July 19, 2012 In Dry Cleaning Tips, Fashion

Go For a Dip! Swimwear Tips!

We don’t know if you noticed, but it’s been a bit WARM lately! From swimming to skiing, here at St Croix | White Way we know that nothing beats the heat like some quality water time.  That’s why we have a few tips for keeping your swimwear in tip top shape, in between us cleaning it for you, of course!

  • Wet down your bathing suit with tap water before taking a dip in the pool. Remember: Two things can’t occupy the same space at the same time, so a ‘pre-wet’ bathing suit won’t absorb as much chlorine from the pool water as a dry suit will.
  • Remove and rinse your suit in tap water BEFORE you lay down to sun bath.  The UV rays from the sun will accelerate the deleterious effects of the chlorine in your suit.  Or better yet, rinse your suit well and put on a fresh, dry suit for sun bathing.
  • Bathing suits that are 100 percent polyester will fare best in a hot tub.
  • Watch for suits that say “chlorine resistant” on the label. These suits tend to last a bit longer as the less Chlorine, the better!
  • Never wash a bathing suit in the washing machine. The agitation will break down the Lycra and the bra cups; hand washing or dry cleaning is your best option!
  • Never put a bathing suit in the dryer. The heat will cause the elastic to break down faster.  Always dry it away from the sun, FLAT on a drying rack.

We know these tips will help keep you and your swimwear cool this summer!

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June 30, 2012 In "Geeky" Stain Tips, Dry Cleaning Tips, Fashion

10 Summer Fashion Tips

We can’t all be as fashion forward as him!

Let’s face it, fashion can be confusing. Most of us can follow basic trends, but when it comes to the latest and greatest, it can be hard to keep up! That’s why we here at St Croix | White Way have compiled ten fashion tips sure to make you stand out this Summer!

  • 1. Bright Neon Colors
    With neon, a little goes a long way! Skirts, dresses, cardigans and jeans wear this trend well. You can also add neon to your wardrobe in more subtle ways (think belts, shoes, purses and jewelry) to accent base neutrals (black, white, khaki and navy) and give them a fresh look this season.
  • 2. The Chic Sheath
    Classically cut and sleeveless, sheaths pair easily with jackets, cardigan sweaters and a variety of shawls and wraps when you want to dress them up. While still a great choice, think beyond the LBD (a.k.a. the little black dress) when it comes to this style. White, brights and those with subtle prints offer a fresh twist on this perennial favorite for work and social events.

  • 3. Beige Shoes
    Beige shoes in a variety of styles and heel heights complement bold colors and soften dark neutrals. They work well with and without hosiery – just ask Kate Middleton!
  • 4. Bold Prints
    Worn on a single piece of clothing and well-coordinated with a solid top or bottom, strong, bold prints become the centerpiece of an outfit and can help you stand out in all the right ways. While not the easiest look to pull off, strong prints are also being worn from head-to-toe this season. Consider a wide belt at the waist to break up the pattern a bit. Two different prints on two different pieces of your outfit can also work well when each print contains a consistent color theme, fabric, weight and style.
  • 5. Soft, Pleated Skirts
    Soft pleats falling from the waistband of a skirt made of a light-weight summer is a chic and ladylike way to dress this season. Some styles are short, some are long and others graze the knee. For work, pair a knee-length pleated skirt with a structured short jacket for a current and appropriate look that shows off an hourglass figure. For non-working hours, a tight tank tucked into the waistband of a pleated skirt can show off a toned upper body while camouflaging fuller hips.
  • 6. Oversized Earrings
    Combine them with other bold accessories such as bold cocktail rings, weighted cuffs, thick, woven belts and platform wedges or wear them on their own. If you decide to coordinate a necklace with them, long layered options tend to work best. Large gold and silver hoops may be all you need to tackle this trend!
  • 7. Structured Bags
    Their signature “clutch” handle makes them more structured than hobo-inspired looks. Many feature longer straps so you can wear them messenger style across your body. Pick a hue you love and wear it with everything!
  • 8. Crochet & Lace
    We are not talking about your grandmother’s tablecloth and curtains here! Instead, think of these two textures working in a modern way to give spring and summer outfits some clout and feminine style. A crochet maxi skirt with a flat sandal, tee shirt and fun accessories that work with the weight of the crochet is easy to wear and hides less than perfect legs. If you have a black lace dress tucked away in your closet, pair it with a beige sandal or peep-toe pump to freshen it up for the season.
  • 9. Bronze Metallics
    While silver always works in warm weather and gold hardware still adorns most designer bags and the like this season, bronze has snuck in as the metal of choice for fashion A-listers. Naturally warm and vibrant, it looks particularly well with navy’s, plums and, of course, black, white and khaki. Bronze is also a significant make-up trend – brush it on your cheeks as well as eyelids and lips!
  • 10. Patent Leather
    This high-gloss, waterproof material has been used primarily to make black shoes for decades. Although you can wear it year round these days, it still shines best with lighter fabrics and styles. This season, expand your patent leather collection beyond a pair of black patent shoes. A red patent peep- toe can brighten up a navy suit and a straw bag with patent detailing can go to the office as well as the beach. Even flip-flops go from drab to fab when created with patent leather!

