Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ

Cudney’s offers a free home and office delivery service within the Saratoga area. For more information, see our Pick Up & Delivery page.

We can easily transfer orders between our South Broadway, West Avenue, and Wilton locations. Let us know at the time of drop-off which store you wish to pick your clothes up.

Spot cleaning is a cleaning method that concentrates solely on cleaning specific areas of the garment. “Spot Clean Only” means that there is no safe way of cleaning the entire garment in a commercial cleaning machine. Damage to the garment may result if put through the professional dry cleaning process. Therefore, it must be treated by hand.

Like other cleaners in the area, Cudney’s does not ordinarilly process “Spot Clean Only” requests, as the spot cleaning method rarely returns the garment to a perfectly clean appearance. There may be residual watermarks from the cleaning solvents, or the area that was cleaned will still stand out because it is in fact cleaner than the rest of the garment.

It is best avoid purchasing garments with a “Spot Clean Only” tag, as to ensure the compete and proper cleaning of your clothes.

Unfortunately, not all stains can be removed completely. This is particularly true for stains that have been allowed to set. It is important to bring your clothes in for cleaning as soon as possible after becoming stained. Do not treat the stain with water, club soda, or other substances, as this may cause the stain to set faster. We have a variety of professional-grade solvents at our disposal to treat nearly every type of stain. The sooner we receive the stained garment, the better the chances of removing the stain.

In the rare cases when a stain cannot be removed safely and completely, we will place a tag on your garment stating the reasons why it cannot be removed. We will gladly re-clean the garment at no charge if more time is needed to treat the stain. However, we will not continue to work on stains if it is determined that further cleaning will damage the fabric or cause color loss.

While dry cleaning is gentler on the fabric and color of sweaters than laundry, there is still the possibility of shrinkage. If you are concerned about shrinkage to your sweaters, please ask our counter staff to have the sweaters measured and blocked. We will record the size of the sweater before cleaning and gently resize it afterward.

Regardless of sleeve length, both types of shirts are placed on our form-fitting laundry presses and are pressed for the same amount of time. Your short sleeve shirts receive the same level of care and attention as your long-sleeve shirts.

Washing doesn’t always remove 100% of the perspiration. If even a small amount remains, it can still oxidize and turn yellow. Frequent washing is the best way to prevent perspiration buildup and oxidation. If shirts have been stored for a long period of time (six months or more) it is best to have them washed before wearing, as the prespiration stains will have once again oxidized and turned the collars and cuffs yellow.

The stains are from perspiration. Although invisible at first, over time the stain will oxidize and turn a yellow color. The longer perspiration is allowed to remain in a shirt, the weaker the fabric will become. If the fabric is weakened enough, it may lead to damage during cleaning. Aluminum chlorides in some antiperspirants also weaken the fabric, particularly in the underarms. Frequent laundering helps to keep the damage caused by perspiration to a minimum.

There are certain blends of fabrics that do not often withstand the laundry process. While a shirt may be primarily composed of cotton, even a small percentage of another material may warrant the gentler dry cleaning method.

Shirts containing linen must be dry cleaned because the hot laundry presses can easily scorch the fibers. Shirts containing spandex may weaken due to the high temperatures of the presses and lose their elasticity. Shirt containing silk may fade and/or wear out faster if they are repeatedly cleaned through laundry.

If you still wish to have your shirts laundered regardless of the risk, please let us know at the time of drop-off and we will attempt to accommodate your request. Bear in mind we cannot assume responsibility for such items knowingly sent through the laundry process.

Most shirts, regardless of the gender that wears them, are able to be cleaned and pressed the same way. However, the shirt pressing machines we use in our laundry cannot accommodate smaller shirt sizes or tailored shirt styles. Shirts that cannot fit on the regular shirt press must be ironed by hand, which requires more time and labor to achieve the crisp, wrinkle-free look vital for a professional appearance. Often, these smaller or tailored shirts happen to be women’s blouses, but it is the size and style of the shirt that makes the difference.

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