A Cleaner World Talks

Talking Home Fire with Your Kids

2012-02-22T13:45:00.000-08:00

“What happens if our house catches on fire,” Gray recently asked. My first thought was where in the world does he come up with these things. Then my second thought was – wow that’s a really good question on a topic we probably should have talked about a long time ago.

We talked about an escape plan should we have a home fire and even practiced what to do. Since his bedroom is on the second floor, we purchased an escape ladder. But I wondered how much really sunk in. Here’s a great kid-focused site that I used a few days later to go over it with him again. Check it out and make sure that you and your family have a plan.

http://www.sparky.org/family.html

But as I searched for information, I discovered that Epcot at Walt Disney World has a house-sized exhibit that uses a hands-on method to teach kids fire safety. Here’s the link.

http://www.befiresmart.com/protect-your-family/where-s-the-fire-exhibit/where-s-the-fire-exhibit-overview/

I was so excited to find this as my parents and I are taking Gray to Disney World next week. We’ll check out the exhibit, and I’ll let you know what we learn.

Do you need a sewing kit?

2012-02-15T09:44:00.002-08:00

Even I – a person that really hates sewing – have a sewing kit. I think every home needs to have a basic sewing kit in it. It comes in handy, especially when you have to perform emergency surgery on an important family member like Bruce the stuffed horse.

Before sending you to a link, I would like to share with you two little tips. Take it from a woman that’s had plenty of sewing debacles.

First, you really do need more than one needle in various sizes. One size does not fit all in this instance.

Second, invest in a really good pair of scissors. Keep them in your sewing kit and don’t let your husband use them for his projects or to open food packages. They really need to stay clean and sharp.

So what items should you have in your sewing kit? Here’s a great resource:

http://sewing.about.com/od/beginner1/ig/Sewing-Tools/Sewing-Kit.htm

A Small Act of Kindness

2012-02-08T10:15:00.000-08:00

Have you ever noticed that when you do something nice for someone, something good usually happens to you? That’s what Bob Burns, Manager of the A Cleaner World in Durham recently discovered.

A few weeks ago, Bob received a phone call from an elderly lady that lives across the street from his store in a retirement community. She wondered if he would mind coming over to pick up some clothes to clean for her and then bring them back to her once they were done. Of course he was happy to do so.

She was so grateful for Bob’s help and called to thank him for making such a special effort. She also made it a point to tell a number of folks in her community. As a result, a gentleman that had never used A Cleaner World before dropped off an order. After using the store for a couple of visits, he told Bob that he heard of Bob’s kindness to his neighbor and because of that and the quality of the store’s work, we had “won him over”.

That one act of kindness turned into a nice relationship with more than one person. Nice job Bob!

Another Place for Dirt to Accumulate

2012-02-01T10:19:00.000-08:00

I fear that with each confession like this, you will stop believing that I really am an obsessive clean freak. It’s a title I am quite proud of.

This past weekend I went to hang up a jacket in the mudroom and noticed that the light switches by the back door were dirty. I didn’t think much about it as they are right inside the door and frequently Matt reaches his dirty (from working outside) hands in to flip on a switch. I wiped the dirt off using a paper towel and some cleaning solution. As I walked into the kitchen, I glanced at the next set of switches and noticed they too were dirty. Then I looked at the ones in the dining room – also dirty.

I armed myself with an old towel, some q-tips, and 409 anti-bacterial cleaner. Then I spent the next 20 minutes cleaning all the switches in the house. While I was at it, I wiped all the door knobs too. When I was done I showed my husband the towel. He replied with sarcasm in his voice, “You’re a terrible housekeeper.” I didn’t need to hear that – that’s exactly how I was feeling.

LewRockwell.com listed the light switch as number 6 in “8 Spots Germs Love to Lurk in Your Home”. The author says, “Touching the light switch is practically unavoidable, but keeping it clean is not. The bathroom light switch can have as many germs as the trash bin. Disinfect light switches twice a week, or every day if a member of your household is sick.”

