TORONTO — When Kristy Wieber opened a Toronto dress rental company, she quickly learned her business had an unexpected pain point: dry cleaning.
Constantly laundering pricey dresses that Rent Frock Repeat lent to its customers meant putting a lot of trust in dry cleaners, which melted the beads of at least one outfit and used harsh chemicals that dramatically reduced the lifespan of others. Even in instances when cleaning went smoothly, the service carried a hefty price tag, so Wieber and her business partner started looking for other solutions.
They aired out items, hand-washed them and even turned to steam cleaning.
"It still kills all the bacteria as long as the temperature is high," Wieber said. "It's way more gentle on fabrics, it's way more eco-friendly and it can also remove odours."
The methods Wieber and her now defunct business relied on feature prominently in the advice stylists and others in the fashion industry have for people trying to reduce their dry-cleaning bills, which can cost a few dollars for shirts and much more for coats and gowns.
The trick to saving on laundry services, the experts say, is knowing what items should be dry cleaned and which can be handled at home.
Wieber recommends people stick to dry cleaning for more structured items or crisp formal gowns that aren't as flowy, making them harder to steam.
The fabric matters, too.
"You would never steam anything like suede, leather, velvet, wool," she said. "Sometimes even 100 per cent rayon can be susceptible to water stains."
While some items like blazers are a good fit for dry cleaning, Wieber said they often don't need the service as frequently as some imagine. Depending on the fabric, how much you sweat in the piece and whether it has any stains, some blazers can go three wears without seeing a dry cleaner, she said.
Sheyda Sayahi, an Ancaster, Ont.-based style consultant, only sends her blazers to the dry cleaner once a year because she uses a slew of methods, including steam cleaning, to keep them fresh and clean.
Among her most tried-and-true tips is airing her clothes out right after she takes them off.
"Hang them outside in the fresh air or ... if you have a window, leave that open, so it gets fresh air before you fold it and put it back into your closet with your body sweat," Sayahi recommends.
If there is a bit of odour lingering, mix a touch of fabric softener with water and spray it on the item from a distance before letting it dry in a light breeze or steam cleaning it, she adds.
Wieber has similarly found diluted vinegar and vodka also work, but Sayahi cautions against alcohol as a deodorizer because it can mix with sweat and leave stains.
For stains, Wieber suggests trying a spot clean, where you test a cleaning method on a part of the item that isn't as visible and if it works, repeating the process on the more prominent area.
If items need a more fulsome treatment, both women suggest considering hand washing.
A tub of water and some light soap can often be used to clean delicate items, as can super-gentle cycles in a washing machine.
"Put it in a mesh-style garment bag, make sure it doesn't spin it for too long and then bring it out and dry it out," Sayahi said.
Some items, however, might be beyond your ability to clean and you will have to turn to a professional.
In those cases, Sayahi recommends asking dry cleaners about loyalty programs and discounts they offer. Some shave down the price if you bring them a few items at a time or a certain amount of dry cleaning every month and others have discounts they offer to people in professions where laundered uniforms are required.
Timing can also factor into the price. Some dry cleaners offer discounts during slower months or have seasonal programs that pass along savings on items like coats or gowns.
Sayahi recommends people think about the care they will have to take with their items before they buy them.
Some items, for example, will stay fresher if you always wear an undershirt with them or if you let your perfume or cologne dry before putting them on, but many are made of fabrics that are so delicate or temperamental you should expect to need to dry clean them.
"There are some investment pieces that you have to take (to the dry cleaner)," said Sayahi.
"That's just the amount of money you need to invest in them."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 25, 2024.
Tara Deschamps, The Canadian Press
