Here are answers to some of our most frequently asked questions. If you have a question that isn’t answered here, please e-mail us or call our corporate offices at (802) 879-3144.
● What are your hours?
●Why is the cost of dry cleaning so expensive?
●How can I best protect myself when turning in clothes to be professionally cleaned?
●I prefer to have my garments cleaned with minimal chemicals and no perfumes. Can you accommodate me?
●I spilled red wine (pasta sauce, salad dressing, ink, etc.) on my favorite dress...what can I do?
●Why couldn't you get this stain out?
●How quickly will my clothes be ready?
●Do you pickup and deliver to area homes?
●Why do I need to sign a release form?
●I'm thinking of buying a (insert article of clothing), but it has (sequins, beads, items that have been glued on, vibrant blue and white stripes that might not be color-fast, etc.) Will you be able to clean it safely?
●Do you press my clothes after they're cleaned?
●What's the difference between starch and no starch?
●Do you do alterations?
●How much will it cost to clean my wedding gown?
●Can I get my leather or suede item cleaned?
What Are Your Hours?
63 Creek Farm Road, Colchester
Production Facility & Corporate Offices | In the Creek Farm Plaza
(Intersection of Rte 2A & Rte 7) | (802) 879-3144
| Monday – Friday, 8am – 6pm
Saturday, 9am – 1pm | | 1164 Williston Road, South Burlington | Next to Starbucks & Chicken
Charlie’s
| (802) 862-7205
| Tuesday – Friday, 8am – 6pm
Saturday, 9am – 1pm | | 430 Shelburne Road, Burlington | 0.3 Miles North of I-189 (Exit 13) | (802) 864-5532
| Tuesday – Friday, 8am – 6pm
Saturday, 9am – 1pm | | 2989 Shelburne Road, Shelburne | Shelburne Bay Plaza
| (802) 862-5236
| Tuesday – Friday, 8am – 6pm
Saturday, 9am – 1pm |
Why is the cost of dry cleaning so expensive?
At Gadue's Dry Cleaning, it is very important to us that our employees make a decent, living wage. Unfortunately, this is still an extremely labor intensive business. We need a highly skilled and personable customer service representative to assist you at the counter; we need a specially trained, professional stain-removal and dry cleaning person to get your garment clean; and then we need someone to professionally finish your garment with crisp creases and properly rounded curves. Then the garments have to be assembled and packaged. In addition, over the last twenty years, the focus in the dry cleaning industry has correctly shifted to strict environmental regulation. Today, dry cleaning is accomplished with very sophisticated, expensive and modern machines designed to protect the environment. On top of all this the cost of energy and health insurance is on the rise. All of these things contribute to the cost of professionally caring for your wardrobe.
How can I best protect myself when turning in clothes to be professionally cleaned?
Work with our professional counter staff and let them be an advocate for what you need and what you expect. Give us as much information as you can. Tell us if there are any particular stains. Inspect your clothes carefully with one of our counter staff upon your arrival. Take note of underarms, dye transfers, buttons, any tears or worn areas, and fading color. All of this information is important in helping us give you the results you have a right to expect.
I prefer to have my garments cleaned with minimal chemicals and no perfumes.
Can you accommodate me?
Absolutely. Our professional customer service representatives will be happy to work with you, to ensure that all of your requests are being met, including your preferences for perfume-free cleaning. Our professional wet cleaning capabilities are the best in the state, and ensure that we can accommodate your special cleaning needs due to personal preference or medical necessity.
I spilled red wine (pasta sauce, salad dressing, ink, etc.) on my favorite dress...
What can I do?
First off, our fabric care specialist says "Don't use club soda to get it out!" (And please stay away from tea & hair spray.) The best thing to do if you've spilled something on an article of clothing is blot it with a clean wet cloth. Don't rub it. Now it's time to bring it to us, as soon as you can. If stains are left to sit on fabric, they become exponentially harder to remove. Sugar can caramelize and spills can affect some dyes. Also, some stains can weaken the fibers over time so that the entire area will dissolve when cleaned. For any garment, but especially if it is a natural fiber (silk, wool, cotton, linen) —don't use over-the-counter stain removers to try to get the stain out. In many cases, you may remove the stain, but there is a good chance you may accidentally remove the color or damage the fabric. If you have further questions, please call our dry cleaning manager, Amanda, at our corporate office and production facility, at (802) 879-3144.
Why couldn't you get this stain out?
We work very hard at the spotting board. However, several things can happen that may prevent us from being able to entirely remove a stain. Stains become increasingly immovable over time—so please bring stained garments in as soon as you can. Also, we will work on a stain to the best of our ability; however, we don't want to ruin the fabric or the dye of the garment in the process. Many natural fabrics surrender their dye very easily, especially when in contact with water-based stain removers. When the dye is easily affected by water, it becomes impossible to spot-clean a stain. The stain will come out easily, but so will the color. We must stop working on a stain before we damage the dye color. This is one reason why we may ask you to sign a release. We want you to know when there is an increased risk of damage to your clothes.
How quickly will my clothes be ready?
