Garment Inspection by Informed and Educated Customer Service Staff
Upon arrival at one of our cleaning facilities, each garment will be inspected and qualified by a trained customer service representative. It is their responsibility to translate your desires and concerns to our production staff. Garments will be inspected for damage such as tears, broken buttons, and stains. All of your special requests will be communicated for each garment.
Certified Master Cleaners and Trained Stain-Removal Specialists
One of our certified Master Cleaners, or a trained specialist under their supervision; will then begin the cleaning process; specifically stain removal and fabric testing. Stain removal is a science; combining a vast knowledge of fabrics & stains, experience, and the use of safe spotting chemicals. All garments, dyes, and ornamentation are then tested to ensure their integrity throughout the cleaning process. Even though all of our Master Cleaners have more than 15 years of education and experience, constant training is provided on the newest fabrics, spotting techniques and technologies to ensure that Shores will continue to be the standard in fine fabric care.
Hand Cleaning and Hand Finishing
Once pre-treated, every garment is gently cleaned in one of our crystal clear solvents, on a custom cleaning cycle, with premium detergents. This will help to ensure that your garments stay abrasion-free and retain their soft hand. Dry cleaning finishers then carefully inspect and retouch your garments by hand, returning them to their ready to be worn status. Each finished garment is then inspected for stains and wrinkles, placed with the rest of your order and sent to be packaged. Garments will be inspected once more prior to packaging. We carefully cover your garments to protect them until you are ready to return them to your home. Bagging also reduces the effects of wrinkling while in your car or closet, however, it is not advisable to store your garments in plastic for an extended period. Plastics can keep fabrics from breathing and can emit fumes and trap moisture that can cause yellowing or mildewing over time.
Exclusive Seven Level Cleaning Process
Our process guarantees that your whites remain white, stains have been eliminated, all cracked or missing buttons have been replaced, the “hand” or feel of the fabric has been retained, and all garments have been blocked back to their original size. Minor repair of loose hems, open seams, and replacement of broken buttons is done whenever needed. While next day cleaning is the norm, for special needs we can deliver quality work quicker, just ask!
Shores Safe Cleaning Guarantee
Shores staff will use all its knowledge of fabrics, dyes, chemicals and cleaning techniques to effectively remove as many stains as possible and safely clean your garments, then deliver them back to you when promised; or your cleaning is on us.
Fine Dry Cleaning Services
We offer a range of fine dry cleaning services to our customers throughout the Triad. We pride ourselves on being able to remove stains on the toughest fabrics including leather and suede. Other fine dry cleaning services we offer include shirt laundry, on-site alterations, silver service, seasonal storage, and handbag cleaning.
Tips for Caring for Clothing
The care of clothing starts the moment you begin shopping. Before reaching the cash register, inspect the garment up and down, spin it around and check the zippers, hooks, hems, seams, snags/stains, and buttons. Always ask for extra buttons at the time of purchase!
- Hairspray, perfume, cologne and deodorant cause many; seemingly; harmless and invisible stains that surface after dry-cleaning! Apply them before you dress and let dry completely.
- Most mistakes are made in the first 10 seconds, so in a stain emergency; count to ten, relax, gently blot the stained area with a dry, white napkin and stop. Never rub a fabric.
- Think of water and club soda as the same. Use them sparingly and do not apply to oily stains such as french fries, gravy, dressing, lipstick. They can spread stains, bleed dyes and ruin fine fabrics, often making removal by your dry cleaner an impossible task.
- Dry-cleaning should be your first choice for oily stains.
- Air out all clothing for an hour after wearing and inspect it under bright light, before folding or re-hanging.
- Dry clean or wash all stained clothing within 24-48 hours.
- Repair small problems right away. Sewing a few stitches to repair a tiny tear is much easier than having to sew an entire seam and less expensive than replacing the item if it becomes irreparable.
- Don’t crowd clothes in your closet, as crowding causes wrinkles, which must then be removed. Take advantage of Shores free seasonal storage to make more room in your closet so that your garments aren’t crushed.
- Cedar odor only repels moths; it doesn't kill them. Clean all clothes before storage to remove any moth eggs.
- Rub zipper teeth occasionally with wax to keep the zipper working smoothly. The stub of a candle works well for this procedure.
- While many store-bought and home remedies work safely (on washable clothing), please do not confuse the message: Most remedies should not be used on dry clean-only clothing or certain fabrics or colors.
- Invisible or Mystery Stains
- Uniform Preservation Tips
- Professional Wet Cleaning
