In lieu of the somewhat-recent news about some states banning the sale of dish detergents that include phosphates, we thought we’d weigh in on the matter.

Some laundry detergent also include phosphates. Phosphates, in large quantities, have a toxic effect on aquatic life, and thanks to some careless sewage practices, fish are paying a heavy toll. As far as I know, professional dry cleaners do not contribute to this problem. However, they do their own damage (see: perchloroethylene). Dry cleaning and laundry detergent both get a Mr. Yuck sticker. Not Woolite® Dry Cleaner’s Secret!

Look, we’re well aware that Dry Cleaner’s Secret doesn’t solve all your laundry problems, but try working it into your laundry schedule. Instead of laundering your clothes after one use, freshen them up with a dry cleaning cloth instead. This will help them last longer and you’ll play less of a hand in man’s destruction of nature. And you’ll make us happy.

My curiosity for the popularity of Woolite® Dry Clean at Home with Dry Cleaner’s Secret overcame me, so I took a peek. Number 1 in its category on Amazon.com! I can’t say I’m surprised, but I’m still excited to see that consumers have as much faith in our product as we do.

If you have yet to try Dry Cleaner’s Secret, click here for a free sample.

To read the amazing reviews on Amazon.com, or to order a box of Dry Cleaner’s Secret, click here.

Christmas stockings typically stay pretty clean, considering they’re only on display for a few days a year and handled for only one. But in the event of a dirty stocking (smoke smell from the fireplace, stains from stocking stuffers like chocolate or other candies, etc.), the typical Christmas stocking – made of fine cotton velveteen – must be dry cleaned. Fortunately, we’ve got a secret. A Woolite® Dry Cleaner’s Secret! Click here to get your free sample today.

Each year, Americans consume an average of 23.8lbs of candy each. That’s just tad more than the average weight of a 1-year-old child. A majority of that baby-sized bag of candy is consumed during the week that immediately follows Halloween. As a result, simple math tells us that that very week (this week) is when a good percentage of candy stains occur. Do we agree? Good. Now put down your pillowcase full of fun-sized joy and chew on some wisdom from Tide®:

How to Remove Halloween from Your Clothes

Chocolate and caramel candy stains

Probably the most common of all Halloween stains. Simply soak the garment in cold water and treat with a prewash stain remover. Next, launder in warm water. Rinse and inspect the garment to make sure the stain is fully removed. If the stain remains, re-soak in cold water for about 30 minutes and repeat laundering.

Chewing gum

Too bad gum stains aren’t as much fun as actually chewing gum. But they’re not a lost cause either. If the stain is fresh and the gum is still stuck and hard, apply some ice to harden the gum residue. Next, remove gum by cracking or scraping with a dull knife. Rub the stain with a heavy duty liquid detergent. Rinse in hot water. Repeat if necessary, then launder and inspect the stain. You might have to repeat the process if the gum is not fully removed after the first run.

Laundry Tip: Tide® doesn’t know delicates. We do. If your dry-clean-only garment has a small candy stain try pretreating first then tossing it in the dryer with a Woolite® Dry Clean at Home with Dry Cleaner’s Secret cloth.

Neckties are no fun — they’re all business, even when it comes to washing them. In my opinion, if a garment can’t be washed in a washing machine nor at a professional dry cleaner then it should be made differently. Makes sense, right? That’s it, I’m writing ANOTHER letter to my Senator.

In the meantime, we found a resource site that outline the 10 “rules” of necktie ownership. From TieGuide.com:

1. Don’t wad up your tie, it twists the lining inside of the tie and damages it.
2. Steam your ties, try to avoid ironing your tie. Hard ironing flattens the body and can cause the material to shine.
3. To steam your tie, hang it in the bathroom when showering or hold your tie over a boiling pot of water(don’t let the tie touch the water) on the stove to steam out the wrinkles.
4. If you find it necessary to iron the tie, cover it with a cotton cloth to protect the fabric then iron it on a low setting.
5. Do not wash your tie, most ties will shrink unevenly when washed in water due to different shrink rates of the various materials inside of the tie.
6. Do not bring your tie to commercial dry cleaners, when ties are pressed the inside “gum” of the tie becomes damaged and silk ties will lose their luster
7. Be careful not to get any cologne on your tie when putting it on, cologne can damage the color of ties.
8. Do not rub stains, it causes fabric abrasion and loss of color, instead blot the affected region.
9. If there is a stain on your tie, blot the area and let it dry, then gently scrape the surface with your fingernail or rub the small end of the tie on the stain.
10. More serious stains can be removed with spot remover or other mild cleaning agents, but test the remover in an inconspicuous area (such as the back of the tie) first to make sure the remover won’t damage the tie.