Our turn-around is typically four business days: if you bring in clothes on Tuesday, they'll be ready Friday after 4 pm. However, if you need your items cleaned faster, we will happily try to accommodate you. Next-day service is always available (In by Noon today & back to you tomorrow after 4pm - WEEKDAYS ONLY). Also, if your items have stains that require attention, our fabric care specialists recommend that you allow the normal time for them to be cleaned, in case the stains need to be worked on more than once.
Do you pickup and deliver to area homes?
Yes, we are pleased to offer our FREE, convenient, and reliable weekly pickup and delivery service to both area homes and businesses. We are currently serving clients in Burlington, Colchester, Essex, Essex Junction, Shelburne, South Burlington, Williston and Winooski. Call Mark at (802) 324-7050 for more information, or visit our Pickup and Delivery page.
Why do I need to sign a release form?
Short answer: We are required by law to follow care labels, unless the customer understands the risks in following a procedure other than that indicated on the care label. Our first obligation is to discuss those risks with you before we do something that could potentially harm your garment. Release forms indicate that the risks of cleaning a particular garment have been explained to the client, and the client not only understands the risks, but is willing to accept them to get the garment cleaned. If you do not want to assume the burden of risk based on the warning the cleaning specialist provides, the item should not be cleaned.
Long answer: At Gadue's there are only a few release forms we ask our customers to sign because of the risk involved in cleaning a particular item. If a "Dry Clean Only" article has been stained by an organic material like food, our fabric care specialist may need to wet clean that garment to remove the stains. (Professional wet cleaning immerses garments in water instead of in dry cleaning solvent.) Some of the risks of wet cleaning instead of dry cleaning are shrinkage, change in color, and change in texture of the garment. These problems don't happen very often; however, they are a possibility.
Two types of sweaters have become a problem for dry cleaners all over the country. The first type is made with chenille-type fabric. (Anything from rayon to chenille.) The problem with these sweaters is that the threads are not properly anchored. Over time, the threads can become loose, causing pulls in the fabric. This type of construction has insufficient stability to withstand normal wear and cleaning procedures, so there is a risk in cleaning your sweater. The other type of sweaters that present a problem to dry cleaners are hand-knit sweaters. If you turned this type of sweater inside out, you would notice that it is tied in several places. With normal wear, the threads can become loose and the ties can begin to come undone, forming holes. All sweaters are cleaned with extreme care; however, these sweaters may not return to you in perfect condition.
When household items (bedspreads, quilts, comforters, cushion covers, drapes, etc.) are brought in to us, there are several areas we're concerned with. These are: shrinkage, colorloss, improper construction, and stitching under stress. Most household items will shrink anywhere from 3-5%, which is within industry standards but might be a problem if the item perfectly fit a bed or couch.
I'm thinking of buying a (insert article of clothing), but it has (sequins, beads, items that have been glued on, vibrant blue and white stripes that might not be color-fast, etc.) Will you be able to clean it safely?
Probably not. Things like sequins and glued on items often melt during the normal dry cleaning process. Beads tend to fall off easily. A manufacturer can save $0.25 on an expensive blouse if they don't make it color-fast, but those blue and bright white stripes will quickly become blue and streaky lighter blue stripes. And there really isn't anything we can do about it. Be a cautious consumer: know the risks and avoid sequins, shells, and unique buttons. Always read care labels so you know what you're getting into with a garment. What might be the perfect outfit (and perfectly expensive) could be your dry cleaner's worst nightmare when you need to have it cleaned and pressed.
Do you press my clothes after they're cleaned?
Yes, all dry cleaning and laundry is pressed after cleaning. If you require something to be pressed only, we can happily oblige you—the cost is 2/3 the cost of cleaning.
What's the difference between starch and no starch?
Starched shirts are much stiffer than non-starched shirts, especially in the body. If a client requests light starch, which we cannot specifically accommodate, our counter staff recommends no starch – although the body is not as stiff, the collar and cuffs still come out crisply. We have now purchased a new and extremely expensive starch for starching your colored sport shirts. We are happy to modify your starch preferences at any time to meet your needs. If you're going on a business trip, let us know and we can fold your shirts for you for easy travel.
Do you do alterations?
Yes, we have a two-person sewing staff that can accommodate practically any tailoring needs. Please feel free to call one of our professional seamstresses today:
Ida
430 Shelburne Road
Burlington: (802) 864-5532
Fittings Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 8:30am-2pm
Sunny1164 Williston Road, South Burlington (next to Chicken Charlie's): (802) 862-7205 Fittings Saturdays, 9:00am-1pm *Some fitting availability Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 9:30am-2:30pm while Sunny is also acting as a Customer Service Representative*
How much will it cost to clean my wedding gown?
As wedding gowns vary in their design, decoration, and fabric, so does the cost to clean them vary. Typically, a base price for wedding gown cleaning and pressing is $199. If you would like to have your gown cleaned, our fabric care specialist would be happy to look at it for you in order to give you an estimate. Please see our special section on cleaning wedding gowns.
Can I get my leather or suede item cleaned?
Yes, it is possible to get your leather and suede cleaned through Gadue's Dry Cleaning. We do not have the capacity ourselves to treat leather; however, we use an excellent company based in Canada called Suedart. These garments will take at least three weeks to be processed, and prices vary. Visit www.suedart.com for more information.
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