I do wipe the switches and knobs in the bathrooms once a week when I clean those rooms. I’ll admit that I don’t go to that great detail in other rooms – until now. Now when I clean a room I will make sure I include that little (and important) task as well.

My Hero For The Day

2012-01-25T09:07:00.000-08:00

Not too long ago, I wrote a blog about Steve Plantone, our Manager in Hickory. In it I shared a story where he was a customer’s hero for a day. I too have an A Cleaner World hero for a day – his name is Alan Peatross.

My husband and I were friends for about a year before we started dating. Shortly after we started dating, he asked me over to his place so he could cook dinner for me. After dinner, we decided to take our glasses of red wine and sit outside to continue chatting. It was a chilly evening so I asked Matt if he had a jacket I could wear. He handed me a brand new, tags still on sweatshirt he’d recently gotten during a trip to Maine. I pulled the tags off, put it on, and we went outside. It was dark, so he didn’t notice when I spilled some wine on the sleeve.

I immediately rolled up the sleeves a bit and decided I’d figure out a way to wear it home. The next morning before going into the office, I headed straight to Alan’s store. Alan, who is now a District Manager, was the manager of one of our High Point locations at the time. Alan is an interesting fellow. He sort of reminds me of the turtle in ‘the tortoise and the hare story’. He doesn’t get really excited. He walks sort of slowly, but in the end he always gets the job done. I hadn’t been with the company very long and didn’t know him that well, so I was a bit apprehensive as I left the store given that he didn’t display the same sort of urgency that I felt.

But I tell you that he came through for me – no problem. He called me the next day to tell me the sweatshirt was ready. I picked it up after work that night, thanked Alan repeatedly, returned it to Matt a few days later, and he never knew until…..well some time later.

Restoring After A Fire

2012-01-18T09:52:00.000-08:00

Thankfully, we’ve never experienced a home fire, but I know a number of folks that have. I’ll never forget a story that my High School Senior English Teacher shared with us during class one day. Her home caught on fire a few years before. She explained that they had a list of important numbers – police, poison control, fire department, etc. – posted on the wall next to the telephone in the kitchen. Once it was determined to be safe, they went in to the house to assess the damage. They noticed something quite strange with that list of numbers. Both the top and bottom of that piece of paper were torched leaving only one phone number still readable in the middle of the sheet – for the fire department. Talk about unsettling.

As I write this, I’m thinking about all the special things we have in our home -- my wedding gown, my very first stuffed bear, the outfit we brought Gray home from the hospital in, quilts my grandmother made. Until A Cleaner World got into the restoration cleaning industry, it never occurred to me that many times cherished soft goods could be restored. That is if immediate and appropriate action is taken.

If you experience a home fire, Chuck Brammer, President of A Cleaner World Restoration Dry Cleaning, recommends two things. First, contact your insurance agent for suggestions and advice. Second, work with your insurance agent and contact a professional fire restorer. Certified and properly trained fire restorers have the knowledge and materials to refurbish textiles after a fire.

The Importance of Renter’s Insurance

2012-01-11T09:41:00.000-08:00

After graduating from college, I got my first apartment. It was very charming – basically it was half a house in an older neighborhood in Evansville, Indiana. I had saved money from a summer job and used it to purchase a brand new sofa and chair. My parents found a really nice used kitchen table, which they bought for me. I took my bedroom furniture from home, and my parents helped me stock the kitchen with all the supplies I would need. It was a big investment. It never occurred to me, until my dad pressed the issue, that I should get renter’s insurance.

My guess is that many folks think either the way I did or perhaps don’t see the importance of having renter’s insurance. Chuck Brammer, Owner/President of A Cleaner World Restoration Dry Cleaning confirmed that thought during a recent conversation. “Most people don’t think about it until something happens,” said Brammer. “Then it is too late.”

