AtlSoapGuy
Atlanta, GA
Male, 52
I have worked in the dry cleaning industry for almost 30 years. I worked in my family's dry cleaning operation as a manager and owner. Currently, I write a blog for those in the dry cleaning industry, as well as work for a manufacturer of dry cleaning chemicals. Over the years I have spent in the dry cleaning industry, I estimate that I have been in over 2000 dry cleaners in the US.
Quite often, down garments are processed with a much better result by wet cleaning them. While dry cleaning can remove some odors and requires a bit more work to remove them, wetcleaning (if the garment can be wetcleaned), can give a much better result.
There are some odor eliminating products available to dry cleaners that can encapsulate and remove the odor very successfully in both dry cleaning and wet cleaning. Odorex by Streets, is one that I would recommend. Often, dry cleaners will use a "masking agent", to cover smells with a desirable fragrance., this can work well too, provided you like the new smell added. I prefer to go with the odor eliminators to remove the smell.
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This type of problem is currently occuring regularly in the dry cleaning industry and an experienced dry cleaner would realize it. While it is not exactly the fault of the dry cleaner, they should have realized the potential for this to occur and taken steps to avoid it. Also the problem would have most likely occured in both drycleaning and laundering. You should always allow the professional dry cleaner to determine the type of method to be used in cleaning the garment. Often the dry cleaning customer will specify that they want a garment dry cleaned, when wet cleaning the garment may be the best option. Having said that, lets look at the problem that occured.
The material used inside the material is often just placed inside and not sewn. What happens is that when this item is tumbling inside of the washer or dry cleaning machine, this material can shift around and bunch up, like the problem you are having. The professional dry cleaner can use gentler programs utilizing shorter wash cycles, higher solvent/water levels and shorter dry cycles or even air dry the item to help reduce the likeliness of this problem occuring.
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If a drycleaner also has a tailor or alteration person on the premises, they may be able to fix your ripped coat. If they do not, I would recommend taking it to an alterations or tailor shop.
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While improper cleaning procedures, along with ineffective additives can cause a problem such as dinginess, you cannot rule out that there could be some problems in the manufacturing of the garment as well.
Using some aggressive cleaning procedures, such as soaking and bleaching, it may be able to be corrected. However, without seeing the garment, the second cleaner may be absolutely correct in saying that it may not be able to be corrected.
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Primaloft is an excellent alternative to down. I enjoy backpacking and will often pack a Primaloft jacket and sleeping bag if hiking in wet weather, as opposed to my down filled gear.
Primaloft is best cared for by machine washing with a mild detergent and tumbling dry at a low temperature. This allows for it to "fluff" up and gives it its downlike insulating qualities.
While drycleaning down and Primaloft can cause some problems in the drying portion of the process, if you have not experienced any type of physical damage to the garment and it still appears to be "fluffy", I would not be concerned. However, with future cleanings, I would recommend wetcleaning of this type of garment.
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I feel that there is a bit of seasonality with most cleaners, especially in colder climates. In the colder areas, there is a definite increase in poundage processed due to the change to heavier garments and outerware in the winter. In the warmer months, a large number of people take their vacations, resulting in less garments needing cleaning and they may not be wearing the same amount of garments that require dry cleaning, even though the wet cleaned garments still need professional finishing to look good.
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I would not dry clean the garment or have it cleaned by a very reliable dry cleaner. Quite often, the components used in some inks can dissolve quite easily in dry cleaning solvent and in water too. Because of that, I would be very prudent in my choice of dry cleaners, discuss your concerns and if you do not feel confident in their ability, I would not leave the garment with them.
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