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Today, we’re talking about how we clean and preserve those gowns. What happens when you drop off your wedding gown to be cleaned?

Initial Inspection

The very first thing our wedding gown cleaning specialists do is inspect your gown. We’re looking for obvious things like a giant red wine stain, but also tiny details, like any loose beadwork, a ripped hem, or any subtle discolouration. We make notes about each item so that when we’re cleaning the gown, we know to pay special attention to those areas.

Method Selection

Every wedding gown shouldn’t be cleaned the same way. Some gowns are silk, others are lace, while others still are covered in beading. One of the biggest reasons to choose a wedding gown cleaning specialist who is also a member of the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists is that you can trust that they will assess the dress’ unique elements and choose a cleaning method suitable for each dress.

Cleaning & Pressing

Because each gown is made differently, the way we clean a wedding gown is dependant on the gown itself. Some of cleaning options include Solvair®, a heatless and odourless method, Intense®, a gentle and eco-friendly method, as well as wet cleaning. No matter the cleaning method, your gown will come out looking like new!

The Big Inspection

We believe that you should get a chance to inspect your wedding gown before it is packed up and preserved, so once the cleaning is done, we give you a call and have you give your wedding gown a once over. This also saves you from receiving your gown in its wedding chest and feeling like the first thing you need to do is open the box and make sure that we got that stain out!

Boxing

We use acid free paper, body forms, and boxes to package your gown into one of our wedding chests. We also send along some white cotton gloves for you so that if you’d like to sneak a peek at your gown in the future, you can! Our wedding chests are resealable, so you can enjoy your wedding gown while still preserving it.

And that’s how it’s done! One of the best pieces of advice we give brides is to schedule your wedding gown cleaning and preservation now so that you can head out on your honeymoon knowing that your dress is being taken care of.

Are you familiar with that sinking feeling in your gut when you accidentally spill some red wine on your favourite pastel coloured cocktail dress? Well, no need to stress next time. Here are some unusual, quick-fix remedies for removing stains without too much hassle.

1. White Wine – Removes fresh red wine stains 

Ironic as it seems, white wine acts as a neutralising agent for red wine. It disbands the anthocyanin compounds which are responsible for causing the red stains. Gently blot the excess liquid using a napkin or paper towel, before dabbing some white wine onto the affected area. Blot and repeat till the stain starts fading and follow it up with a regular wash.

2. Baby Powder – Removes grease and oil stains

For grease and oil stains, especially from cooked food, sprinkle some talcum or baby powder onto the fabric taking care to cover the stain completely. The fine granules act as minuscule sponges and soak up the oil particles. Leave it on for approximately 20-30 minutes depending on the size of the stain. Use a toothbrush to gently brush off the powder. Take off as much as you can before soaking the cloth in warm water for a few minutes and running it through the usual laundry cycle thereafter.

3. Milk – Removes ink stains

Got a leaky pen in your pocket? If you have some whole milk you have nothing to worry about! Simply soak the garment overnight in a bowl of milk, making sure that the stained portion is completely submerged. If there are slight traces of ink in the morning, gently rub the fabric to work out the stain. Then run it through the usual wash cycle. For better results, add some white vinegar to the milk. Milk is an emulsion which attracts both oil and water. Some inks with an oil-soluble base are therefore dissolved by the milk.

4. Stale Bread – Removes dirt stains on suede

Use a slice of stale bread to lift surface grime and dirt off suede. Roll the slice into a ball and rub it over the affected area. Repeat the process till all the dirt is pulled out. Brush off the remaining crumbs with a toothbrush or makeup brush.

5. Egg Yolk – Removes coffee stains

Yes, you read that right! Stubborn coffee stains can be completely removed by beating an egg and rubbing it into the stain with a sponge for a couple of minutes. Rinse the fabric with cold water and you have a stain-free garment in no time.

As we go through the daily grind, juggling professional, social, and financial responsibilities, we spend a significant proportion of our time on mundane chores like laundry. On average, a person spends approximately 12-18 hours a month on washing, drying, folding and ironing. Needless to say that all those lost hours can be put to much better use.

This is where commercial laundry services come in handy and today we are going to share with you some benefits of outsourcing your laundry

1. Time-efficiency

By using external laundry services you can devote the same amount of time to activities or tasks that you love or those that require your specific attention. You can also spend more time with family and friends, thereby improving your personal relationships which in turn will instil a sense of enhanced well-being within you.

Thanks to contemporary digital trends, it is now possible to do away with even the minimal effort of dropping off and picking up your laundry from the cleaners. Probee DryClean, for instance, picks up your laundry and delivers it back to you a day later. All you have to do is sit back and click the buttons.

2. Health Benefits

Laundry services facilitate reductions in stress levels by taking some load off your hands (pun intended), thus leaving you comparatively more relaxed. The extra time also preserves your energy levels and reduces irritation and anxiety.