Renter’s insurance is designed to protect tenants from loss of personal property. If there is a fire in your apartment or rented home or perhaps a burglary, renter’s insurance provides money for the value of the damaged or stolen items. It can also protect against liability to the rented property if someone is hurt while at your place.

Renter’s insurance is pretty inexpensive. “Usually you can get it for about the price of a soda per day,” said Brammer. “Then you have the coverage and peace of mind should something catastrophic happen.” Wise words – from both Chuck and my dad. Of course, I purchased renter’s insurance shortly after moving into my first apartment. Thankfully I never needed to use it.

Great Customer Service

2012-01-04T08:56:00.000-08:00

I like feedback – both positive and negative. As long as negative feedback is constructive, I believe it can be incredibly helpful in improving service. But because we rarely hear positive feedback, we tend to be taken back when it comes our way.

A couple of months ago, @KristenDaukas of Twin City Sales and Marketing tweeted to @cleaner_world this: “Just wanted to say how much I LOVE Cheryl at the Robinhood location. Such a great team member for you guys!” When I passed the good word onto her supervisor, I found out that Cheryl receives many compliments from customers. It got me thinking this: in a day where we rarely hear positive feedback, what is it about Cheryl that makes folks speak up? I decided to ask Kristen to find out.

In talking with Kristen, she expressed something that I feel often (and I would guess that many of you do too), that we’ve become so accustomed to dealing with folks who work the front line that are not thrilled with being on the job. In contrast, “Cheryl always has a smile, always greets me by name, and always has a compliment or something kind or fun to say,” said Kristen.

Apparently Cheryl is this way all the time, even when negative feedback comes her way. “A couple of years ago, I brought a pair of pants back because I had discovered they had holes in them,” said Kristen. “My thinking was that something happened in the cleaning process.” Instead of being defensive or offended, Cheryl happily took the concern to the manager to investigate. Once the manager diagnosed the problem Kristen said, “Both she and the manager took the time to educate me on the dangers of moths.”

Service like that makes folks want to come back. Think about some of the places you frequent. Kristen feels the same way. “There are other places that are cheaper but with staff like her, I will continue to use A Cleaner World,” she concluded.

Thanks Cheryl for setting such a great example. The world needs more folks like you.

Thoughtful

2011-12-28T13:25:00.000-08:00

While writing this blog post, I pondered titles. All kinds of ideas ran through my mind and as they did, I kept coming back to this word – ‘thoughtful’. So I decided to look up the definition of thoughtful. Here’s what thefreedictionary.com said:

1. Engrossed in thought; contemplative.
2. Exhibiting or characterized by careful thought.
3. Having or showing heed for the well-being or happiness of others and a propensity for anticipating their needs or wishes.

I’d like to introduce you to Tim Rolle, Manager of A Cleaner World in Apex and a person that exemplifies thoughtful. Here are three reasons to support my statement.

1. Besides dabbling in social media, I am also an accountant. One thing I always appreciated and liked about Tim is that his paperwork was always precise. And if it wasn’t, he’d take the time and put careful thought toward finding and fixing the issue.
2. Some time ago, Tim was at the corporate office for some training. He brought each of the ladies in the office a small box of Godiva Truffles. I don’t think I need to expand on this one any further.
3. Earlier this year, Tim was leaving his store around 5:30 on a Saturday. A customer pulled into the parking lot and saw the store was closed but noticed someone in a car trying to get her attention. It was Tim, and he asked her if she needed to pick up dry cleaning. He offered to open the store back up for her. She was so grateful as her husband needed his clothes for a trip he was leaving for the next day. She sent Chris Edwards, President of A Cleaner World, a note a few days later expressing her gratitude for Tim going out of his way to make sure she was taken care of. Furthermore she went on to say that not only did Tim remember her last name, but he recalled her husband’s first name and remembered details of conversations they’d had about their family.

Now I rest my case. Those examples are just three of many that show how thoughtful Tim Rolle really is.

