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The National Cleaners Association (NCA) will present its Intermediate Stain Removal and Bleaching Course on June 16 at a location to be announced.

For more information, call 212-967-3002 or e-mail ncaiclean@aol.com.

CONCORD, N.C. — I recently received a phone call from my friend, Norman Oehlke. Norm probably served IFI (now DLI, the Drycleaning and Laundry Institute) in most every technical position and wrote this very column until 2008. When he speaks, I listen. Closely.

He still keeps a close eye on the cleaning industry and the changing solvents. We talked about the changes we had seen and the struggles facing owner/operators in today’s marketplace. We exchanged a few ideas and agreed that many cleaners have fallen victim to the concept of processing over pampering.

A symptom of this is that large companies have perceived there is profit in home dry cleaning kits due to consumer dissatisfaction with the quality of garment care available. Sadly, these dry cleaning kits have intimidated a number of cleaners, owner/operators who consider the end product of their service to be little better than the level of quality delivered by a rag, a bag and a home dryer.

The National Cleaners Association will present its Advanced Stain Removal and Intensive Bleaching Course on April 21 in Bronx, N.Y.

For more information, call 212-967-3002 or e-mail ncaiclean@aol.com. 

The National Cleaners Association (NCA) will present its Intermediate Stain Removal and  Bleaching Course on Feb. 24 in Bronx, N.Y.

For more information, call 212-967-3002 or e-mail ncaiclean@aol.com. 

The National Cleaners Association (NCA) will present its Radical Drycleaning/Stain Removal Course on Aug. 5 through Aug.  9 in Northvale, N.J.

For more information, call 212-967-3002 or e-mail ncaiclean@aol.com.

CONCORD, N.C. — There are times when all stains begin to look alike; they seem to be a shade of tan or yellow. The problem is, not all yellow stains are the same.

They do not have the same origin; they do not have the same composition. This yellow/tan can range from caramelized sugar, to a beverage stain, to a stubborn oxidized oil stain.

The earlier the stain is identified, the easier it will be to remove the stain. This points to the need for your customer service representative to form the habit of asking each customer, “Are you aware of any spots or stains on any of your garments?” Information gathered should be passed on to the spotter to assist in establishing the proper course of action to effectively remove the stain.

Stain content will determine the chemical tools necessary and the protocol to follow in stain removal. Fiber content and garment construction, as well as the age of the stain, can adversely affect the stain-removal process. Any attempt by the customer to remove the stain will make professional stain removal more difficult or even impossible.

Drycleaning & Laundry Institute Cleaning & Stain Removal Course.

CHICAGO — There are plenty of things that cause a drycleaner’s blood pressure to rise, and many of them—based on the results of July’s unscientific Wire survey—have to do with employees.

Of the specific stress inducers we asked about, respondents find the failure of a drycleaning machine during a busy time most stressful. More than 76% said such an event causes their blood pressure to “soar” (27.5%) or “rise a bit” (48.8%).

Fifty percent become stressed when a new drycleaner opens nearby, and 41.3% feel the pressure when they have to negotiate with their landlord.

Least stressful among the scenarios we presented is the front-counter attendant who starts showing up late or missing shifts. More than 50% said this is rarely or never a concern.

But when drycleaners were asked to name the single drycleaning-management issue that causes them the most stress, nearly half of their wide-ranging responses were related to their employees.

CHICAGO — The New Year is a perfect time to modify practices that no longer contribute to the bottom line. And today, getting stains out is no longer something you can leave to the “old pro” up the street. You can’t afford to return or turn away a single garment due to a lack of knowledge or a lack of the proper chemical tools.

Once the holidays are over, there will be plenty of chances to set yourself apart from the competition through quality stain removal. And common holiday stains will help you exceed customer expectations.

I just finished the last stain-removal test necessary to requalify for the Award of Excellence (AOE), a voluntary certification that helps cleaners distinguish themselves while demonstrating a commitment to the industry, the community and continuing education.

This year, the swatches — on white silk with a plain weave — were stained with nail polish, coffee with cream, ink, egg, spaghetti sauce, and red wine. These are stains every cleaner should be able to remove.

I was standing with my back to the hors d’oeuvre table at my 40th high school reunion. I was catching up with a guy I hadn’t seen since 1969 when I overheard a comment: “Oops, you’re going to have to take that to Martin.” I turned and saw a lady with cocktail sauce down the front of her silk blouse.