Nothing wrecks a stylish outfit faster than stains, odors, or shapelessness brought on by incorrect upkeep. Whether your closet is full of designer dresses, high-wrinkle linens, or fast-fashion T-shirts, you want your clothes to hold up. At Fresh Cleaners in Town Center, owner Ana Salmanyan greets customers with a warm smile, contagious optimism, personalized service, and loads of expertise about how to maintain your closet’s treasures. Ask her how she’s doing, and she’ll cheerfully reply, “I’m awesome!” In the spirit of keeping clothing in awesome condition, too, we asked for her tips on caring for wardrobe favorites. Her number-one piece of advice: Read the directions!
What’s the biggest mistake people make when caring for their clothes at home?
Not reading care instructions, mixing colors, or using a stain remover that most times doesn’t get rid of the stain and leaves a much harder stain to remove.
How can proper garment care help your favorite pieces last for years?
Always dry clean what needs to be dry cleaned. If you care about or really like your garment, leave the cleaning for the professionals.
Which fabrics require professional care, and which ones can safely be washed at home?
Silk, rayon, suede, wool, cashmere, and leather—to mention some—need special attention or professional care. On the other hand, polyester, cotton, and even linen are some fabrics that can be washed at home. The hard part about linen, though, is the pressing. It’s always better to bring it to the dry cleaner. Just save the hassle. Some customers wash linen or cotton at home, and they bring their items to be pressed, but for better results, we always recommend to let us do the whole job.
How often should items like suits, dresses, jackets, sweaters, and jeans actually be dry cleaned?
Dry clean your clothes as often as you want. Keep in mind, when we wear our clothes we put on cologne or perfume or lotion. It all depends on how clean you want to look. If you have any stains on an item, bring it in within 24 hours—that way we have more chance to get the stains out.
Are there any stains people should never try to remove themselves?
Don’t DIY if the fabric is silk or wool, or delicate, or if it is expensive.
What’s the best way to store seasonal clothing so it stays in great condition until next year?
Always use a garment cover. This prevents dust, insect, and moisture damage.
How important are those care tags in clothing?
Don’t cut out the care instructions! It tells you what not to do to your garment. The clothes come with instructions for a reason; following the label instructions helps prevent damage.
Any tips for preserving the fit, color, and quality of luxury or investment pieces?
Luxury begins with fabric care! If you love your garments, dry clean them to give them long-lasting life, keep colors more vibrant, and allow you to enjoy them longer. Also: Folding sweaters is the best way to keep their shape.
What clothing care habits do you wish everyone knew?
Separate clothes by color when cleaning at home. Turn them inside out before washing. Steam your clothes, don’t iron.
Tell us more about you and your business.
My husband, Andy, and I have been married for 20 years and have three kids—the reason we hustle so much! I worked for McDonald’s as a general manager for 15 years and learned a lot about customer service. I started working in the dry cleaning business with the previous owner before COVID, and I fell in love with all the people that came in. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming. I love customer service. You’ll be surprised how people react when you turn yourself to positive mode. Many times people come in very serious and leave with a smile. That to me is still priceless. I greet them by name. If possible, I have their clothes hanging and waiting for them when they walk in. I always knew I wanted to have a business, so when the previous owner retired, my husband and I became owners of Fresh Cleaners. Andy left his job to come and work together and help our dreams come true. I could not do it without him! We’re in our fourth year as business owners and have six employees. We love what we do and always do our best to have customers for life. We thank everyone that comes to us and trusts us with their garments. We really appreciate your business and are happy to help!
4540 Post St., #210
(916) 933-4535
freshcleaners-ca.com
Don’t cut out the care instructions! It tells you what not to do to your garment. The clothes come with instructions for a reason; following the label instructions helps prevent damage.