Laundry Tip: Be more careless with a more careful cleaning solution. Wash your neckties in your dryer using Woolite® Dry Clean at Home with Dry Cleaner’s Secret.

With today’s economy, there are many small expenses that require anyone on a budget to consider optional expenses that can be cut. This includes the number of dry cleaner visits.  But frequency of dry cleaner usage is not the only pitfall to consider, but the kind of clothes being brought in.  The Denver Post recently reported that many dry cleaners charge more to clean a basic white, collared woman’s shirt, than a similar men’s, shirt.  In the most extreme cases reported, men were charged only $1.75, while women were charged $3.95, an inflated price difference of a over 125%!  All dry cleaners cited the size, fabrics, and specialty designs of women’s dress shirts as reason for the extra charge.  This is not cost discrepancy common only to Denver dry cleaners; California and Massachusetts both have laws, “banning gender-pricing at dry cleaners and hair salons.”  So women, before your next visit to the dry cleaner, be sure to check the prices because you may be getting taken to the cleaners!

Although you only use Dry Cleaner’s Secret for your dry-clean-only garments, we’re still very happy to read that the E.P.A is considering their position on the dry cleaning chemical “perc”. In 2006, the E.P.A proposed regulations to phase-out dry cleaning chemicals in establishments in apartment buildings by 2020. However the Sierra Club sued the E.P.A stating that their regulations didn’t go far enough and they should be re-written to phase-out all toxic chemicals, such as perc.

If the E.P.A changes its position and extends that ban to all 32,000 dry-cleaning establishments in the United States, and the new administration passes these regulations, then the cost that everyone is so worried about will be eliminated. There are alternatives that don’t cost more. Some even cost less, like, well…Dry Cleaner’s Secret!

Kudos to the E.P.A for finally getting it right; and kudos to the Obama administration for pushing this initiative forward. We are one step closer to cleaning up the planet!

Question: This question relates to dry cleaning cross stitched artwork (i.e. using cotton or line fabrics) that are stitched with overdyed floss that may fade.  Since they cannot be laundered in water, can you offer any advice regarding dry cleaning these pieces?  Also, can a bag be used in the dryer if only one or two small pieces are being cleaned at once?

The only thing I can recommend is that if you are using Dry Cleaner’s Secret on the cross stitch artwork, test for colorfastness first. Take the Dry Cleaner’s Secret cleaning cloth and gently press 3-4 times into an area of the colored floss that won’t show, perhaps on the back side (?). If no color comes off on the cleaning cloth, it should be safe to use with no fading, provided the floss dye has been set by the floss manufacturer the same way for each color. If color does come off, do not clean with Dry Cleaner’s Secret.

Do not use Dry Cleaner’s Secret in a bag as it is an oil-based formula which needs to evaporate through the vent of the dryer. If inside of a bag, you will end up with oily splotches on the item, because the cleaning formula cannot evaporate properly.
Sincerely,
Jody
Dry Cleaner’s Secret
Consumer Affairs

Question: I would like to use Dry Cleaner’s Secret on a bridesmaid dress that is 100% Poly and the lining 100% acetate.  I closed the hem of it in a car door and it has a half dollar spot of black grease on it.  Will your product get it out or should I try something else before using your product?

Thank you for your inquiry about Dry Cleaner’s Secret. Dry Cleaner’s Secret is an oil-based formula which works well on oil-based stains. However, heavily pigmented stains, such as tomato-based foods, ink, and coffee may require professional dry cleaning. It is somewhat of a question mark whether or not Dry Cleaner’s Secret would be able to remove the black grease stain on your bridesmaid dress. We would recommend taking any garment that falls under the wedding category to a professional dry cleaner.

Sincerely,
Jody
Dry Cleaner’s Secret
Consumer Affairs

Question: Can Dry Cleaner’s Secret be used on coats?

Yes, you may use Dry Cleaner’s Secret on your wool coat, provided the care tag in the coat does not read “do not put in dryer”. Also, you cannot use Dry Cleaner’s Secret on fur, fake fur, leather, velvet or suede; barring these materials/fabrics, it would be safe to use this product on your wool coat. Always use one sheet only per one to four garments (a long winter coat may equal 2-4 garments, still just one sheet only required).

Sincerely,
Jody
Dry Cleaner’s Secret
Consumer Affairs