And of course, be sure to bring all your fashionable garments in for regular cleaning at St Croix | White Way!


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June 9, 2012 In "Geeky" Stain Tips, Dry Cleaning Tips

Production Spotlight: Clothes Barcoding

St Croix | White Way Cleaners does a lot of dry cleaning; 19 stores worth to be exact. With the amount of drycleaning and laundry we do, you may wonder how we keep track of it all.

Some cleaners use permanent marker to write a customer’s name on their clothes; others use less invasive systems like temporary plastic tags or wash resistant paper. While these options “work” they are not ideal, and can easily lead to lost garments, especially when dealing with high volumes.

At St Croix | White Way we’ve gotten keeping track of garments down to a science. Using a sophisticated barcoding system we’re able to keep track of your items no matter where they are in the process.

Barcodes like this one identify store information about your garment in our computer.

The first time you bring in a new garment, a barcode is added to that item. This barcode is then associated with your account and preferences, so that anytime you bring the item in we can instantly see who it belongs too. We can also see your cleaning preferences, such as starch levels or boxes vs. hangers for your dress shirts. It also identifies the garment by color, pattern, fabric and brand label so that we can easily identify which of your garments we have and where they are in our process at any time.

Garments move through many stages to restore them to their optimum condition.  Each step of the way we read the barcode and record data about who, how and when it was processed.  All of this information is available to us in our computer system.  Once your garment is cleaned, pressed and inspected, it is sent to our automatic assembly system.   There an employee scans your item’s barcode and places it on a hanging conveyor system attached to the bagging machine.

The computer system is smart enough to read the barcode and group it with your other garments, being careful to never put more than 4 garments inside an order. Once four of your items are on the assembly system, the computer system offloads the garments together with a printed ticket and advances them to the automatic bagger, all without human intervention!!! The bagger then pulls a custom, biodegradable plastic bag over the clothes, careful not to waste any extra plastic.

The barcoding system is extremely useful. It lets us know all the details of your garments very quickly; how many times we have cleaned a garment, who pressed it, who marked it in and where it is stored can all be figured out with one quick scan.   There have been many times where we’ve noticed a customer dropped a garment in our parking lot on the way to or home from one of our stores.   We give the garment a quick scan and know everything about the garment in an instant. Without our barcode we’d never know whose garment it was, much less who to contact!

Keep watching our blog for more Production Spotlights!

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May 25, 2012 In Dry Cleaning Tips, Fashion, Green Cleaning

Keep Your Clothes Looking Cool This Summer!

With the weather getting warmer and summer approaching, we thought we’d take some time this week to give you a few tips for keeping your clothes looking their best no matter what your summer has in store for you!

– Perspiration shows up particularly in underarms, collar, back and waistbands of garments. It may not be noticeable at first, but oxidizes over time, becomes darker and it ultimately stains clothing. Garments should be washed or dry cleaned regularly so the perspiration residue is removed when fresh, thereby preventing permanent damage.

–Sunscreen and sun tanning lotions contain ingredients that can cause stains. It is best to apply the lotion and let it dry before dressing. Wash your hands thoroughly before touching your clothes. When cleaning your clothes, follow the care instructions carefully. When washing, pre-treat the stain with a prewash product, then launder in the hottest water that’s safe for the fabric or have it Dry Cleaned. Remember to point out and identify the stain to your drycleaner.

–Spills seem inevitable in the summertime – outdoor parties, barbecues and light color clothing can spell disaster. If the stain is water-based, like soda, coffee, juices, wine and most fruits, and the item is washable, dab, do not rub, the stain carefully. As soon as possible, wash the item according to care instructions. Remember that sugar-based stains such as those from fruits should be washed within 24 hours to prevent yellowing.

–For oily stains, such as salad dressing, cooking oil, meat juice, butter, and lipstick, the best approach is to blot, do not rub, the stain carefully with a dry, clean white cloth. Do not use water and do not rub the stain as this can set it and break the surface fibers. Oily stains are most safely removed by dry cleaning when the stains are fresh; so do not delay in having the garment cleaned. Be sure to identify the stain to the drycleaner. If you do not know the nature of the stain, it is safest to assume that the stain is oil-based.

As always, if you have any questions about fabric care or stain removal, let us know! Our world famous “Dry Cleaning Geeks” are more than happy to help!

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