Island CleanersIsland Cleaners

Great Impressions April 2016

Open the windows and let the sun shine in! But be careful where those rays go because they could fade some parts of your home environment.

Sometimes we forget about household items that blend into our homes so much they become a part of the scenery. These items collect dust and dirt and can become damaged, faded or discolored in their inactivity. Since we see them everyday, gradual changes come about without our noticing.

Guest room items are often overlooked, as many comforters on guest room beds sit in direct sunlight and are rarely noticed. Draperies, upholstery, rugs, and pillows all fade into the background. While these items brighten our homes, they are collecting dust, grime, food crumbs, and stains.

Trained fabric care professionals like us have the knowledge and equipment to care for your household items so you can enjoy them even longer. Here are some tips you can use to get the most out your household items.

Comforters
Comforters rarely become soiled as they rest atop other blankets and bed coverings. Sooner or later they will acquire a stain or collect enough dust to warrant cleaning. Comforters left in direct sunlight can fade in some areas. It is best to keep comforters and heirloom quilts out of direct light to prevent damage.

We can process your comforters and quilts to get the dust and grime out of them safely. Many comforters will not fit into home washers but fit easily into over-sized professional cleaning machines. Handmade quilts are especially susceptible to dye bleeding since the

fabric components of the quilt vary. We test quilts to ensure no bleeding will ruin it

Blankets
Blankets are available in many fibers and construction types, including wool, cotton, acrylic, polyester, and polyurethane. A blanket’s construction plays a direct role in its thermal qualities and should be cleaned to protect its ability to contain heat. Our team is skilled in the methods of cleaning blankets to preserve their heat-retaining qualities and appearance.

Decorative
Pillows Upholstery fabrics used for furniture are usually used to cover decorative pillows. Occasionally, pillows are also made to match draperies or other home furnishings. Most of these items are not supposed to be cleaned unless the manufacturer recommends a procedure. Do not remove the stuffing from cushions for cleaning.

Drapes
Drapes can hang for years between cleanings. Often, exposure to sunlight and changing temperatures lead to fabric damage in drapes. In time, soil and dust in the room, as well as outside atmospheric dirt and gasses from industry, automobiles, and construction, may soil the drapes. Many of these soils can be removed through careful cleaning practices. Water stains appear when moisture from condensation on the window, humidity or spilled liquids causes the soils to disperse, leaving a stained area. Moisture may also be responsible for displacing drapery sizing. After the moisture evaporates, a ring or streak may be noticeable because soils can be removed. You may notice discoloration due to light combining with oxygen, which tears down certain chemicals in fibers.

We often hear about white drapes that have yellowed noticeably in certain areas. Most fibers have a natural tendency to slowly oxidize and yellow from aging and atmospheric exposure. Any drapery material used to cover a window is exposed to both direct and indirect light. One great way to prevent excessive damage or fading is to rotate a few different sets of drapes, blankets or comforters periodically, or with the seasons. Keep furniture out of direct light to minimize fading. This will not only brighten the look of your home, but it will ensure that you get the most mileage out of your household items

Great Impressions September 2016

Ever read a garment tag and wonder what a particular term means?
Here are definitions for common terms seen on garment tags.

Acetate – A synthetic fiber which is used for luxurious fabrics such as taffeta and satin. It is often blended with rayon.

Acrylic – The generic name for a synthetic fiber derived from polyacrylonitrile. Acrylic is typically used as a substitute for wool.

Angora – A hair fiber from the angora rabbit. It may be blended with rayon or wool fibers for a novelty effect.

Boucle – A rough, fairly thick, slubby yarn that gives fabric a tufted or knotted texture.

Brocade – A heavy jacquard weave fabric with a design, such as flowers, woven into it. Metallic threads are often used in brocades.

Chenille – A fuzzy pile yarn that resembles a caterpillar or pipe cleaner commonly found in rugs, bedspreads, and bathroom accessories but is also used in sweaters, blouses, and dresses.