3. Quality of Wash

In addition to the above-mentioned benefits, giving your laundry to a professional service will ensure all the clothes are washed according to the requirements of various fabrics, colours and textures. Continued expert care will subsequently elongate the shelf-life of your outfits.

4. Flexibility

Using a digitised laundry service like Probee DryClean also affords flexibility with regards to the collection and delivery times, as well as offers a host of customisable options and packages to suit individual needs. It works around your schedule and not vice versa.

Laundry days aren’t the cheerful days the ads make them out to be. They’re painful, time-consuming and full of confusion. And what do you get for all the effort? Clothes that could still be cleaner.

We’ve all had these moments. We have a way around them for you. Below are a few tips that’ll make your laundry day a bit better in case you decide to keep on doing it.

1. Pre-soak before you Wash

Pre-soaking is your solution to getting cleaner clothes every time. The first thing to do is to make sure your clothes are safe for soaking by checking the care label. Fill a tub with warm water and detergent and soak the clothes you want to wash in it. The longer you soak, the better. Washmen recommends anything between 30 minutes to 1 hour.

2. Inside out

If you want to preserve the colour of your clothes for a longer period of time, wash them inside out. Love your jeans but hate how they fade fast with every clean? How about that deep blue sweater? The worst of sweat and dirt is on the inside of your clothes, not the outside. An inside-out wash routine will get the best results. Plus, this will ensure that your garments have a longer life and any embellishments (like T-shirt prints and especially jean dyes) are not damaged. Win!

3. Less is more

More detergent doesn’t mean cleaner clothes. If you use too much detergent for your machine size, residue could build up on your clothes. When you go on to iron them after, that residue turns forms a white film and your clothes’ colours will look like they’ve faded. Don’t worry – it’s reversible by washing it with water only. We figure though you’d want to avoid the hassle altogether.

Read your machine’s instructions to know exactly just how much it can handle.

4. No fabric softener

At least not today’s chemical-laden ones! Not only can they be toxic, they end up making some materials less absorbent, like towels which you obviously don’t want. If you do want “soft” clothes, try adding half a cup of baking soda in the wash cycle before you put in your clothes, and let it work its magic.

5. Go cold

Trust us. Heat is likely to ruin or shrink your clothes. So we suggest you use cold (or at least colder than what you opt for now) water when doing your laundry. This works best when you pre-soak your clothes. It prolongs the life of your garments, is better for the environment and saves you some energy costs. It also plays a bit of role in keeping your clothes soft as well.  

6. Air dry

In almost all circumstances, naturally drying your clothes is the best option. (Outside of course, as it’s very dangerous to dry laundry indoors!). An added benefit of this is having clothes that are fresher. But if you do (have to) use a dryer, make sure you use the correct settings. Delicates, workout clothes and synthetic fibres should generally be dried at lower heat settings, while regular wear (cotton) clothes, towels and bedsheets can be dried on higher temperatures.

7. Use white vinegar

Vinegar is your friend. It tastes great with your salad. It works wonders on your laundry. Vinegar is gentle on the fabric and the colours of your clothes, yet strong enough to be your secret weapon. Just half a cup in the machine can make your clothes smell better, softer, and brighter. It also doubles as a stain remover. All you have to do is to pour a half a cup of white vinegar with half a cup of warm water into the washing machine. You’ll love the results.

Stains on your clothes suck. Red wine stains on your white blazer, grass stains on your jeans, oil stains on your silk scarf: you’re never sure if they’ll come off.

Read on for a few hacks to banish stains. But, remember, the earlier you work on removing them, the easier it is. The best part is that you can do all of this with stuff that’s lying around your place.

1. Coffee stains

You thank your coffee in the mornings until you spill it on your white blouse or shirt when somebody bumps into you or while you’re driving over a speed bump. To remove the stain, run the coffee-stained item under cold water immediately and then soak it in cold water for a few hours. Sponge it gently with liquid detergent and soak it again. Once this mini-operation is done, the machine washes the item.

2. Red wine stains

The easiest way to remove red wine stains is with white wine! If only you knew before you read this article… Pour the white wine on the red wine stain, rub it in and then wash it normally. If you don’t have white wine, flush the red wine stain with water, rub it with salt and let salt particles soak up the wine, removing the stain for good. Launder it as usual.

3. Ketchup stains

Love the juicy burger, hate the sauce that drips from the wrapper even after you’ve taken all measures to avoid it staining your outfit? Run cold water through the stain from the backside. This forces it out of the clothing. Then, gently rub liquid detergent on it and soak the garment in cool water for 10 minutes. This weakens the stain and makes removing it a lot easier. Wash and air dry afterwards.

4. Oil Stains

This is one of the toughest and most difficult to get rid of as it tends to find its way into fabric fibres and as a result, becomes difficult to get rid off once it has stayed there for quite some time. So first, blot the spots with a tissue paper and then use a bit of liquid detergent on the stain. Launder it as quickly as possible after this step. A dry clean attempt is worth it, but the results are not guaranteed.