An Office Tradition

2011-12-21T06:39:00.000-08:00

I love Christmas. I especially love Christmas Parties. Well it’s more like I love food – and the food served at Christmas Parties always tastes especially good to me.

When I started at A Cleaner World, there was a Christmas Celebration in place – a breakfast where the District Managers and the head of maintenance would cook for the office staff. They also cleaned up the mess. The menu was two different breakfast sandwiches, and there were no special orders.

It’s funny how things evolve over time. The no special order rule got thrown out the window when I arrived. As the other guys cooked, Mike Feudale would run around the office before assembly to see who had a special order. Then the menu expanded as folks brought a cheeseball, veggies, and a cookie plate.

In the beginning we exchanged small gifts. But one year we had a long-time employee get diagnosed with a terminal illness. That year we decided to pool our money together and give it to that family. That was a good thing. After that, we started playing ‘Dirty Santa’. Dirty Santa was always lots of fun – especially the year that someone decided to bring a cake from Ganache Bakery. There was a battle for that one – and I am proud to say that I walked away with it!

I have fond memories of that annual celebration. My guess is that they’ll be having it again this week. I’d like to go ahead and place my special order…and of course I’ll be having a diet coke with it.

Whatever your celebrations or traditions – we wish you a Merry Christmas.

Commercial and Uniform Division

2011-12-14T09:06:00.000-08:00

I recently talked with my favorite A Cleaner World runner, Mike Feudale, to learn more about a new business we ventured into about a year ago – Commercial Services. I started by admitting that I didn’t know much about the industry. So he first told me everything that’s offered:

• Bar towels
• Shop towels
• Wet and dry mops
• Restroom supplies
• Aprons
• Customized uniforms
• Indoor and outdoor mats, which can have logos or special messages
• Direct sell, with very competitive prices, logoed items like t-shirts and ball caps

I took lots of notes on the process, but let me cut the boring stuff out and tell you the cool stuff. You sign up for the service. You tell us the items you need. Together we set up a schedule based on what’s best for your business. We come when we’re supposed to. We take the dirty stuff. We bring you fresh stuff. My 5 year old son would describe the set up as “easy peasy lemon squeezy.”

Besides the easy part, there are other advantages to using our commercial services:

• Uniforms and mats make a business look professional
• Mats stop 70% of dirt on shoes from going past the front door
• Mats also help during inclement weather to prevent slip hazards
• Renting doesn’t require a large upfront financial investment
• Worn out items are replaced automatically
• Items are properly maintained
• Products are better quality than those purchased retail by the general public
• We’re associated with Apparelmaster, a 72 unit franchise that gives us the bulk buying power to keep prices low and quality high
• We’re a small local family owned business that responsive to our customer’s needs. We live and work here too.

Our customers are happy. Just ask Sarah and Justin, owners of Café Roche in Winston-Salem. They called late one afternoon because they had just run out of bar towels. They weren’t scheduled for service for a few more days. Scottie, the division’s Sales Manager 336-870-6299, gladly made an additional delivery after closing to make sure they were set for the next business day. “Not only do they do a great job with the routine service,” said Sarah, “but they came through for us when we were in a pinch. We couldn’t be more pleased.”

So the bottom line is this -- If you have a front door, we can help you.

Christmas Tree Safety

2011-12-07T11:02:00.000-08:00

I have so many fond childhood memories. Here’s one of my favorite – for years on the day after Thanksgiving, we’d drive to Darwin Reugers’, a man my parents knew that had a tree farm, house to pick out and cut the Christmas tree. Then we would head home to decorate the tree. It was a huge tradition, and my mom would always have something special baked. Of course, we’d have hot chocolate too. My husband and I have started a similar tradition with our son. In fact, he started asking about the tree about a week before Thanksgiving.

