Economics of Dry Cleaning |
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 Jun 6 2008, 02:13 PM
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#1
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 Gabbai  Group: Members Posts: 431 Joined: 30-January 03 From: Far Rockaway Member No.: 3  |
I have a few suits which can ONLY be cleaned by dry cleaning and its something people in general know that comes with owning a suit. However, I really like the way my shirts come back from the dry cleaners. They aren't necessarily dry cleaned, but they are cleaned, pressed, and look super sharp.
My shirts can cost from $20 - 30 and each time i send them to the cleaners (about 1-2 times a month). It costs about $1.50 or more to clean it. so lets do the math: 1.50+ a month x12 months (or twice a month) = at least $18/year and i keep my shirts for a few years. so by the end of the year the cost of cleaning my shirt exceeds the cost of the shirt. is there a way to get the same quality clean and press at home? ironing does NOT work the same. -------------------- We are the music makers , and we are the dreamers of the dreams. - Willy Wonka
What the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve. - Napoleon Hill |
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Jun 6 2008, 02:15 PM
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#2
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 Godol Hador  Group: Members Posts: 3,304 Joined: 6-December 05 Member No.: 2,078 |
QUOTE (adiel @ Jun 6 2008, 07:13 AM)  I have a few suits which can ONLY be cleaned by dry cleaning and its something people in general know that comes with owning a suit. However, I really like the way my shirts come back from the dry cleaners. They aren't necessarily dry cleaned, but they are cleaned, pressed, and look super sharp. My shirts can cost from $20 - 30 and each time i send them to the cleaners (about 1-2 times a month). It costs about $1.50 or more to clean it. so lets do the math: 1.50+ a month x12 months (or twice a month) = at least $18/year and i keep my shirts for a few years. so by the end of the year the cost of cleaning my shirt exceeds the cost of the shirt. is there a way to get the same quality clean and press at home? ironing does NOT work the same. I've been wondering the same for years. -------------------- "Shake off all the fears and servile prejudices under which weak minds are servilely crouched. Fix reason firmly in her seat, and call to her tribunal every fact, every opinion. Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blindfolded fear." --Thomas Jefferson to Peter Carr, 1787
http://www.youtube.com/user/patcondell?ob=1 Sentimentality is the emotional promiscuity of those who have no sentiment.---Norman Mailer |
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Jun 6 2008, 02:23 PM
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#3
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 Now A Genome Sequencer Group: Members Posts: 13,050 Joined: 23-May 05 From: Tipah Sirucha Member No.: 1,516 |
QUOTE (adiel @ Jun 6 2008, 03:13 PM) I have a few suits which can ONLY be cleaned by dry cleaning and its something people in general know that comes with owning a suit. However, I really like the way my shirts come back from the dry cleaners. They aren't necessarily dry cleaned, but they are cleaned, pressed, and look super sharp. My shirts can cost from $20 - 30 and each time i send them to the cleaners (about 1-2 times a month). It costs about $1.50 or more to clean it. so lets do the math: 1.50+ a month x12 months (or twice a month) = at least $18/year and i keep my shirts for a few years. so by the end of the year the cost of cleaning my shirt exceeds the cost of the shirt. is there a way to get the same quality clean and press at home? ironing does NOT work the same. I also believe that dry cleaning shirts decrease the life span of the shirt. 9 -------------------- "Eat. Spit. Be Happy." -Davids
"Who is wise? he who can learn from every man. can be applied here, getting 'inspiration' from a one eyed whacko." - soapmaker " He who stands on toilet is high on pot" -Confucius " When life gives you lemons make lemonade..... but if life gives you a handful of cr@p, dont try making anything out of it, trust me on that one. -Dahlai Lama " I love Jews." -Somebody must have said it, somewhere "A good friend will come and bail you out of jail................. but a true friend will be sitting next to you saying "d@mn that was fun". Make aliyah, or aliyah will make you. OFF SAVING THE WORLD |
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Jun 6 2008, 02:55 PM
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#4
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 Snark in Moderation since 2003  Group: Admin Posts: 4,730 Joined: 8-May 03 Member No.: 37 |
I don't iron so I also send the shirts to the dry cleaners.
They used to have 99 cents shirt coupons but of course they have not done that in months . Other than wearing the shirt more than once between cleanings, I dont know any other shortcuts. And why do your shirts cost so much? -------------------- Abba: I'm going to be up on the roof so if you hear a thump...
