Between Trips to the Cleaners:  Tips for Garment Maintenance and Household Remedies

CONDITION YELLOW: How to Avoid Those Unsightly Underarm Stains

When you’re trying to look your best, even the smallest clothing stains can be embarrassing. But none are as potentially humiliating as yellow underarm stains.

One would think these are caused by perspiration – this is wrong. While it is true that the chloride salts in perspiration tend to fade all colors, it is the combined effect of sweat and deodorant or antiperspirant buildup that yellows fabric. Acidic antiperspirants contain aluminum chloride, which can change the color of some dyes.

To prevent deodorants or antiperspirants from tainting your clothes, follow these steps:

• Use alcohol-free deodorants with a natural pH rather than an acidic antiperspirant.
• Avoid deodorant products that contain acidic solutions of aluminum chloride.
• Apply the product as instructed, and avoid overuse.
• Allow the product to dry before dressing.
• Use underarm guards when wearing delicate garments, especially those made of silk, use underwear.
• If discoloration does occur, don’t hesitate to take the item to your OXXO Care Cleaners® immediately and point out the problem. This can help prevent further damage to the garment.

RED ALERT: Try These Tips for Stubborn Stains

Careful with the pasta sauce and Chianti, or spills and splatters on your clothing will have you seeing red.

Red stains on shirts, slacks, blouses and dresses can be frustrating, but also difficult to avoid, especially during holiday periods.

If your duds get doused, follow these general stain-removing tips:

• Treat stains as quickly as possible. The older the stain, the more difficult it is to remove.
• Before attempting to remove a stain, always read and follow the care instructions on the garment label.
• All stain removal methods should be applied prior to laundering.
• Test any stain remover on a corner of a washable fabric first to see how it reacts. Of course, some red stains are more difficult to remove than others.
• Whenever possible, treat stains from the back of the fabric. Place a spot downward on paper towels so the stain will come off the fabric instead of going through it.

HERE ARE HOME-TREATMENT INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE MOST COMMON RED STAINS:

Red wine: Pour some white wine on the affected area and soak it up. Then wash the garment in cold water and ammonia. Launder red wine stains with detergent in the hottest water safe for the fabric.

Cranberries: Sponge immediately with cool water. Later, soak the stain in warm water and enzyme pre-soak. Then, launder. If necessary, launder the garment again using chlorine bleach if it is safe for use on the fabric.

Grape and berry juices: Treat with cool water first. Then, if necessary, soak in a chlorinated laundry bleach and rinse. White cottons and linens may be stretched over a basin and boiling water poured through. Any remaining stain may be removed with chlorinated laundry bleach.

Tomato juice: Sponge thoroughly with cold water first. Pre-treat the fabric with a laundry pre-soak (spot stain remover), leave for 30 minutes, then wash in the usual way. Rinse in warm water. Remove any remaining stain with chlorinated laundry bleach, as directed.

Tea: Treat the affected area with a stain remover. Gently rub the stain with a strong liquid detergent, or soak in warm water in an enzyme pre-soak, and wash according to care label. If the stain remains, launder with bleach deemed safe for fabric.

Lipstick: Rub undiluted liquid detergent into the stain until the outline of the stain is removed. If the stain remains after laundering, sponge with a pre-treatment solvent.

When in doubt, consult one of our garment care specialists at an OXXO Care Cleaners® near you or e-mail us at info@oxxousa.com. We’re standing by ready to serve your every fabric care need.

How Often Should I Clean A Suit?

Today, more and more people want to be dressed for success, and nothing provides a crisp, professional look better than a well-tailored business suit.

It’s important, however, to keep a suit in good condition. Owners can do their part by treating their garments well and storing them correctly. But sooner or later, a suit will need to be cleaned – it’s just a question of when and how often.

Opinions vary on this point. According to GQ, suits should be cleaned at least once a season by a professional dry cleaner. Light-color summer suits are especially susceptible to dirt and perspiration, and therefore might require more frequent cleanings. Other clothing specialists maintain that most suits need to be cleaned after two or three uses, particularly when they have been soiled.

Between Trips to the Cleaners, You Can Keep Your Suit Fresh By Following These Grooming Tips:

• Give your suits a rest. Do not wear the same suit two days in a row. Give it 24 hours between wearing to allow the fabric fibers to regain their resiliency.
• Air out suits exposed to smoky environments. Suits should be aired out before returning to a closet.
• Remove all contents. Empty the pockets, remove your belt, unbutton the jacket and unzip the pants before hanging your garments to avoid wrinkles.
• Use proper hangers. Hang your jacket on a large, wishbone-shaped hanger. Hang your pants over a big, thick wooden hanger with a cross bar dowel so that it doesn’t create a crease. Cedar hangers help dry and deodorize garments as they hang. Do not use wire hangers. Transfer dry-cleaned clothes to wooden hangers before returning them to your closet.
• Don’t overstuff your closet. Provide enough room for your suits to avoid wrinkles and benefit from the circulation of air.
• Spot clean your garments. Regularly check for stains that you can simply sponge off.
• Have all pieces of a suit cleaned at the same time. This prevents any inconsistencies resulting from small color changes caused by the garment cleaning process.

At OXXO Care Cleaners®, we understand the importance of a well-groomed wardrobe. That’s why we offer the ultimate care for your suits and other garments. To learn more about our advanced cleaning processes and convenient service, drop by one of our convenient locations today.