Dry Cleaning Tips

First and foremost, your man Jeeves believes that gentleman’s ties should only be cleaned whilst necessary. Unless a spot of food or a bit of oil on the knotted area becomes apparent, your tie should not be cleaned.

Ties are extremely fragile in construction and if made of silk, the fabric itself may be very delicate.

If a spot does appear, do not attempt to remove the stain with a cotton napkin dunked in water or seltzer. Most food based stains have an oil component (butter, olive oil or fat), and oil and water do not mix.

Say your tie gets drenched in beer because you went to the Yankee games right from work, what should you do? Blot the stain to absorb the beer and bring your tie straight into Jeeves as soon as practical.

As a proper gentleman who cares for his wardrobe you should:

• Hang up your tie as soon as you remove it at the end of the day.
• Allow the wrinkles created from the note to naturally fall out over a few days time. Try not to wear the same tie two days in a row.
• When traveling, roll your ties and use a travel case designed for this purpose. In a pinch you can insert the rolled tie into a shoe for protection.
• Never use a stain kit or a dampened napkin to attempt stain removal.

Jeeves New York does wonders with stained ties, and if you don’t live in New York, ties can be sent to their Madison Avenue boutique for cleaning.

Jeeves can be contacted at 212-570-9130 or through their website, JeevesNY.com.

Thanks for listening, your man Jeeves.

Dry Cleaning Tips - by Jeeves, NYC's FInest Dry Cleaner

Dry Cleaning Tips

Extreme example of salt burned shearling.

If you wore your shearling over the winter and it was splashed with slush or snow it should be checked for salt damage.

Salt can burn the skins of a shearling making it difficult or impossible to correct during cleaning.

Areas of shearling burned by salt will appear dark and will become stiff or hard. The texture of the shearling will change from buttery soft to card-board like in burned areas.

If your shearling is black, navy or other dark color the burned areas may be difficult to see. You should feel the bottom of your coat near the hem for damaged areas.

Consult an expert in shearling cleaning for any garment you suspect was burned by salt.

During cleaning, oils can be hand applied to the salt burned areas in some cases the issue can be helped, but usually the only way to completely correct the damaged area is to remove or replace the damaged skin. The coat to the right needed to be shortened 12 inches to remove the salt damaged area.

Your man Jeeves’ cleaning method keeps shearling looking fabulous and maintains the “soft as butter” feel, and is considered an expert in shearling cleaning.

Dry Cleaning Tips - by Jeeves, NYC's FInest Dry Cleaner

Every girl has a pair of super black jeans that fit to perfection. What do you do when the inevitable fading occurs after months of washing?

If the “faded to gray” look isn’t working for you what are your options? The easiest is to buy a new pair, but what if you just can find the perfect pair again? Jean makers constantly change the styles and consequently the fit may suffer. Maybe the perfect fit is your faded black pair.

An option is to have your jeans re-dyed back to super black. We at Jeeves recently dyed two of our client’s favorite True Religion black jeans back to super black. Gone was the gray and back was the black; the the fit, of course, was perfect.

She was so happy that she sent in a third pair a week later.

Figure on about one week to ten days to have your jeans properly dyed by Jeeves, but the wait will be worth it.

Jeeves has also dyed pink bridesmaids dresses black, dyed blouses to fix faded underarms and dyed trousers horribly stained with bleach.

Not everything can be dyed successfully, but Jeeves’ client service representatives will be more than happy to discuss your options. Dying starts at $100 per garment.

Dry Cleaning Tips - by Jeeves, NYC's FInest Dry Cleaner

As the leaves change from their monotonous tones of green to vibrant red, yellow, and orange, our wardrobes follow suit and assimilate to the changing of the seasons.  Fall embodies transition allowing us to experiment with layers, form, color, and texture.  It permits an understanding of playfulness and experimentation when creating a look which, in turn, provides us with the most intriguing lines and runways of the year.  This fall, keep your eyes peeled for fur and leather accent pieces to grace the runways and streets alike.
All along the runway, furs were a prominent part of many shows at fashion week.  Despite the economic downturn, designers kept the glamour alive by using fur accents to create a luxurious palette.  By utilizing these accents, designers can give a look texture and a sense of opulence to an otherwise structured line.  Unlike past seasons, we are seeing fur done in more bold colors- Gucci paired brilliantly bright fur with vintage inspired structural suits to create an era driven storyline.  Fur is even showing up in the accessory closet with hats, purses, and even shoes embodying the ultimate cozy chic ensemble.  In order to preserve these pieces in all their glory, make sure to properly clean and store each garment.  Jeeves will properly remove stains or oils before storage in order to ensure your fur will endure many more seasons.
Along with fur, leather seems to be making a full force comeback.  We’ve seen many leather accented pieces this fall that give an outfit the right amount of edge.  Look for knitwear and jackets with leather sleeves or dresses adorned with leather inserts.  It is important to be aware that leather is best treated by blotting the material and taking it to the proper place to get cleaned.  During cleaning, leather has the ability to bleed so make sure to consult the care tag before any cleaning process.
So, enjoy the evolution of life from light to dark and embrace the endless possibilities fall brings- just remember, with endless opportunity brings garment responsibility.