5. Grass stains

Soak the cloth in cold water as opposed to hot water as the latter can set the stain into the fabric. Rubbing alcohol works best on grass stains as it’ll help to dissolve the green pigment. If you don’t have any around, simply use a solution made of one part white vinegar to two parts water. Use a brush to work your way around the stained area. Rinse and launder it as usual.

6. Ink stains

Pens and ink stains can turn a victorious moment into an embarrassment. Use plain toothpaste and apply directly onto the stain. Let it sit for a few minutes and then place the affected area under running water and rub gently. Or sprinkle salt on the ink stain while it’s still wet and gently rub with a wet paper towel, then remove and brush off the salt. Repeat the steps until the stain has completely lifted.

7. Blood stains

These are quite tricky to remove but if dealt with earlier, are not impossible to get rid of. Treat the spot with white vinegar and let it soak for 10 minutes, then blot it well with a cloth. Repeat the step until it’s removed completely and set out to wash immediately. Another option is to soak the fabric in cold water with two tablespoons of table salt or ammonia for around 1 hour. You can then launder it as per the care label instructions.

Ever shrunk your favourite sweater in the wash or accidentally turned your whites to pinks, thanks to a forgotten red sock in the machine? Turns out these might not be your worst laundry nightmares.

Research indicates that drying laundry indoors can increase the moisture level in your home by at least a third. High levels of humidity become an ideal breeding ground for mold spores and dust mites. This can lead to, and aggravate, health issues such as asthma, eczema etc. and even cause lung damage. Using fabric softeners means your household air is further polluted with hazardous carcinogenic chemicals, increasing the risk to you and your family’s health.

These issues can of course simply be avoided by hanging your clothes outside. Except in the U.A.E (Dubai or Abu Dhabi), you can be fined for hanging laundry on balconies (along with installing dish antennas or putting any other junk).

So what should you do?

Make Practical Laundry Decisions

On wash day, make sure you get up as early a start as possible. This will give your clothes plenty of time to dry off. Try to put your clothes out to dry (no pun intended) in a separate room if possible, and spread them out as much as you can; maybe even use clothing racks or airers.

Hang your best clothes on hangers, which also ensures minimal creases (and minimal ironing!). Open as many windows as you can and allow for complete ventilation of the area. And just in case that day the weather looks unreliable, postpone the washing unless absolutely necessary.

Invest in a Tumble Dryer

Using tumble dryers can help you minimise the risks involved with indoor laundry drying. However, they also come with their own set of problems, as they might be costly, and use a lot of energy. So when you head out to buy one, do thorough research and select a model which fits your needs best and is energy efficient. Also, most designer clothes are not designed to withstand the heat of a dryer – even of the lowest settings.

Always keep the dryer in a properly ventilated room to avoid overheating it. Clean the filters regularly. Moreover, untangle your clothes before you put them in. This makes it easier and quicker to dry them. These little things would go a long way in reducing the health hazards of indoor drying, as well as the energy cost of tumble drying.

Here’s a helpful list of dos and don’ts to make sure you don’t miss out on any of the basic laundry rules:

DO sort lights and darks

It is very tempting to stuff all your clothes into the washing machine and do the laundry in one big load. But you’d likely end up with lots of pink whites or faded clothes. Sort your clothes into lights and darks and run at least two loads. This will save you from the headache of color fading, discoloration etc. after washes and only takes an extra five minutes when you put the second load in. An easy way is to have two hampers so that your clothes are automatically sorted when you toss them in.

DO soak before washing

Soaking stained clothes before washing ensures that they will be cleaned properly. Just put the clothes in a tub with some warm water and detergent for around 15-30 minutes minimum. Do check on colors, though, to avoid any bleeding and ruining; maybe soak them separately.

DO be aware of the temperature

For maximum stain removal and cleaning, whites should be washed in hot water and all other loads in warm water. Delicate clothes, on the other hand, should be washed in cold water only to avoid ruining their shape.

DO a quick bleeding test

If you’re afraid a certain item color might bleed, simply dab a cotton swab soaked in water and detergent on an inner seam of the garment in question and see if any dye comes off. If it does, then you’re better off washing it separately, hand washing it or getting it dry cleaned.

DON’T overload the machine

Avoid cramming all your clothes into the machine. Your clothes might not get washed properly, even if you save time on doing a load. The sorting we recommend above should help with this too.

DON’T leave things in your pockets

And as you empty them, don’t forget to pull up zippers, and close any snaps, hooks, and Velcro. Buttons, on the other hands, should remain unfastened to avoid stressing them.

DON’T abuse your dryer

The more clothes you put in the dryer, the longer they will take to dry. So you don’t save any time if you do this.

DON’T leave your clothes in the machine or dryer

Remove the clothes from the machine or dryer as soon as the cycle is complete. If you leave clothes in the machine for long, colors of clothes might transfer to each other. The damp environment can also become a breeding ground for mold spores and bacteria. If left for too long in the dryer, they might end up being too wrinkly.

Keeping these in mind can make doing laundry less of a hassle than it already is.

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