According to fire-extinguisher101.com, fires during the holiday season injure approximately 2600 people and cause over $930 million in damage annually. Chuck Brammer, President/Owner of A Cleaner World Restoration Dry Cleaning, shares some tips to help ensure you and your family have a safe Christmas:

• It is best to buy a tree that is still growing and cut it yourself. If you are buying one that is pre-cut, make sure it is still healthy.
• Be sure the tree has a fresh cut before putting it into your stand. Once cut, tree trunks typically seal over within 12 hours, preventing them from soaking up water.
• Before taking it in, repeatedly drop the tree trunk on an outdoor surface until most of the old, dry needles have fallen off or have the tree farm put it through the machine that shakes and wraps it.
• Water the tree daily.
• Keep the tree away from heat sources because heat dries out trees. The cooler it stays, the better.
• Be careful not to overload outlets. It is best not to link more than three strands of lights together unless the instructions specifically say it is fine.
• Don’t leave the lights on while gone or asleep.

We hope these tips help you have a safe and Merry Christmas.

25th Give A Kid A Coat Campaign Wraps Up

2011-12-04T13:53:00.000-08:00

Give A Kid A Coat wrapped up its 25th campaign a few days ago after collecting 20,846 coats this year, and over 744,000 coats inception to date. That’s a lot! As someone who has had the privilege of helping with this well-oiled machine, I’d like to say thanks to several groups.

First, a number of years ago Ray Edwards and his wife Sallie came up with the idea of sponsoring a coat drive in the Triad. I’m sure they had no idea at the time what an important role it would play in our community. Twenty-five years later, Chris Edwards still continues the tradition. I think it is important to thank the three of them for their lasting support. They would all shy away from this, pointing out that we should focus on the campaign and the need, not them. But it really couldn’t happen without their support.

I also think it is important to thank both A Cleaner World store managers and their staff. Many of them come in on Sundays to clean coats so that they are ready for The Salvation Army.

Speaking of The Salvation Army, there are so many individuals to thank there. From the truck driver that picks up the coats weekly to the employees and volunteers that help those find just the right coat to the captains and majors juggling lots of balls. The Salvation Army is full of kind-hearted generous people.

We can’t forget the folks at Fox 8 and 1075KZL. What an enthusiastic, talented, and passionate group! Every year they come to the table with new ideas to help make the campaign fresh and exciting.

Finally, thank you to everyone that donated a coat or money to purchase new coats. Obviously if there were no coats, then……

I know I’ve said before that Give A Kid A Coat is a group effort, and it really is. Each part is unique and equally important, and the program wouldn’t work if one piece was missing. Thanks to all the contributions, LOTS of Triad residents have been warm for the last 25 years.

My Top 5 Don't Do's For Thanksgiving

2011-11-20T12:53:00.001-08:00

Some of these things – like the pies and tablecloth - I admit to doing. Others – like the gross stuff - I was on the receiving end.

5. Don’t try to pass off a bakery pie as one of your own. Just fess up as you’ll be found out.
4. Don’t offer to make pies that you’ve never made before. I pride myself on being a pretty good cook and baker -- now. But when I was in college I offered to bring pecan pie – something I’d never made before. I forked the crust before putting the filling in and baking. The filling oozed under the crust making a soggy mess.
3. Don’t go off and leave a stick of butter defrosting in the microwave and then be surprised when you come back that it has melted all over the bottom of the microwave. Especially don’t try to use a pastry brush to sop it up to put on the bread anyway. Eeewwww.
2. Don’t drop off your tablecloth Wednesday afternoon – the Wednesday afternoon before Thanksgiving. You’ll find yourself at Kohl’s late Wednesday evening purchasing a new one and then asking your mom to iron it Thanksgiving morning when she gets to your house.
1. Don’t clean your oven the morning of Thanksgiving. One year my mom got up extra early to do just that. Never having cleaned that oven before, she was surprised when after 3 hours she still couldn’t get the oven door unlocked. I think for the first time in her life a meal wasn’t done on time.

