Alan Spielvogel
February 26, 2010
Q: Whenever a customer brings in a coat with a care label that reads “Clean by Pile Method,” I’ve sent it out for processing. Is it possible for me to...
Alan Spielvogel
January 13, 2010
Q: I recently had a “lipstick load.” Since I had to work on each piece, it took me hours to restore the entire load. Is there an easier way to handle the mess...
Alan Spielvogel
December 4, 2009
Q: What’s the best way to prevent the white break lines that sometimes appear when wetcleaning silk? What’s the best way to repair the breaks that do appear?...
Alan Spielvogel
November 11, 2009
Q: Khaki pants seem to be a good candidate for wetcleaning, but I often have trouble removing grease and oils without drycleaning them. What’s the best, most...
Alan Spielvogel
October 14, 2009
Q: A customer brought us a tablecloth that was stained with candle wax. What’s the best way to remove this type of stain?
A: First, you’ll need to gently...
Alan Spielvogel
September 9, 2009
Q: After laundering and pressing a shirt several times, sometimes a dark spot appears along the seams where the glue is showing. It’s more noticeable on colored...
Alan Spielvogel
August 21, 2009
Q: When my finisher presses slacks that are constructed with a twill weave (especially gabardine), a discoloration that resembles a swirl occurs. What causes this, and how...
Alan Spielvogel
July 10, 2009
Q: Is there any way to restore sizing damage or color loss in acetate fabrics once it has occurred?
A: If part of an acetate fabric suffers discoloration, it’s...
Alan Spielvogel
June 1, 2009
Q: With perc under so much pressure from regulators, I’m interested in switching to a different process. I’m thinking of switching to a 100%, wetcleaning-only...
Alan Spielvogel
April 22, 2009
Q: Easter is always the time I get lots of frilly, child-sized dresses with smudgy pastel stains on their sleeves and bodices, which I can only assume resulted from these...
Alan Spielvogel
March 18, 2009
Q: We currently pay our finishers by the hour. To reduce production costs, we are thinking of paying them on a “piecework” basis. What are the advantages and...
Ian P. Murphy
January 30, 2009
Q: With all of the snowstorms this year, we’ve been getting a lot of garments with salt stains. What’s the best way to remove them?
A: Rock salt (sodium...
Alan Spielvogel
January 9, 2009
Q: What’s the difference between starch and sizing? Can spray starch be used in place of sizing?
A: Starch is used to stiffen fabrics such as shirt collars and...
Alan Spielvogel
November 26, 2008
Q: How do I stretch out and soften a sweater vest that has “tightened up?” It hasn’t shrunk too badly.
A: From your description, it sounds like the...
Alan Spielvogel
October 31, 2008
Q: Are there any tips for cleaning ties? They always seem to shift during cleaning, and the seams always come apart.
A: Ties must always be cleaned in a net bag. Tube-...
Alan Spielvogel
October 3, 2008
Q: I recently installed a hydrocarbon drycleaning machine after using perc for more than 20 years. When garments had a stain that was both oil- and water-based (such as...
Alan Spielvogel
August 29, 2008
Q: I’m having difficulty spotting pigment-printed fabrics. They always seem to lose color.
A: Pigment-printed fabrics are created by mixing a powdered coloring...
Alan Spielvogel
August 1, 2008
Q: We have a problem with shrinkage when drycleaning household items such as draperies and slipcovers, although we don’t normally have these kinds of problems when...
Alan Spielvogel
June 25, 2008
Q: A customer has some garments that have been in storage for seven years and have a musty smell. I haven’t seen the garments yet, so I don't know if they can be...
Alan Spielvogel
May 28, 2008
Q: I received a white silk blouse that had a foul, “skunky” odor prior to the drycleaning process. After drycleaning, the odor was noticeably worse. I tried an...
Alan Spielvogel
April 30, 2008
Q: I’m having difficulty removing grass stains. I’ve used various tannin formulas, but there is still a green residue. Is there a better way to treat these...
Alan Spielvogel
April 4, 2008
Q: A smaller fire station near me asked if I could clean their turnout gear on an as-needed basis. Do you have any washing guidelines for turnout gear?
A: Turnout gear,...
Alan Spielvogel
February 28, 2008
Q: We use perchloroethylene as our drycleaning solvent. For the past several years, we have been having serviceability issues with coats that contain polyurethane (bonding...
Alan Spielvogel
January 23, 2008
Q: I own a promotional products company in Cincinnati. One of my corporate accounts is a large moving company, and I have golf shirts made in Guatemala for its apparel...
Alan Spielvogel
December 26, 2007
Q: A number of customers are complaining that their woolens are shrinking after several cleanings. What can cause this?
A: “Progressive shrinkage” often takes...