Chiffon – A sheer lightweight, drapable, woven fabric, originally made of silk but usually made from manmade fibers today.

Chintz – Any closely woven, plain weave fabric, with a shiny lustrous finish often printed in bright floral designs.

Corduroy – A pile corded fabric in which the rib has been sheared or woven to produce a smooth, velvet-like nap.

Crepe – A fabric with an overall crinkled surface that is made from yarns with such a high twist that the yarn actually kinks.

Damask – A heavy jacquard weave fabric used for tablecloths, home furnishings, and occasionally clothing.

Denim – A twill weave fabric with a colored warp and a white filling thread.

Faille – A woven fabric with a very narrow crosswise rib.

Fake fur – A common term for synthetic fabric used to imitate animal pelts.

Felt – A fabric made from wool, fur, or hair fibers that mesh together when heat moisture, and mechanical action are applied.

Jersey – A single knit fabric with plain stitches on the right side and purl stitches on the back.

Lace – A fabric made of knotted, twisted, or looped yarns to produce a fragile, sheer fabric, usually with intricate design patterns. Common types of lace are Alenaon, Battenberg, Schiffli, and Venise.

Lame – A fabric with all metallic yarns or a combination of metallic and fiber yarns.

Leno – An open, lacy woven fabric with a pair of filling yarns twisted around the warp yarns in patterns to achieve a lacy effect.

Madras – A fine loomed cotton imported from Madras, India. Dyes on this fabric are made of vegetable dyes which will bleed.

Matelasse – A fabric with a quilted or puckered appearance made on a jacquard or dobby loom.

Metallic Fibers – Man made mineral fibers composed of metal, plastic coated metal, metal-coated plastic, or a core completely covered with metal. Metallic fibers are used to create shiny decorative yarns.

Modacrylic – The generic name for a modified acrylic fiber. It is used most commonly to make fake furs.

Mohair – The long, lustrous hair of the angora goat.

Moire – A wavy rippling pattern somewhat like a watermark. Some moiré effects can be created by printing or in the weaving of the fabric. These are intentional and should be there.

Muslin – A plain weave fabric usually made of cotton or cotton blend, ranging from sheer to heavyweight. Muslin can be bleached or unbleached.

Nonwoven Fabrics – Fabrics made from fibers that are held together in a web by mechanical, heat, or chemical means. Examples include felt and Ultrasuede.

Oxford – A fabric woven in a basket weave and made of cotton or cotton blend. It often has a thin, colored warp and a thick, white filling.

Peau de Soie – A heavy, smooth silk fabric usually woven in a satin weave and especially popular for formal wear including wedding gowns.

Pile – A woven fabric containing an extra set of yarns woven into the base of the fabric to produce the “hairlike” surface texture. Velvet, velveteen, corduroy, and fake fur are the most common pile fabrics.

Pique – A fabric woven with small raised geometric patterns.

Pleats – Folds of cloth arranged in a certain way. Can be heat set or sewn as the garment is made. Common types are Accordion, Box, and Sunburst.

Polyurethane – A material which is laminated to other fabrics to provide warmth.

Ramie – A strong, lustrous natural fiber from the ramie plant grown in Asia. Ramie is a member of the cellulose family and has characteristics similar to those of cotton, linen, and rayon.

Rayon – The generic name for a cellulose-based, manmade fiber. Rayon has characteristics similar to those of cotton, linen, and ramie. Satin weave fabrics are characterized by yarns that usually float over four to seven yarns before being interlaced with yarns laid in the opposite direction. The floating yarns along the surface reflect light, which gives the fabric its luster. Satin fabrics can be made from silk or manmade fibers such as acetate or polyester.

Seersucker – A fabric woven with a crinkle stripe in the direction of the warp or checks and plaids. The crinkled effect is produced by weaving the one stripe under tension and the other slack.

Shantung – A silk fabric with a rough texture woven with uneven yarns in a plain weave. The texture effect is enhanced by occasional thicker thread with knots, lumps, and other imperfections.