Bonus: If you are having overnight guests and having them stay in the neighbor’s camper trailer, don’t forget to check the bed for dead mice.

Here's wishing you a safe, enjoyable, and uneventful Thanksgiving!

It's My Mom's Fault

2011-11-16T09:57:00.000-08:00

I know that I am obsessed with being crisp and clean. I also know how I ended up this way. It’s my mom’s fault. It’s okay that I put this in writing as she will quickly admit to it. In fact, I once heard her apologize to my husband for making me this way.

It all happened very innocently. My parents were rather young when they had me. I was the first born, and my mom stayed at home. The bottom line is that she just never let me get dirty. I’d get something on me, and she’d immediately clean me up and change my clothes. Every night before my dad got home from work, she’d again clean me up, put a cute little dress on me, and sit me at the kitchen table to wait as she served dinner.

The thing is I’m happy to always be crisp and clean. I like the fact that I can ride in the car for 3 hours in a pair of khakis and still look freshly pressed. It makes me perfectly suited for a job in the dry cleaning industry. I like that my 9 year old Honda Accord looks almost new. That makes my husband happy. I like that the walls in my house always look like they’ve just been painted. It gives me personal satisfaction and visitors are impressed by it!

I could continue on but I think you get the idea. I spend lots of time keeping things just so, but there’s some kind of benefit to each aspect. So thank you mom for instilling this crazy behavior in me. It’s now a dream of mine to make my son the same way. His wife will someday thank me. I think I have a good start on him – after all he already knows about OxyClean.

A Bit of Nostalgia

2011-11-09T09:40:00.000-08:00

The older I get, the more nostalgic I become about things of the past. I find myself, now that I have a son, thinking about my grandparents – especially when I watch him interact with his. My how times have changed! He has terrific grandparents, and they are teaching him about working and enjoying simple things but still there’s the whole technology thing that we didn’t have at age 5 that often interferes.

My dad’s parents were farmers, and my sister and I would on occasion go stay with them for a few days. Compared to most homes in the late 70’s and early 80’s, their farm house was quite primitive. They did have a television but no air-conditioning and really no modern appliances. I still remember being fascinated with one particular item – the wringer washer.

My grandparents kept it in the cellar (in that type of environment a basement was a cellar), and when my sister and I were there, and if it were laundry day, we’d help. Given that was 30 years ago, I have trouble recalling many of the details but here’s what I recall – it was hard work!

So while I miss some of the simpler times, I am really thankful for the advances made in the appliance department. My husband has said this to me many times and it’s completely true – “You’d make a terrible pioneer.”

Gray's New Coat

2011-11-02T10:01:00.000-07:00

The week that Give A Kid A Coat kicked off, we had a patch of what I would call cold weather. There were three days in a row when the highs didn’t get out of the 50’s. Gray’s winter coat from last year was too small, so I had to breakdown and get him one that actually fit.

We were fortunate in that he was able to wear his last winter coat for 2 seasons. So when we hit the stores, I was shocked at the prices -- $50 for a coat that he will probably only wear for a few months?! And I wasn’t shopping at a place known for outlandish prices.

But then I caught myself. You know how in just a moment a thousand thoughts can run through your mind? And after all those thoughts ran through my head, I scolded myself. I scolded myself because I came to the realization – I could afford to buy my child a coat, I was just annoyed because it was more money than I wanted to spend. I’m sure there are lots of folks out there that wish they had my predicament.

Needless to say, we got Gray a coat. He will be warm this winter. We donated his coat from last year, so another little boy will also be warm this winter. And my attitude has been adjusted.

Picture of Gray in his new coat

Dirty and Smelly

2011-10-26T09:39:00.000-07:00

My child can always find dirt. So when I found a note in his backpack about “Mud Day” at school, I was less than pleased. The instructions on the note were: bring your child to school in old clothes, pack a towel and clean clothes in a grocery bag, and we’ll clean the kids up and send the dirty clothes home.

