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Laundry in Washing Machine - Vick's Cleaners
19 Dec

Why You Must Separate Your Laundry

Did you learn the hard way that washing your colors with your whites in hot water can turn all your white clothes into pastels? Even if you wash all your clothes in cold water, it is very important to sort your clothes by color. Keeping your clothing in good shape requires thought and care. Here’s what to do:

Wash When Dirty

Your clothes do not need to be washed each and every time you wear them. If you did not spill anything on your clothing, sweat in your clothing, or make them dirty in any other way, it is not absolutely necessary to wash after wearing them. Of course, you should use your best judgment. If you decide the item does not need washing, fold it or hang it back up so it will not become wrinkled. Jeans, suits, sweaters, and flannels are items that do not need to be cleaned often. 

Sort Darks & Lights

When it is time to wash your clothes, you must sort the darks and whites. Sure, washing them all together in cold water may not have dyed any of your clothes just yet, but it will still cause your darks to fade and whites to look dingy over time. It may not be noticeable after one wash, but it will become noticeable over time. Sort your clothes and when washing your darks, turn dark clothes and heavier items, such as sweaters and jeans, inside out. This provides protection and preserves the color.

Home Remedies

If you can’t make it to the dry cleaner’s and need to freshen up your clothes, add a teaspoon of baking soda into your washing machine along with your detergent. This will also help keep the colors bright. If you end up forgetting about that load of laundry you threw in the wash 4 hours ago, don’t put them directly into the dryer. If they smell a little funny from being left in the wash for hours, wash them again with a cup of white vinegar and water, which will kill the mildew. 

Clean Your Washer & Dryer

Some high-end washers and dryers may come with a self-cleaning option, but if not, make sure to check on yours to ensure they are clean. Make sure there are no items, liquids, or anything inside the washer or dryer. Always check the lint filter as well.

Professional cleaning by Vick’s Cleaners will prevent you from having to replace your favorite clothing items when they are washed improperly. If you don’t have time to swing by, Vick’s Cleaners offers pick-up and drop-off services. 

Vick’s Cleaners

Vick’s Cleaners has been proudly serving Kinston and surrounding areas in North Carolina for more than 100 years by providing quality dry cleaning and garment cleaning services, excellent customer service, and unmatched convenience. We currently have 3 locations for your convenience in Kinston and Snow Hill as well as pickup and delivery, including New Bern. Contact us today!

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16 Aug

How Does Dry Cleaning Work?

Did you know that dry cleaning actually isn’t dry at all? It’s true! Sure, there’s no water involved, but garments are washed with a cleaning fluid, which is a liquid. All garments are immersed and cleaned in a liquid solvent. It is only called “dry” cleaning because there is no water involved! So what actually happens when you take your clothes to the dry cleaners?

Since World War II ended, the volatile synthetic solvents carbon tetrachloride and trichloroethylene gave way to a product known as perchloroethylene or perc, which is the typical solvent choice for the dry cleaning industry. 

When you drop your clothes off at the dry cleaners, they are first tagged to ensure that your clothes do not get mixed up with another customer’s. They are inspected for missing buttons, tears, etc. and made note of to prevent placing blame on the dry cleaners. To begin the cleaning process, the cleaner looks for stains and treats them to make removal easier. The clothes are then put in a machine and cleaned with solvent and any lingering stains are removed by post-spotting. To finish up, the clothes are pressed, folded, and packaged to be returned to their rightful owners. 

Pre-Treatment

Pre-treating stains at the dry cleaners is very similar to the way you treat stains at home: applying a stain remover prior to washing. To help the process, try to catch your stains early. Apply water for wet stains and solvent for dry stains, which are stains that have grease or oil in them. Tap and blot both sides of the fabric with a cloth, rinse, and let dry. Your dry cleaner will do the rest! 

Dry Cleaning Process

Your clothes rotate in a perforated basket with a constant flow of solvent from the pump and filter system. It is pumped continuously through the filter and re-circulated, free of dirt that gets trapped in the filter. The next cycle will drain and spin the clothes to expel the solvent, then circulates warm air through the clothes in a dry cycle. The remaining solvent is vaporized by warm air and then condensed over cooling coils. The distilled solvent is separated from any water that may have remained in the clothing or system and returned to the tank as distilled solvent. 

