Dry Cleaning your vintage - UK thread!

Well not techincally dry cleaning, I use Woods of Wigston in of course, Wigston, Leicestershire on Leicester road to reheel antique and vintage shoes. I've also had luck with them fixing broken antique and vintage leather things too. There is a dry cleaners in the same shop but I haven't had the chance to use them yet.

Lei
 
Hello, I can recommend two in Islington/North London:
- 5 Stars on Upper Street/just a bit south of Islington Green. Quite expensive (just paid £25 for a 40s organza dress), but really worth it.
- Crystal on New North Road. Pete is the nicest dry-cleaner in London and takes incredibly good care of things.
- Not a cleaner, but the cobbler on City Road (opposite Moorfields Eye Hospital) works miracles on all styles.

If I find more I let you know
:hiya:
 
Dry cleaning!!!! Your very precious vintage clothes...take a look at this video clip explains how dry cleaning is carried out.You may never want risk your best dress again.


<a href="http://video.howstuffworks.com/hsw/player.htm?v=dry-cleaning">Dry-cleaning</a>
 
Does anyone know of a 'green earth' dry cleaner in or around London? My dry cleaner can't do my Foale and Tuffin suit because the astrakhan collar and hem trim isn't removable and apparently will melt with the chemicals. Eep! It stinks of 'basement' and I just CANNOT store it with any of my other pieces :(

Liz
 
Have you tried Febreeze? Not sure if it's available in the UK. I sprayed a couple of nasty smelling pieces (after testing a small area first) with great results. I don't particularly like Febreeze's smell (any perfume for that matter), but I air out for a few days and its perfume fades and the mustiness disappears.
 
There are people out there who can't stand the smell of fabreeze. Is it a real thing or is it just people looking for something to be picky about? I really don't know. But if you try it, don't use a knock off brand. i did once and was sorry i did. But maybe some others are good.
 
Personally I can't stand fabreeze (having a freakishly over-sensitive sense of smell :sniff: ), I tried using my preferred 'freshener' which is a much nicer smell. I had the suit hanging outside for DAYS (bringing it in at night of course ;)) and kept spraying it with the freshener but it didn't do much good. I'm a bit stuck that I can't sell the suit as it is, but neither can I bear to store it with the others.

Liz
 
I think you should get a list if you google for them.. will have a look for you later. Johnsons bought the technology, if that's any help, and are phasing it in to replace all their old perc machines.
 
There is one dry cleaner i can highly recommend- its in Broughty Ferry, (which is near dundee) and is at 161 brook street. I took a fully beaded dress there, which had staining under the arms, as well as some marks where the beads had marked the fabric. They vastly improved the staining, and the dress came back so much brighter i couldnt stop staring at it. It cost me £22, but it was worth every penny
 
There is aproduct that apparently removes odor and is all natural..heres the link
http://zeodor.com/
Paul thanks for sharing that dry cleaning clip with us, scarey stuff!!! & all those chemicals & bashing about.
Does anyone rate Dryel? I have used it a few times and it does seem to help but wonder how clean it gets the clothes.
 
I'm going tomorrow to pick up the dupioni cocktail gown so will post here how it goes!

I decided to wash my 1940's parachute "silk" wedding dress. That has turned out ok except that the buttons have rusted!!! I think I should have gotten that dry cleaned too. :(

Lei
 
Got my 1960 creme dupioni silk cocktail gown back from Woods of Wigston and they did a good job. The dress has pit stains which created a light brown ring. They didn't come out but at least now they are more of a light "golden" color than brown and aren't as glaring. The dress needed a clean anyways as the hem had grey marks as did the shoulders from being on a hanger. It's all nicely pressed and crisp so they get my thumbs up! That cost me £10.50.

Lei
 
Nope, it's going on C&C. should be up for my next update (which is usually around the 20th of the month).
If it did fit me, I would have definitely kept it and even would have happily worn it with the brown pit stain rings as they were small.
The waist fits me ok but the bust is way too small. :(

Lei
 
I've used Harry Berger's in Cheadle Hulme, Greater Manchester (25 Station Road, tel: 0161 485 3421 or 0161 485 7733). I'd recommend that you telephone first to check that the boss (Mr Berger) is around when you visit, and then talk with him about your requirements, emphasising that your precious vintage items require special care. He was such a lovely, helpful man and a fount of knowledge about fabric care.

A crumpled and sorry looking 1950s synthetic velvet evening coat made him pause. He said there might be no hope but he'd give it a go for me. It came back like new!

Also, I volunteer at a costume museum and the curator told me that they occasionally use a dry cleaner on Bridge Street in Manchester for less precious/more recent items. Having googled it, I reckon its Granada Dry Cleaners, 75 Bridge Street, tel: 0161 834 8947. They specialise in the cleaning of silk and theatrical costumes.

Edited for clarity.
 
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