Dry Cleaning Tips - by Jeeves, NYC's FInest Dry Cleaner

As the visions of fashion week still dance in our heads, we’re eager to begin our transition into the much awaited selections of the fall season.

Although miss Mother Nature has kept us believing that summer days seem like yesterday, with daydreams of florals and summer whites, as the sun beams along Park Avenue, we must not forget the fall season is under way.  Unfortunately, this means most of those whimsical linen dresses and white cotton slacks shall be kept away for another spring day.
We all know that with great fashion opportunity comes great fashion responsibility; therefore, our beloved ‘summer whites’ must be properly cleaned and stored until their next ‘Memorial Debut’.  There’s nothing worse than realizing your favorite summer dinner dress wasn’t hibernating during the long winter months; rather, it was being thoroughly enjoyed by your favorite closet critters: moths.
These wardrobe munchers have an uncanny sixth sense when it comes to clothing – their ‘fashion instincts’ are so keen that we’re borderline envious of their abilities to detect microscopic traces of food, oil, and perfume.

These criminals of couture will seek out many liquid stains that dry clear and become virtually naked to the human eye.  So while we’re cozying up in comfy cashmere, our resident moths are snacking away on our summer staples.  These invisible stains have another culprit; during storage, they can become oxidized resulting in an unflattering brown or yellow pigment.  These scenarios are entirely avoidable by properly cleaning and preserving your precious pieces.
So, before such responsibilities are lost in the haze of martini-induced amnesia produced by the last few valiant garden parties, put this little note on your end-of-summer to do list: Take your summer whites to Jeeves, preserve & store! Let’s savor the memories, not the stains.

Dry Cleaning Tips - by Jeeves, NYC's FInest Dry Cleaner

The decision to clean and preserve your wedding dress is very important.  Whether you’re hoping your dress becomes a family heirloom or you expect to wear it again yourself one day, understanding the delicate nature of your special garment may help make the decision a bit easier.

In normal wearing, skin oils and perspiration are absorbed into the fabric – wine, champagne or other sugary beverages may have even spilled on your dress; these organic compounds will undoubtedly damage the fabric if they are not neutralized or properly removed.

Here at Jeeves, we uphold the importance of having your bridal gown professionally cleaned before being stored long-term.  In fact, in addition to cleaning, proper storage is vital to the overall safety and security of such a special garment.  Scientific research proves that archival materials can protect delicate fabric from age and decay.  For these reasons, we strongly advise against having gown vacuum-sealed as plastics are used.  Instead, the preservation process must ensure that your gown be wrapped in acid-free materials before being placed in an acid-free textile storage box.

The box should be stored in an area where temperature and humidity levels are as constant as possible, preferably in a closet that is located on an interior wall; attics or basements are not appropriate locations for storage – in fact, spaces that are in close proximity to heating or air conditioning vents, pipes and even spaces that are exposed to direct sunlight should be carefully avoided.

Upon storage, about every 2-3 years your box should be opened and your gown inspected.  But brides remember, always wash your hands with a small amount of baking soda and warm water before handling this precious garment or wear cotton gloves.

For your convenience, if you live or work in the Manhattan area, we would love to arrange a pick-up and return of your gown after it has been cleaned and preserved; outside of Manhattan we can arrange for pick-up and delivery with our partnership with FEDEX. This is just the final detail that protects all of your wedding day memories and guarantees your gown’s perfect preservation for years to come!

Dry Cleaning Tips - by Jeeves, NYC's FInest Dry Cleaner

Ever heard the phrase “desperate times call for desperate measures?”  Well, in our case the phrase is “drastic times call for drastic measures” because sometimes it takes drastic measures to achieve the most drastically-perfect results.  This week, a drastic time was met with drastic measures in making a one-of-a-kind gold lame Jackie Rogers gown camera-ready for the Bravo TV show, “Fashion Hunters” (airing soon).

A red ink stain from a Sharpie marker that found its way onto the silk lame of this beautiful gown would undoubtedly be no match made in heaven for any dry cleaner; the fabric is whisper thin and oh, so fragile – one small error and you’re left with yards of what is then nothing but worthless gold lame.