Post-Spotting

Post-spotting uses professional equipment and chemical preparations using steam, water, air, and vacuum. If the stain was a wet stain, water or wet-side chemicals are used to remove it. If it was a dry stain, solvents or dry-side chemicals help to remove the stain. 

Finishing

During the finishing process, steam is applied to soften the garment, it is reshaped through quick-drying, the steam is removed with air or vacuum, and then pressure is applied to the garment from the head of the pressing machine while steam is diffused through the bottom.

Vick’s Cleaners

Vick’s Cleaners is the oldest professional dry cleaners in North Carolina, proudly serving Kinston and surrounding areas for over 116 years. We provide quality dry cleaning and garment cleaning services, excellent customer service, and unmatched convenience. Contact us today!

 

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27 Jun

Taking Care of Your Suede Garments

Although suede is a form of leather, it can not be cared for in the same way as other leathers. If one of your suede items gets a little too dirty, Vick’s Cleaners can take care of it for you! However, take these precautionary measures to prevent ruining your suede items.

Treating Small Stains

Blot off wet stains as soon as possible. Place a paper towel onto the wet area and press down. Small, dry stains may be erased with a clean pencil eraser. Be careful with at-home techniques, as damage from simple soap is irreversible. Taking your suede to a professional dry cleaner is always the best option!

Keep Away From Sunlight

Keep your suede away from direct sunlight! Sunlight can cause fading. If you have suede upholstery in your home, be sure to place it in a spot that does not receive tons of direct sunlight.

Transporting Your Suede

When transporting or storing suede shoes, place them in a pillowcase and store them in a dark place where they will not fade. However, do not store them in plastic! The fibers in the suede need room to breathe. You will also want to avoid direct sunlight and the lack of air circulation. Exposure to the sun can shrink, fade, or harden the suede. Make sure they are completely dry before storing.

Many people overlook the concept of when to wear their suede items when discussing how to care for them. Water can really damage a suede piece, causing the velvety texture to become hardened, so check the weather forecast when planning your outfit for the day/night.

Suede Care Tips

Here are a few more tips for keeping your suede in prime condition:

  • Apply a waterproofing spray
  • Use a suede eraser for stains
  • If suede shoes get muddy, let dry overnight and brush off with a stiff brush
  • Always brush your suede in one direction

Keeping your suede pieces looking nice is all about giving it the proper care. Brushing your pieces regularly will get rid of dust and help retain the look of the suede. Suede clothing should be professionally cleaned about once or twice a year, depending on how often you wear it. Too much cleaning can actually strain your suede clothing!

For all your leather, suede, and fur cleaning, bring your garments to Vick’s Cleaners! We currently have three locations for your convenience in Kinston and Snow Hill. We also offer free pick-up and delivery to your home or office, available in Lenoir, Craven, Jones, and Greene counties! Visit our website or contact us today, online or by telephone!

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Winter Clothes Storage - Vick's Cleaners
30 May

Tips For Storing Winter Clothes

It is officially Summer! That means you can pack away your coats and boots and bring out the shorts and sandals. You may not have enough closet space for all of your clothes, so this may require you to store the winter clothes away for a few seasons. The first step to clothing storage is making sure everything is clean. You’ll want to run everything through the washer and dryer before putting them away in storage. You want your clothes to stay clean and dry so it is important to store them correctly. There are plenty of storage options, but which one is the best for each type of clothing?

Delicates

These items are called delicates for a reason, so they require some extra care. You’ll want to fold these items and place them in non-acidic tissue paper. Once wrapped up, these items should be placed in a cotton garment bag. Unlike plastic garment bags, the cotton will allow the fabrics to breathe properly.

Non-Delicates

Plastic bins are perfect for these items. Jeans, sweatshirts and everything else should be folded and placed in the bin with the heaviest items on the bottom. Although plastic bins do take up space, they allow for the fabrics to breathe. Vacuum seal bags can distort the shape of your clothing and don’t allow the fabric to breathe. To keep your clothes smelling fresh and keep pests out you can throw a lavender sachet or cedar ball in the bin.

