November = Holidays = Special events = Parties = Dressing the part. Instead of running out and buying new outfits, how about freshen up what you already have waiting in your closet. Not to mention that it’s time to roll out winter coats and heavy bedding. We all know that everything looks (and smells) better after a proper cleaning. We turned to the folks at Tide Dry Cleaners to find out a few ins and outs on dry cleaning.
But first … the Maple Grove location has been operating since April, and owner, Todd Laabs, says that a location in Maple Grove just made sense. “Dry cleaning is a habit-driven business,” Laabs explains. “It’s really important to stay close to things like grocery stores or the daily needs for families, so it can work into their routine. So Maple Grove, specifically, just fit perfectly.”
Laabs has 15 years of experience working for Procter & Gamble, but he was looking for the opportunity to put some roots down in the Minneapolis area. When this franchise opportunity came to him, it felt like a good match for him and his family.
Tide Dry Cleaners offers a wide variety of services, including full service dry cleaning, laundry, alterations, leather cleaning, color restoration services and more. “Everything from a cleaning and garment care perspective and even alterations,” Laabs says. “We kind of handle everything.”
MPG: What do you wish customers knew about dry cleaning?
TL: We use a methodology called GreenEarth Cleaning, which is a silicone based product. It is completely environmentally friendly and completely odorless. It’s very different from dry cleaning in the past, where dry cleaning had a little bit of a chemical smell.
What mistakes do customers make when it comes to bringing in their dry cleaning?
The more that we know about those garments and know what you want done with them, the better we can meet your needs and make sure that you have a perfectly clean and pressed and ready to wear garment when it leaves our store.
How often should winter coats, suits and comforters be dry cleaned?
I think the most frequent thing that we see a lot of is men’s dress shirts or women’s blouses. Those are things that are the in the most frequent need of being cleaned. I would say the average is once a week. As far as suits, I think what’s most common is probably about once a month. Dress shirts, especially in the summer months, when it gets a bit warmer, should be cleaned after every use. People change out their linens, comforters, like twice a year.
What is Tide Back to Black?
If you had a pair of black jeans or a shirt or blouse that had faded over time, we have a service that can inject the black dye back in and restore it to that original condition. It works best on cotton-based garments like jeans, shirts or a zip jacket or sweatshirt.
Do “dry clean only” tags really mean dry clean only?
We would always advise customers to follow those rules. So if it does say wash at home and you’re comfortable washing it home, that’s fine. But if it says dry clean, I would always recommend that a professional handles it.
How long can customers store their clothes in the plastic dry cleaner bags?
We typically recommend taking the plastic bag off when it goes back home, unless it’s a coat or something that you want to store for the winter. For comforters, we put them in their own breathable comforter bags, so they’re meant to be stored in there long term. It really depends on the type of garment.
What’ the most interesting item you’ve found left in a customer’s pocket?
We often find money. We often find things from trips or vacations or certain mementos.