This “drastic task” inspired us to reflect upon the story of an old dry cleaner who once told Jeeves he could get any stain out of any garment – 100% of the time. We were thoroughly impressed – he had mastered the delicate art of using a pair of scissors.

Meanwhile, our lads in the workshop tried and tried to free the gown of its horrid red stain, but it just wouldn’t release its hold on the lame.  Was Jeeves defeated?

As if in a light-bulb moment we thought, “what if we used scissors?!” and instantly our head tailor got to work nipping and tucking to create a beautiful gather and perfect fold.  The result?  No more red stain, gold lame ready for its fashionista close-up!

Oh, and the answer to that “drastic” question? No, Jeeves remains undefeated!

Dry Cleaning Tips - by Jeeves, NYC's FInest Dry Cleaner

Did you know that Ralph Lauren boutiques world-wide have a small selection of vintage and antique garments in their collection? Jeeves is currently working on another cleaning project from Ralph Lauren to get these remarkable finds ready for sale.

The staff of Jeeves has cleaned thousands of vintage and antique garments for Ralph Lauren and we are seeing lots of crochet, lace, fringed shawls and beads and sequins from the late 1800‘s to early 1900‘s.

The last two cleaning projects that Jeeves received were items shopped from London and Paris. The buyers at Ralph Lauren have great eyes and bring back amazing one of a kind items for their boutiques.

Because vintage is so hot in the high-end market, Jeeves has assembled tips on “How to Buy Vintage Clothing”. Our next blog will be “How to Care for Vintage Clothing”.

How to Buy Vintage Clothing:

• Look for quality first, is the garment well made? Well made garments will have less issues with wear and tear. They may be more expensive to being with, but worth it in the long run.
• Check the fabric; is it separating? Vintage garments may have been exposed to excessive amounts of heat which will cause the fabric to “dry rot”. Fabric in this condition is fragile and may start to tear after the first wearing. Check the collar, cuffs, under the arms and across the seat for signs of fabric separation.
• Stains? Vintage garments may have oxidized stains which will be light to dark brown or yellow in color. Oxidized stains are very difficult to impossible to remove in some cases.
• Odor? Musty odors could indicate mold, look over the garment for small dark grey to black stains. Mold stains are difficult to remove unless the garment can be bleached. Strong body odors in vintage garments that can’t we washed may not be removable; let your nose be your guide.
• Loose beads and sequins can be repaired but this type of work in time consuming and expensive if you are not handy with a needle and thread.

Jeeves specializes in the care of vintage and antique garments, with a team of craftsmen who care for, clean and repair these types of garments on a daily basis. Jeeves is the source in New York City for expert vintage garment cleaning, repair and care.

Dry Cleaning Tips - by Jeeves, NYC's FInest Dry Cleaner

The staff of Jeeves got a call about 2 weeks ago from an assistant at Vogue.

Vogue, “Do you clean purses?”

Jeeves, “Yes”.

Vogue, “Can you clean a silk clutch with a awful grease stain for tomorrow? It happens to be for a VIP at Vogue.”

Jeeves, “Usually we need more time, but we never say no to VIP’s at Vogue.” (Actually we try never to say no to anyone in distress.)

About an hour later a smartly dressed assistant from Vogue shows up with the purse. It is beautiful and it does have a nasty stain.

Not an easy project when we ask for a week, but one day? And for a VIP.

Well all’s well that ends well. The lads at the Jeeves workshop rose to occasion again, toiling hard into the wee hours of the night. The next morning, when the purse arrived at our 65th Street shop, it looked amazing, all traces of the stain was gone.

A call to Vogue, another smartly dressed assistant arrives with AMEX in hand. name on the card? Anna Wintour. I hope she was pleased.

Dry Cleaning Tips - by Jeeves, NYC's FInest Dry Cleaner

As summer is full tilt here in New York City, with the temperature reaching over 90 today, we have been seeing a lot of bold colors at Jeeves.

Nothing is quite as bold as the Dolce & Gabbana jacket that we collected from a client last week for cleaning. BRIGHT and ORANGE do not do this garment justice. If this garment had a dial to regulate the brightness it would be on “11″.

It seems that the Italian designers have turned on bold since the New York and London based designers were showing sheer and nude for this Spring/Summer season. One must give the nod to Versace and Dolce & Gabbana, as their shops radiate color and pattern.

This jacket is not for the “faint of heart” and my hat is off to the gentleman who will be wearing it this week after we delivered it to him today.

Dry Cleaning Tips - by Jeeves, NYC's FInest Dry Cleaner