Nechama: Should I come running? Abba: By that point its probably too late and you should call hatzalah |
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Jun 6 2008, 03:42 PM
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#5
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 Sanctimonious Pleasure Seeker Group: Members Posts: 9,987 Joined: 3-September 04 From: a frummie big town Member No.: 662 |
My solution:
Get shirts that don't require dry cleaning. Then have your wife iron them.  There's also the whole steaming thing but I'm not sure how to do that. -------------------- "Except for the most part what people seem to be pining for is licentiousness and debauchery and culinary experimentation, rather than wearing a srugie and a blue shirt at a simchah sitting next to a person of the opposite gender while eating fresh strawberries while checking your emails from the Sen. Obama camp on your Blackberry." ~ Melech
"The quest to be non-nebach is what keeps the whole of our society going." ~ Int |
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Jun 6 2008, 05:33 PM
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#6
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 חסד זך Group: Members Posts: 3,073 Joined: 16-March 08 From: middle of nowhere Member No.: 7,158 |
actualy I iron my shirts all the time, and get very good results from it. All it takes is some skill with an iron, and some good starch.
what the dry cleaning places do is just put a whole lot of starch in them, which personaly I don't like so much. oh, and most irons are equiped to steem clothing also. You put water inside of it, set it to steam and it will steam. I've done that before as well. also you have the little shpritzing things on the iron which can wet the fabric and help you get a better crease in it, or else just make it lay flatter. -------------------- "well has beruria spoken"
"be kind to the newbies, or Sporky R will come to get you." "when our dreams die, we die" ~Mrs. Ramen |
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Jun 12 2008, 10:41 PM
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#7
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Gabbai Group: Members Posts: 431 Joined: 30-January 03 From: Far Rockaway Member No.: 3 |
i recently discussed this with someone and they mentioned that if i used this, it would greatly reduce my ironing time and pay for itself in about 2-3 months.
someone else mentioned that i buy some very expensive top of the line shirts by Brooks Brothers, which are wrinkle free, iron free, last long and never need to go to the dry cleaners. anyone have experience with any of the above stuff? -------------------- We are the music makers , and we are the dreamers of the dreams. - Willy Wonka
What the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve. - Napoleon Hill |
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Jun 12 2008, 11:01 PM
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#8
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Now A Genome Sequencer Group: Members Posts: 13,050 Joined: 23-May 05 From: Tipah Sirucha Member No.: 1,516 |
QUOTE (adiel @ Jun 12 2008, 11:41 PM) someone else mentioned that i buy some very expensive top of the line shirts by Brooks Brothers, which are wrinkle free, iron free, last long and never need to go to the dry cleaners. I dont know about the ironing thing, but those brooks brother shirts can be washed no problem. 9 -------------------- "Eat. Spit. Be Happy." -Davids
"Who is wise? he who can learn from every man. can be applied here, getting 'inspiration' from a one eyed whacko." - soapmaker " He who stands on toilet is high on pot" -Confucius " When life gives you lemons make lemonade..... but if life gives you a handful of cr@p, dont try making anything out of it, trust me on that one. -Dahlai Lama " I love Jews." -Somebody must have said it, somewhere "A good friend will come and bail you out of jail................. but a true friend will be sitting next to you saying "d@mn that was fun". Make aliyah, or aliyah will make you. OFF SAVING THE WORLD |
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Jun 12 2008, 11:03 PM
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#9
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 Hocker  Group: Members Posts: 158 Joined: 16-March 07 Member No.: 5,214 |
The Brooks Brothers shirts are great but you sound like the type of guy who will still want to iron the collar. (The creases, even the signature 5 tiny pleats at the cuff stay as sharp as ever, but the collar gets a bit droopy.)
-------------------- My ishur expired.
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Jun 13 2008, 10:21 AM
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#10
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Resisting imamother, resisting imamother, resisting imamother .. Group: Members Posts: 3,250 Joined: 20-October 05 Member No.: 1,939 |
tht IS expensive. they don't have white, either.
-------------------- "Scientific experimentation is like sex. Sometimes something useful comes out of it, but that's not why they do it." Lyric
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Jun 13 2008, 10:37 AM
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#11
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High on Life Group: Moderator Posts: 2,882 Joined: 15-June 03 Member No.: 80 |
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.as...mp;SKU=14716050
this is great. it takes only a few minutes and the item is left completely wrinkle free. -------------------- i floss only the teeth i want to keep.
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Jun 13 2008, 10:58 AM
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#12
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Hocker Group: Members Posts: 158 Joined: 16-March 07 Member No.: 5,214 |
QUOTE (Red Hare @ Jun 13 2008, 11:21 AM) tht IS expensive. they don't have white, either. They definitely do have white. If you live near an outlet you can get them there for appr. $50. They aren't that expensive especially when you take the dry cleaning savings into account. -------------------- My ishur expired.
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Jun 13 2008, 11:28 AM
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#13
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Resisting imamother, resisting imamother, resisting imamother .. Group: Members Posts: 3,250 Joined: 20-October 05 Member No.: 1,939 |
let me rephrase - the link showed only a blue shirt. actually a dark and a lighter blue shirt ...
-------------------- "Scientific experimentation is like sex. Sometimes something useful comes out of it, but that's not why they do it." Lyric
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Jun 13 2008, 04:55 PM
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#14
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Hocker Group: Members Posts: 158 Joined: 16-March 07 Member No.: 5,214 |
When you order you choose the shirt color. No shirtmaker is ever out of white shirts.
-------------------- My ishur expired.
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