Silk – A natural filament fiber produced by the silk worm when spinning their cocoons.

Spandex – The generic name for a manmade fiber with elastic properties. Cleerspan, Lycra, and Numa are typical brand names for spandex fiber.

Taffeta – A plain weave fabric with a crisp, somewhat shiny surface.

Velour – A knit or woven fabric with a thick, short, pile.

Velvet – Velvet is a fabric with a short closely woven pile. It is usually made of rayon, acetate, silk, nylon, or a blend of these fibers.

Velveteen – A fabric similar to a velvet, but is usually made of cotton or a cotton/polyester blend, and has a shorter pile and is duller than velvet.

Woolen – A wool fabric made from loosely twisted yarns that has a somewhat fuzzy surface.

Worsted – A wool fabric with a clean smooth surface made from tightly twisted yarns.

Great Impressions October 2016

Why Use Our Professional Cleaning Service?

Convenience and appearance are our best reasons. We can process all of your soiled clothing without you having to think twice about it, and you can spend your time doing the things you would rather be doing. Ironing is not only a time-consuming process but the results are usually not as sharp as the look you get from a professional team using professional pressing equipment.

Cleanliness is another reason. Home washers use water to clean clothing. While the detergents used in home washers can do a good job of eliminating some stains and create a general appearance of cleanliness, drycleaning solvents actually dissolve body oils and other grime that water cannot penetrate or remove.

Need more reasons? Professional stain removal. Button replacements. Time is more valuable than money these days, and we have the equipment to give your clothes a better cleaning than home equipment. We’re here to make your life easier and help you spend your time the way you want to.

It can take up to a half hour to separate a week’s worth of laundry into “light” and “dark” piles for washing at home. Add the time the machines take to do about four loads, and how long it takes to fold and sort and you’ve got an all-day affair on your hands. Add the stress and time of getting out the ironing board and you’re spending even more time on your clothing.

Our team is devoted to making sure your clothes look their best when you need them and we’re very grateful for your business

Great Impressions November 2016

Curtains: The Cleaning Challenge

Despite the availability of hundreds of labor saving devices and packaged products that claim to virtually eliminate housework, until a “magic solution” is found, curtains will still have to be cleaned the old-fashioned way.

Window treatments are an investment in time, money, and creativity, so protect your investment by purchasing the
right kind of draperies for your needs and caring for them properly on cethey are purchased.

Know what you are buying. Ask about the fabric’s colorfastness, the suggested care process, its resistance to light and how this relates to the atmospheric conditions in your home.

Consider purchasing lined draperies. While they are more expensive than unlined draperies, they can have a much longer life.

If your draperies are custom-made, ask for preshrunk fabric, especially when installing floor-to-ceiling draperies. Read the care label carefully. Look for sun-resistant fabrics such as acrylic, modacrylic, polyester, nylon, and glass fibers. Silk and sheer fabrics weaken much faster than heavier, tightly woven fabrics. Protect these fabrics by installing blinds or sun blockers on the window as well. Some drapes have a special backing that insulates and reflects light well, but it may be difficult to clean.

First, make a sound investment. Second, clean your drapes at least once a year, vacuum thoroughly between cleanings. If possible, rotate your drapes to vary light exposure. Sun can damage drapes, weakening textile fibers and fading colors. Be careful about rain or condensation on your drapes. Once the wet area dries, brown or yellow stains, caused by sizing finishes, may appear.

 

Pickup / Delivery


    ISLAND CLEANERS

    Dry Cleaning and Laundry
    43 Vibert Bodden Dr., off Shedden Road
    PO Box 30873, Grand Cayman
    Cayman Islands, KY1-1204

    Tel: (345) 949-5391
    Fax: (345) 949-5726

    Hours:
    Mon-Fri: 7:00am – 6:00pm

    Sat: 8:00am – 4:00pm
    Closed Sundays and Public Holidays