When we got home after “Mud Day”, I emptied his backpack and placed the bag of dirty clothes on top of the washer. Then I forgot about them. The next morning I went to start laundry. I opened the bag and was immediately hit with the odor. Eeewww. I am full of tidbits on how to care for your clothes, but I tend to forget to follow them. Reference the post from July 15 – ‘Wet gear that’s stored in plastic, in a gym bag, or in a heap on the floor can begin breeding bacteria within hours. Odor from bacteria can be stronger than the smell of perspiration.’

Let me say that A Cleaner World is not endorsing this product. But Barb Mitchell, SAHM of a dirty boy, thinks that Tide with Fabreeze is fantastic. It got the smell out of Gray’s “Mud Day” clothes. It also gets the smell out of my sweaty, smelly running clothes. And so on..... I’d like to shake the hand of the person that came up with that idea.

My Poor Parents

2011-10-19T10:56:00.000-07:00

I feel sorry for my parents. Every time they come to visit, I put them to work. Their visit in August was no exception. This time I had them help me wash windows.

When we moved into our house last spring, there was so much to do – clean the inside from top to bottom, yard work, painting and decorating. I put the windows on the back burner. Apparently the folks that owned the house before us also put the windows on the back burner. I’ve never seen so much dirt!

My mom was offering lots of advice on how my dad and I should have been cleaning the windows. It seems that we should have followed her directions a bit better. Her windows were immaculate. Ours had a few streaks. It appears that there is a right way to do windows. I went looking for an official guide....and this one looks like it would meet my mom’s approval.

http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/home/how-to-clean-windows.htm

The Family Expert

2011-10-14T06:41:00.000-07:00

Isn’t it flattering to be considered an expert? I’m the family expert in running, cooking, accounting and now stain removal. And it’s even extended past immediate family to friends of in-laws. I’m flattered!

My sister-in-law called me not too long ago with a question that her friends asked her to ask me. As she described the stains, it sounded very similar to an issue I was having last summer – the dreaded mystery stain. They were having issues with spots that made the fabric appear a bit darker than the actual color. I explained that it sounded like an oil based stain and could come from accidentally dripping dressing while eating or having oil pop on you while cooking. I told her that the stain could be removed but not with just regular washing and regular detergent – it needed to be treated to be broken down. Oil in fabric is a rather tricky stain to remove. I suggested she forward this chart to her friends:

http://images.marthastewart.com/images/content/web/pdfs/pdf3/stain_removal_basics.pdf

but with a qualifier. If it is an expensive item, I suggested she tell them to take it to their local cleaner. I also told her that I solved my problem mostly – I now cook with an apron.

My Mom’s Drapes

2011-10-10T11:10:00.000-07:00

My mom has taken to calling me with dry cleaning questions. It’s a nice change given that I’m usually calling her with questions. Most recently she called me to find out roughly how much it should cost to have her living room drapes cleaned. I wasn’t too much help as the place she was taking them charged by the pleat, not pound.

When she brought them home from the cleaners and hung them, she noticed that they didn’t set the pleats. She was going to call them but my dad told her to just let it go. So she called me again. I was first of all surprised that they pressed them flat, especially given that they charged by the pleat. But I told her to take them back and ask them to redo them properly. After all, she paid $85 for a service that she wasn’t happy with. So she took them back, and they redid them for her at no additional charge.

So I’d like to say the same thing to you guys. If you get your items home and aren’t satisfied with the outcome, please take it back. Not only will we redo it for you, we’ll also refund the original cost of the cleaning. We really mean what we say. “We do it right the first time, or it’s free.”

That Stinks

2011-09-28T09:06:00.000-07:00

When I moved to the country, I imagined some of the critters I’d have to share my yard with – deer, turkeys, turtles, raccoons, snakes. So we’ve been in our house for a little over a year now, and until our neighbor said they had one living in their yard, they never crossed my mind -- skunks. After that conversation, I saw one while running two days later. Then a few days after that, we had two in our yard.

