaning,” warns Conant. After cleaning, your gown is wrapped in acid-free tissue paper and placed in museum-quality archival box.

Finding a Preservationist

Before choosing a preservationist, do a little detective work. You’ll need to investigate where to take your gown for cleaning a few weeks before the wedding. That way, if your dress is stained badly or damaged on your wedding day, a family or bridal party member can take your dress to the preservationist for you so that you can make your honeymoon get-away. To make it super-easy, just call at 804-222-6979 or visit https://olddominioncleaners.com .  Old Dominion Cleaners will pick it up, clean your keepsake with great efficacy, and delivery it back to you in pristine condition.

Though many dry cleaners claim to clean wedding gowns, most are not specialists. Unless the dry cleaner you’re thinking of using processes more than 100 wedding gowns a year.  You want to make sure that the person taking care of your gown pays attention to detail and knows fabrics as well as how gowns are constructed.  Ask about the type of cleaning method used, do they hand clean and if they will pre-treat any stains and soiled. Also, find out if the company does the work on location or if they ship gowns elsewhere to be cleaned and packaged. Don’t rule a company out if they don’t work in-house, especially if they have good reviews.

Ask Questions

Ask your gown preservationist whether you must sign a release or disclaimer because these documents sometimes state that the company isn’t responsible for any damage done to the gown during the cleaning process. You will want to find someone who will guarantee every last bead and sequin. Next, ask if the company offers a warranty and how they will reimburse you if you find the gown to be damaged after a certain number of years. Read the fine print of the agreement: some companies will refund the preservation cost—not the replacement value of the dress. And consider it a red flag if they claim the warranty is void if you open the box. Finally, beware of companies that give quotes over the phone—different materials and stains require specialized care. Your gown will receive the best care if it’s individually inspected before a price is given.

Wedding Dress Cleaning Techniques

Some gown specialists use the wet cleaning method, which consists of gently washing the gown by hand with gentle cleansers that remove noticeable stains and unseen stains, such as champagne and sugar. If left untreated, unseen stains can oxidize and turn yellow over time. Other companies use a more traditional dry-cleaning method, which involve pre-treating the stains and then placing the garment in a dry-cleaning machine. “The solvent in the machine should be safe for fragile decorations, and these should be protected with muslin during the cleaning cycle or removed before cleaning and re-sewn onto your gown afterward,” says Conant. Solvents such as perchloroethylene (perc for short) or petroleum-based cleansers are used as stain removers. Petroleum-based solvents aren’t as aggressive as perc, and they’re also not as powerful in stain removal, but, due to its high oil content, petroleum nourishes certain fabrics and can give them a lovely sheen.

Pristine Packaging

The correct packaging materials are utterly imperative for guaranteeing the life of your gown. And all storage materials should be clean and completely acid-free. After the cleaning process, your preservationist will wrap your dress in acid-free paper or muslin, then place in an acid-free or pH-neutral box, which allow the gown to breathe and adjust with changing temperatures. Some boxes feature a viewing window: a clear panel designed so you can see your gown without opening the box. If your box features a window, look for acetate rather than plastic, and keep the box out of direct light, which can yellow the fabric over time. Some companies utilize boxes with Coroplast, a specially designed plastic known for its durability.

Handling Your Wedding Dress

While some companies choose to seal the box to keep out insects and vermin, others say sealing is unnecessary, if the gown is packaged correctly. If you do open the box, remember to use discretion when handling the dress.  We recommends wearing clean white cotton gloves (which many preservationists provide to you), but at a minimum be sure to wash your hands first. “There is no inherent reason why you cannot open your gown. Talk to your preservationist about including other item such as jewelry and shoes to you box. It may not be the best idea depending on the type of materials you’ll want to include, but your professional will have an opinion on how to store properly.

Money Matters

Fabric, decoration, ornamentation and degree of stain damage determine the preservation price of a gown. “Your heavily beaded silk ball gown will cost more than a simple polyester gown you wore on the beach, and you should never trust your designer gown to someone offering a bargain price. Saving a few dollars is simply not worth the risk of ruining your wedding dress. Expect to pay $100-$250 with Old Dominion Cleaners, though prices can go as high as $1,000 depending on the gown and location. Costs vary across the country, with higher prices in metropolitan areas.

