There are lots of variables when picking a reputable cleaner for your wedding dress. Ultimately you have to be the judge of what you know to be important versus what the cleaner you are speaking with may be telling you. Here are a few things that may guide you to ask the right questions.
Is the Cleaner a Cleaner at all?
Stupid question right? Well believe it or not there are some cleaners out there that advertise themselves as wedding gown specialists that don’t even clean their own gowns! In fact they send them away to other states to large bridal cleaning houses that do thousands of gowns a year for a fraction of what you are paying their vendor. They won’t bring it up unless you ask them, but even then they will rave about the level of quality the plant they use delivers. Be careful and realize that ultimately they are salesmen and may tell you what you want to hear to get you to buy. Ask point blank if they clean their own gowns themselves locally. If the answer is anything but an absolute yes, you may want to rethink the quality you may be getting and who would be responsible if the gown were mishandled and damaged.
Who is Responsible for the Gown?
Another stupid question right? Of course the reputable cleaner you choose should be responsible enough to take full responsibility for the gown. Certified by a nationally recognized organization, and licensed bonded and properly insured. If the cleaner you choose asks you to sign any type of release of liability they are telling you up front they are not responsible for damage that may occur during the cleaning process. Exercise extreme caution.
Is there a guarantee? Is it written? What does it guarantee?
A reputable guarantee shows the confidence the Cleaner has in his process. A strong guarantee also requires the cleaner use the best practices in cleaning and preserving your wedding gown. Truth be told no cleaner wants to have to make good on a warrantee so the best cleaners make sure they clean and preserve your bridal gown correctly the first time. Some guarantees become null and void as soon as you open the box. Ridiculous! Can you imagine trying to get a cleaner to make good on a warranty and them responding “Well you shouldn’t have opened the box”? Many other warranties only cover the cost of the preservation, which again does you no good if the gown yellows and degrades. Make sure to use a cleaner that covers up to the replacement of the gown. After all you are preserving your gown to keep it as close to its original condition as possible, make sure the cleaner you choose uses a written guarantee that ensures that for the life of the preservation it will remain that way.
Have any questions? Leave a comment below or give us a call at 1 (877) 874-7377! We will be glad to answer any questions you may have whether you are our customer or not!