My son and I happened to be out of town the day of the skunk incident. And thank goodness for that because one of them sprayed five feet from our house. It was on a Thursday night, and Gray and I got home on Saturday afternoon. I had no idea until my husband told me the story – a very funny one I have to admit. But he also confessed that the smell seeped into the house. (That explained the bottle of Fabreze in the laundry room.)

After he confessed, my mind ran through lots of scenarios. Like – what if the smell had permeated my clothes? My guess is that this is something most of you won’t ever have to deal with. But I had to find the answer to my question, especially now. Some web sites said just throw the clothes away. One suggested burying the sprayed clothes for three days before trying to wash. Below is some information from about.com and ehow.com. It seemed to be the most logical.

•Immediately soak washable items in a mixture of 1 cup baking soda, 1 cup vinegar, and the normal amount of laundry detergent for at least 30 minutes (be sure to test the mixture on each item on a small area before using).
•Careful not to use too warm of water as it can infuse the odor into the fibers.
•Wash as normal using a heavy duty detergent.
•Don’t bleach.
•Don’t use the dryer. Instead line dry your items as the heat from the dryer will also infuse the odor into the fibers.
•For non-washable items, air thoroughly then bring them to us.

So I’m curious. Has anyone had to deal with this?

Runs in the Family

2011-09-21T09:09:00.000-07:00

Apparently I have passed my obsession with being clean and crisp on to my 4 year old son. Not too long ago my sister and niece were visiting for the day. We were all having lunch when a piece of tomato from my son’s BLT fell out and slid down his shirt. Panic instantly hit. “Oh no, it’s going to stain,” he said. “Can you get the Oxy Clean?”

The look on my sister’s face was priceless. “How many 4 year olds do you know that know about Oxy Clean,” she asked. I guess it’s true – the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. I'm so proud.

Marriage Saver

2011-09-14T08:45:00.000-07:00

Not only do we save weddings, A Cleaner World has actually saved some marriages!

I recently talked to Cathy Poole, Manager of A Cleaner World in Mount Airy. Cathy has been with A Cleaner World longer than I. She started out as a CSR, demonstrated her abilities, and was promoted to store manager about the time I was hired. Not only does Cathy know her stuff, she also caught Mike Feudale’s enthusiasm. I don’t know of anyone that loves A Cleaner World and their customers more than she does.

Before transferring to Mount Airy, Cathy managed the A Cleaner World located on Robinhood Road in Winston-Salem. Upon starting at that store, Cathy quickly developed the habit of sticking around a few minutes after the 6:00 p.m. closing time. One evening a female customer drove up after closing, and Cathy went out to wait on her. The customer seemed a bit frantic and asked could she pick up her cleaning even though it was after hours. After hanging the dress shirts in the back seat, the customer explained that her husband would be quite irritated with her if she failed to get his shirts today. “You saved my marriage,” she jokingly told Cathy. My guess is that word got out because Cathy had a handful of female customers that regularly picked up a few minutes after 6:00 p.m.

As Cathy and I talked, we laughed together about the ‘saving the marriage’ thing. But the truth is, Cathy is a working mom and wife just like these ladies. She knows what all they juggle, and she’s happy that her few extra minutes made for a happy home that night.

No Company Name?

2011-09-07T10:07:00.000-07:00

Have you ever looked at a tag on one of your garments and noticed ‘RN’ followed by some numbers? RN stands for Registered Identification Number. A RN is issued by the Federal Trade Commission to United States businesses that manufacture, import, distribute, or sell products covered by the Textile, Wool, and Fur Acts.

Why do I tell you this? Because businesses can put the number on the label instead of the company name. So what if you have an issue with a piece of clothing that has no company name just the RN? Well there is a handy little search feature on the FTC’s website that can help you find the company.

https://rn.ftc.gov/pls/TextileRN/wrnquery$.startup