Before & After

To help maintain the integrity of your gown, there are some things you should not do before sending it to be cleaned and preserved. First, don’t wrap your dress in plastic. This can seal in off-gassing vapors and trap moisture, inviting mold and mildew. Don’t hang your dress on an ordinary wooden or wire hanger—the weight of the dress will stretch and distort the weave of the fabric—try a plastic or padded hanger instead. Don’t try to clean the stains yourself —you risk setting them in the fabric. Once your gown is back from the preservationist, pay attention to storage. “Keep your dress in a cool, dark and dry environment with a relative humidity at 50 percent at all times. Most professionals agree that light and heat play the most damaging roles when it comes to gown preservation. As a guideline, store your preserved gown in a place where you would feel physically comfortable. That rules out a hot attic or damp basement. Under your bed or in a dry closet are your best bets.

Wedding Dress Preservation On a Budget

If you already spent most of your wedding budget, it is possible to preserve your wedding dress at home, though it won’t be perfect and may retain stains. Conant suggests, “Cloth or tyvek bags can offer short-term protection, but your gown should not hang for long periods of time, and a wedding chest provides more protection from sharp objects, smoke and from fire.” The acidic content of ordinary paper will literally scorch your gown. Don’t use colored tissue paper either. If the box accidentally becomes wet, it could stain your gown. For storage, professionals recommend wrapping the gown in pre-washed unbleached muslin, and then placing it in a sturdy box under your bed. That way, if you decide to preserve your gown down the road, it will be right there waiting for you.

For answers to more questions, visit us at olddominioncleaners.com

The Art Of Ironing

How do we iron hundreds of shirts?
One at a time.

We don’t have some huge, automated machine in the back ruthlessly ironing hundreds of shirts per minute all by itself.

The real magic at Old Dominion Cleaners is in skilled handwork. Our professional equipment lets us press more thoroughly, and, yes, a little faster, but not at lightning speed. At least, not if you care to do it right, which we do. We wouldn’t think of turning everything over to a machine. We insist on having your shirts cared for by a real person, carefully trained, who is really, really fussy.

You’d see for yourself if you watched us press a shirt. You’d see one of our people taking time to gingerly adjust and fuss by hand while doing the body of the shirt, and then resume fussing all over again using a special iron made just for collars and cuffs. Next, you’d see more hand-adjusting and fussing as your shirt was gently positioned, just so, on a soft, body-shaped cushion for perfect pressing.

The next step, “curing,” has no at-home equivalent. We use a special iron to smooth collars and make them perfectly round. Curing eliminates those annoying inside ridges, so the collar feels natural around the neck and folds nicely down for an even, finished look.

Even after all that, no shirt leaves our facility until one of our surest-eyed people inspects and passes it. Their job is to inspect every shirt—every single one—for the tiniest detail. On-the-spot, they use hand irons for touch-up. Most people have to squint to see what catches their trained eye. (When other cleaners call us nit picky, we take it as a compliment.)

Don’t let our fast turnaround fool you. With every shirt, we exercise the kind of care we think you’d want us to.

For answers to more frequently asked questions, visit us at .https;//olddominioncleaners.com

Laundry Starch-A Quick History.

People have been using starch for laundry purposes since at least the European Middle Ages. In those days, starchy materials (like bran) would be boiled in water, which would then be used to wash clothing. After the clothes dried, they would be polished with a tool called a “slickstone”, which was often made of rock but could be glass as well. Of course, this was a rather elaborate process, and actually having one’s garments starched was something of a luxury.

Nowadays, laundry starch is generally made from a mixture of vegetables, such as corn, potatoes, wheat, and/or tapioca. Some types can be added directly to washing machines along with the standard load of clothing, but dry cleaners will typically apply starch when pressing garments. All in all, starching has become far more simple and affordable, and nearly anyone can take advantage if they so desire.

For answers to more frequently asked dry cleaning questions, visit us at https://www.olddominioncleaners.com

Can I dry clean my drapes?

A beautiful collection of drapes can place the perfect accent on any room. But when covered with grease and grime, any drapes will detract immensely from your carefully chosen aesthetic. How can you keep yours looking fresh?

Dry cleaning offers the perfect solution. Don’t risk damage to your delicate fixtures – leave them in the hands of a qualified professional. Here’s what you need to know about dry cleaning drapes.

The Dry Cleaning Process

Unlike traditional machine cleaning, which uses hot water and detergents before tumble-drying, dry cleaning is a water-free process. Drapes, garments, and other items are soaked in a specialized cleaning fluid called “perc”, which simply dissolves oils and other blemishes. This process is extremely delicate on even the daintiest trimmings, and won’t cause color bleeding. Dry cleaning is also far less likely to cause shrinkage, due to impressing items with a significantly lower amount of agitation and heat (compared to regular machine washing).

Not All Drapes Are Equal!

