Dry Cleaning help (trousers)

[gladhands]

My dry cleaner called me to let me know that she would not clean a pair of mid-grey flannel trousers because the (black) pockets bled when they tested for colorfastness. Should I tell her to clean them anyway? Use one of home "dry clean" kits? Hand wash? Throw them out?

 

[ter1413]

Don't throw out. What does the care label say?

 

[gladhands]

Originally Posted by ter1413

Don't throw out. What does the care label say?

dry clean only

 

[ter1413]

Originally Posted by gladhands

dry clean only

tell them to go for it!

 

[Blackhood]

Or ask them to steam and press them instead of using a chemical dry cleaning fluid?

 

[gladhands]

Originally Posted by Blackhood

Or ask them to steam and press them instead of using a chemical dry cleaning fluid?

My daughter spit up on one of the legs. They definitely need to be cleaned.

 

[ter1413]

Originally Posted by gladhands

My daughter spit up on one of the legs. They definitely need to be cleaned.

have her spit up on the other leg and you will be all set...

 

[stubloom]

It's very unusual for a wool to bleed to dry cleaning solvent. Given the fact that the pockets are a different color than the rest of the trouser, I would suspect that the pockets (rear pockets?) are made from a different type of fabric or even a skin (leather?). You'd need to provide more information about the trouser as well as the dry cleaning solvent/fluid used by your cleaner in order to solicit a more considered opinion.

As regards home "dry cleaning kits", don't waste your time or money. A scented sheet in your dryer does exactly what for your garments? Removes stains? No. Removes soils? No. Removes body oil? No. Would you "clean" your underwear or your bed linens in a dryer with a scented sheet? Of course not.

 

[gladhands]

The interior of the pockets are and the waistband are black cotton. That's the part she thinks will bleed.

 

[Todd6060]

Take to a different cleaner

 

[stubloom]

So she's saying that the black dye on the cotton used to construct the pockets and waistband of a gray wool trousers will probably bleed? And she's telling you this even though most wool trousers today have cotton pockets and cotton waistbands?

Even though I have not personally examined the trouser and tested the dye for bleeding, I'll go out on a limb here: Her assertion that the cotton will bleed is nonsense.

So, there's got to be something else going on here that's not being disclosed. Could there be soiling or staining that they just don't want to deal with? Is this a dry clean only wool garment that may require wet cleaning and they don't have the expertise necessary to mitigate the risk?

 

[a tailor]

if the label says dry clean,then dry clean.
if the pockets bleed, take it back to the store.

 

[gladhands]

Originally Posted by stubloom

So she's saying that the black dye on the cotton used to construct the pockets and waistband of a gray wool trousers will probably bleed? And she's telling you this even though most wool trousers today have cotton pockets and cotton waistbands?

Even though I have not personally examined the trouser and tested the dye for bleeding, I'll go out on a limb here: Her assertion that the cotton will bleed is nonsense.


She tested and showed me. Anyway, I'm just going to have them cleaned, and if the pants are damaged, I'll return them to the store.