Shoes

Winter shoes come in contact with harsh salt and snow throughout the season, so it’s important to clean them thoroughly before placed in storage. Shoes can easily lose their shape if they are not stored correctly. Tall boots should have boot trees placed inside, and smaller shoes such as ankle boots and loafers can be stuffed with tissue paper. Shoes can be stood up in the back of the closet, or if you need to save space they can be placed in a plastic storage bin. The largest shoes should be laid down at the bottom of the bin and a cotton t-shirt or shoe bag should be placed in between each pair.

What Should Be Folded, and What Should Be Hung

Hangers are not ideal for sweaters and bulky coats. When a piece of clothing is hung for months at a time it can become misshapen. These items can also be placed in a plastic bin, with the heaviest items on the bottom. With these items it is important not to over stuff the bin. Compressing these items can lead to a distorted shape. Dresses and fur coats are the only winter items that should stay hung up in your closet. They should be placed in a cotton garment bag, in the back of the closet, away from light.

Once all of your winter clothing is packed and stored away you’ll want to store them in the right place. Your bags and bins should be stored in a cool, dark and dry place. Before hitting storage, Vick’s Cleaners can help prepare every piece of clothing by cleaning it right. With three dry cleaning locations and two laundromats we can help anywhere in the Kinston area.

 

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29 Apr

How True is “Dry Clean Only”?

The care labels on the inside of your clothing can tell you a lot of information about the product and how it was made. The main purpose of the care label is the care instructions, which will tell you if your garment is machine washable or is better off being dry cleaned. Many clothes today will have a “dry clean only” instruction, but how true is this?

When You Should Definitely Dry Clean

  • Silk, wool, velvet, taffeta, leather and suede must all be dry cleaned
  • Special finish such as beading, embroidery or lace
  • If the garment has structure such as a suit jacket
  • If the garment is lined-Each fabric will have a different shrinkage rate
  • Does the color run when it is wet? Test a wet cotton swab on the fabric
  • Is the garment expensive? You may want to play it safe and have it dry cleaned
  • The fabric is made of acetate, triacetate or rayon- these fabrics can be carefully hand washed but would be better of dry cleaned as they easily shrink and get misshapen in water

When You Can Wash “Dry Clean Only”

  • Use cold water and a gentle detergent
  • Wash the garment alone so it does not mix with others
  • If you decide to machine wash, use the gentle cycle
  • Never put the garment in the dryer, hang to dry or lay it flat if it is a knit garment

How Can Vick’s Cleaners Help?

Vick’s Cleaners is your go-to for your professional dry cleaning and laundry services. We offer free pick up and delivery so you never have to worry! We have three convenient dry cleaning services in the Kinston area, as well as two laundromat locations with wash and fold service. We understand how important your clothing is to you, so we want to ensure that you can trust our services. To get started you can visit us online to schedule your free pickup, or drop off at one of our locations today!

 

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cleaning curtains: Vick's Cleaners
18 Mar

Guide to Cleaning Curtains: Machine Wash or Dry Clean?

Over time you may start to notice that your curtains are getting dusty and discolored. Vacuuming your curtains weekly can lengthen the time in between cleanings, but at some point they do have to be washed. The dust isn’t just a sight for sore eyes, but it can be a health hazard for those with allergies. Curtains can be made from all different types of fabrics, so you want to make sure you are cleaning them the correct way.

Every Fabric is Different

  • Silk: This fabric is very delicate, so you are going to want to hand wash with mild dish soap and line hang to dry

  • Wool and Cashmere: These fabrics must always be dry cleaned

  • Cotton: If your curtains are unlined they can be either machine or hand washed

  • Suede/Crushed Velvet: These fabrics must always be dry cleaned

  • Synthetic Fabrics: The chemicals in the dry cleaning process could have an affect on this fabric, so it is best to machine/hand wash or bring it to a professional cleaning service

  • Sheer: This fabric is very thin, so discoloring can occur if they are not cleaned often. Since the fabric is so thin you are going to want to hand wash in cold water and dry without heat in a dryer

  • Stitched, Pleated, Beading: These curtains have fine details, and all should be dry cleaned. Even if the fabric itself says it can be machine washed, your safest bet to keep all of the detail in place would be dry cleaning

How Can Vick’s Cleaners Help?