While all fabrics are able to be dry cleaned, there are a few in particular that don’t generally do well in a standard wash – and would be much better off with a dry cleaner’s attention. These include:

• Wool – as a natural fiber, wool is highly susceptible to shrinking from the considerable heat and agitation of washing machines and dryers.
• Silk – water can actually stain silk quite easily, creating unsightly blemishes. And if that wasn’t enough, the fact that silk is another natural fiber means that (much like wool) it may shrink somewhat in a standard washer/dryer.
• Velvet – crushed velvet is the only machine-safe form of this fabric. Throw any other type of velvet in a washing machine, or try to iron out creases, and you’ll wind up with unfixable damage to the thread piles.
• Linen – although plain linen without any adornments won’t necessarily be damaged in a standard wash, it can come out with some color bleeding or unsightly wrinkles. Embellishments like lace will demand the gentle touch of a dry cleaner.

For answers to more frequently asked questions, visit: www.olddominioncleaners.com

How do you remove grease stains in laundry?

Most dry cleaners are familiar with the OTPR (oily type paint remover) Pyratex®, manufactured by Streets®, an outstanding stain remover and an industry staple for many years.  Pyratex® has the ability to quickly cut through exceptionally heavy stains such as grease, shoe polish, lipstick, paints and oils, just to name a few.  Today I have the opportunity to tell you about a new type of Pyratex® - Pyratex LV®, a virtually odorless, color friendly, leave on, no flush, OTPR, that will not affect the flash point in solvents. Now, I know what you are thinking, "Mike, it is your job to sell Pyratex LV®, so you may be a bit biased" and I am, but those customers of mine who have already purchased the new Pyratex LV® are seeing that this new product is finding a very useful place on their spotting board, right along side the Pyratex® they have been using for years and is making their jobs much easier. 

Just like the Pyratex® that dry cleaners have been using for generations, Pyratex LV® is formulated to take on the heavy-duty stains.  It can handle paint, oil and grease stains, as well as lipstick and cosmetics. It lubricates, lifts and suspends soils to prevent it from redepositing on fabrics.  It is virtually odorless.  Another nice aspect of the Pyratex LV® is the fact that it does not need to be flushed from fabrics when cleaning in perc, HFHC and LFHC.  It can be used effectively in D5 solvent, but will require flushing with steam, water or other flushing agents.  Even better, it does not need to be flushed in wetcleaning orlaundry.  Yes, that is right you can use Pyratex LV® in your wetcleaning and laundry. In fact for those of you using the "old" Pyratex, I would think of the new Pyratex LV as "Pyratex for laundry".

Dry cleaners know that one of the biggest challenges in laundry is the removal of food greases, oil stains, cosmetics, waxes and so on.  Washing and wetcleaning does an excellent job at removing water soluble soils, but the real challenge comes when faced with the solvent soluble soils in wash/wetcleaning.  Quite often a dry cleaner will take valuable time and added expense by first cleaning a garment in their dry cleaning machine to remove these oily type stains and then laundering them, that is if they can be dry cleaned.  However, by using Pyratex LV® as a pre-spotter, you can eliminate having to go to the dry cleaning machine to first remove grease stains before laundry. 

Pyratex LV® is sold by Streets®authorized distributors.  All ingredients are biodegradable.  It contains no Proposition 65 listed ingredients or halogenated compounds and is designed to comply with California 2015 VOC regulations. 

This leads me to the question, how do you remove grease stains in laundry and the answer is simple - you use Pyratex LV®!

For answers to more frequently asked dry cleaning question, visit us at www.olddominioncleaners.com

Old Dominion Cleaners makes contribution to Walk MS 2015

In full support of one of our loyal customers’ fundraising team, ODC made a contribution toward the Walk MS 2015.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system that disrupts the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and body. The cause of MS is still unknown – scientists believe the disease is triggered by as-yet-unidentified environmental factor(s) in a person who is genetically predisposed to respond. Learn more about MS and options for managing symptoms, treatments, coordination of healthcare, and living well with MS. Visit this link to contribute to the fight against MS and to learn more. http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR/Walk/VARWalkEvents?team_id=415312&pg=team&fr_id=25822

ODC makes contribution of Bob Books to early readers.

On December 3, Old Dominion Cleaners staff had the luxury of working hand in hand with a local baker and the Lakeside Elementary School staff to bring a fun afternoon of reading to Lakeside’s preschool students.  Staff from both the baker and Old Dominion Cleaners read books to the 18 children and staff. After reading the books, the children decorated gingerbread men provided by the baker and Old Dominion Cleaners provided all the children with a set of Bob Books.  Bob Books are defined as being  a series of children’s books designed to teach reading skills acquisition . With a foundation in phonics methods, each level addresses a single stage in a child’s reading development.  Michael DeVeaux from Old Dominion Cleaners believes that the earlier these foundation are built in the children, the easier it will be in regards to development in the area of reading.