Safeguard Your Favorite Garments Against Insect Damage

Have you finished putting away your favorite warm weather clothes yet? It’s very important  to safeguard your favorite garments against insect damage during storage. Garments that have been stored for a long time are particularly prone to insect damage. Unfortunately, the holes may not be readily apparent until after cleaning.

Moth damage is commonly seen on wool fabrics, but beetles, silverfish, roaches, and other insects feed on stains and sizings on fabrics made of other fibers. The type of fabric or food substance insects are attracted to determines whether the damage they cause is direct or indirect.

Direct damage occurs when insects such as webbing cloth moths, casemaking cloth moths, and sometimes termites, feed directly on the fabric. This group of insects attacks wool, mohair, natural bristles, fur, feathers, and down. They also damage blended fibers such as wool/polyester - dispelling the notion that the use of synthetic fibers immunizes the fabrics against insect damage.

Indirect damage occurs when insects such as silverfish, beetles, and roaches feed on leftover food, perspiration, beverage spills, and starch on the fabric. For this reason, any stains, especially food and beverage residue, should be removed from a garment before it is stored. It is important to be sure to thoroughly clean garments before storage. Cleaning discourages insects from making their home in your garments. Did you know that most forms of moth life are destroyed by drycleaning solvents during cleaning?

Employing the use of and using mothballs, cedar chests, cedar blocks, and cedar chips can help further prevent insect damage. The odor of mothballs may repel larvae and insects if the area of use is enclosed, thus ensuring a high concentration of odor. Suspend the mothballs above the garments; do not place them directly on the garments. The scent of cedar chests or chips repels insects, but it is the air tightness of the chest that protects the garments from insect damage.

One problem with using mothballs is the lingering odor after the garments are removed from storage. Try hanging the garments outside for several days after removal from storage. If hanging outside doesn’t  remove the odor, McPherson’s can help!

It is our mission to give your garments the best possible care, and to give you the excellent service and attention you deserve. With locations in Lebanon, Nashville, and a convenient drop location in Lafayette, we are here for you! McPherson’s Cleaners makes keeping your wardrobe in tip-top shape a breeze! To schedule a pickup, call  (615) 278-9188.

Click here to learn more about McPherson’s special offers and discounts: http://www.lebanontncleaners.com

Tending To Your Seasonal Wardrobe

What time is it? Time to pack up the those thick, heavy, wintry wearables to make way for our sunny day favorites again! As we venture closer to summer, most of us have already been rotating our seasonal wardrobe items out of the closet and into storage. That means it’s TLC and maintenance time, especially for our winter coats and woolen items.

Your wardrobe is an investment. That’s why it’s important to launder or dry clean your off season clothes before you store them.  If you want to maintain your wardrobe in tip top shape, clean everything before you put them away for the off season.  You’ll be totally prepared when that sudden cold snap appears and you want to put on your favorite sweater!

Normal time between wearing and a trip to the dry cleaner doesn’t generally hurt your clothes. But storing your off-season clothing for a matter of months is another issue altogether. This amount of time allows the oils from your skin and previously hidden stains to settle into the material that even your dry cleaner can't remove. So if you've worn it even once, cleaning it before storing it for the season is highly recommended.

While you’re at it, examine all your seasonal wardrobe for loose or missing buttons, damaged zippers and other closures, frayed edges, and any tailoring needs. As our name says, McPherson Cleaners can handle all the repairs and adjustments your garments need as well. It just makes sense to handle all mending and alteration needs during seasonal transition.

A few more notes:

• Do not leave sweaters or knits on hangers during their off season. The weight of the item on the hanger over several months can cause fabric stretching and damage.

• Items like suits, pants and jackets can generally remain on hangers, but need protection from dust and light while not being worn. This is why we include paper "garment covers" on all of our dry cleaning and laundry orders.  Leave garment covers on your dry cleaning and laundry items until you are ready to wear them.

• Never store clothes in plastic dry cleaning bags. These bags are meant to protect clothes only while at the dry cleaner and while transporting. The plastic restricts air flow around your clothes, and that's not good. Plastic bags can also cause discoloration if kept in them for an extended number of months. It's a good habit to remove the plastic bags as soon as you get your dry cleaning home.

Remember, with our convenient pick up and drop off service, McPherson Cleaners will have your wardrobe looking clean and pristine again at the snap of a finger! Don’t forget our new drop location in LaFayette at Indigo Blues. To schedule a pickup, call (615) 599-3605.

Click here to learn more about McPherson’s special offers and discounts: http://www.lebanontncleaners.com