Whenever your curtains are soiled and stained, it is best to have them dry cleaned. Long curtains contain a lot of fabric, which may be too large of a load for an ordinary washing machine. Vick’s Cleaners has three dry cleaning locations and two laundromats in the Kinston, Snow Hill area. No matter what kind of curtains you have, we can clean them. Our team has experience in curtain cleaning, so you can be assured the fabrics are safe with us. We offer free home pick up and delivery, so go online or call today to schedule your next cleaning with Vick’s Cleaners.

 

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19 Feb

How Often Should I Wash My Bedding

There are multiple components to our bedding that all have different timelines when it comes to needing to be washed. This is because some of our bedding such as sheets and pillowcases have direct contact with our bodies every night, while our duvet and comforters do not. All parts of our bedding need to be washed, and Vick’s Cleaners can help you complete the job.

 

Sheets and Pillowcases

We come in contact with our sheets and pillowcases every night. Just like our clothing, they need to be washed regularly, about once a week. When we come in contact with these parts of our bedding, oils and dirt go into the fibers. Over time these can build up and cause tough stains to form. Dead skin and bacteria can also get into our bedding. Dust mites love to feed on these items, and if you are one who suffers from allergies, this can make it even worse. The best way to wash your sheets and pillowcases is in warm water. Hot water can shrink your sheets, and cold water may not kill all bacterias.

 

Pillows and Blankets

The wash cycle of a pillow or blanket comes down to how often you use it. It is important to wash our pillows because oils from our face and hair can begin to soak into the pillow. If your pillow has a protector in between the pillow itself and the pillowcase, then you will only need to wash your pillow a few times a year. The protector should be washed once a month. If you are not using a pillow protector, then your pillow should be washed once a month. A blanket follows the same type of guidelines. If you have a blanket at the foot of your bed and never really use it, then it can be washed every few months. If you frequently use your blanket every night, you should wash it once a week with your sheets.

 

Comforters and Duvet Covers

Comforters and duvet covers help protect our beds from dirt and soiling. If you use a sheet and aren’t in direct contact with your comforter every night, then you only need to wash it once a year, or when a stain occurs. The larger our bed, the larger the size of the cover. Many washing machines aren’t capable of holding such a large load. That’s why many choose to have it dry cleaned, and Vick’s Cleaners can get the job done. We can dry clean any size comforter or duvet cover, while your sheets and pillows are being washed in one of our laundromats. Call to schedule a free pickup, or visit us at one of our five locations in the Kinston and Snow Hill area!

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20 Dec

What is Dry Cleaning?

Not completely dry, dry cleaning is a fabric cleansing method which uses liquids other than water to cleanse soiled clothing or articles. As a traditional washing machine can be extremely rough on delicate clothes and add-ons such as buttons, lace or zippers, dry cleaning is a more gentle way of removing stains and freshening fabric. Dry cleaning is beneficial to fabrics and materials which can not be cleaned in water as they will shrink, or tarnish, such as silk, wool, and leather.

Historic Techniques

Dry cleaning is an ancient technique which has been found in the ruins of Pompeii. There has been evidence of the use of chemicals and other materials to clean fabric besides water. Ammonia found in urine, lye, and Fuller’s’ Earth Clay are some of the original cleansing materials. From there on commercial laundry services have come about, originally in Paris, use of liquids such as gasoline, kerosene, turpentine spirits, petroleum-based fluids, and camphor oil has been found. As some of these solutions were dangerous, working in unsafe facilities crossed with high heat.

Improved Technology

The dry cleaning services today now use new liquids and technology to safely remove stains and dirt. Almost any type of fabric can be dry cleaned, as they get sorted and some pre-treated before being placed into the proper machine load. Most dry cleaner services today are full scale and have a wide variety of services, in addition to dry cleaning. Wash and fold, alterations, shoe repairs, leather, and rug cleaning, are what makes dry cleaners your one stop for all things apparel and home furnishings.

 

If you are in need of dry cleaning or repair services, call Vick’s Cleaners at 252-522-1843 to find a location near you. Free pickup and delivery services are available for your home or office.

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