Dry cleaners ruined my skirt

rlm_3

I have just collected my skirt from the dry cleaners and upon getting it home have discovered that it hasn’t been returned to me in the condition in which I gave it to them. The skirt was made of crushed silk and the dry cleaners have pressed it, meaning it looks nothing like it should.

When I took it to the dry cleaners I didn’t mention anything about not pressing the skirt. It didn’t occur to me that I would need to – it was obvious from the pattern of creases that they were supposed to be there (i.e., running in straight lines down the skirt from top to bottom) rather than the random creases you get from wearing a garment or from it being screwed up in a ball. The skirt was manufactured to have creases and now looks a bit of a mess because even though it has been pressed, you can still sort of see the original creases.

I feel quite gutted about the state of the skirt, not only because it cost a lot of money but also because my OH bought it for me as gift on our 10th anniversary.

I am planning on going back to the dry cleaners to complain but before I go, wanted to canvas opinions about what I can reasonably expect them to do about it.

Any advice is welcome! Thanks in advance.


P.S. Sorry for the long post – wanted to give as much info as possible.

viktory

I would ask them to return the skirt to it's original state (ie with the right creases). Nothing else. In future I would use a different dry cleaners.

Incidentally, I don't think the skirt is 'ruined'.

rlm_3

viktory wrote: »

I would ask them to return the skirt to it's original state (ie with the right creases). Nothing else. In future I would use a different dry cleaners.

Incidentally, I don't think the skirt is 'ruined'.

Thanks for the post.

I think it would be very difficult, if not impossible, to restore the skirt to its original state. The nature of the crushed silk meant that it had hundreds of creases in it, rather than one or two (like you would have in a pair of trousers). Like this:



I would doubt that they have the tools or expertise to be able to restore it? I guess in the first instance it might be worth seeing whether they can but after my first experience with them, I'm reluctant to let them loose on it again.

pinkshoes

Have you tried putting it in a humid room (bathroom) then scrunching it up a bit to see if the creases re-form? Just an option if they dry cleaners state they can't do anything...

Did they definitely press it, or was it part of the cleaning process that has left it like that?

rlm_3

pinkshoes wrote: »

Have you tried putting it in a humid room (bathroom) then scrunching it up a bit to see if the creases re-form? Just an option if they dry cleaners state they can't do anything...

No, I haven't yet. I didn't want to do anything to it before talking to the dry cleaners. Will give it a go if the dry cleaners say they can't do anything.

pinkshoes wrote: »

Did they definitely press it, or was it part of the cleaning process that has left it like that?

That's a good point. It looks very much like they have pressed it but it may have been the cleaning process that left it like that. If it's the latter, you would have thought they'd have warned me about the possibility of this happening before cleaning it. Something to check with them, I suppose.

Cheers.

Edited to say: I like the signature, pinkshoes! Particularly pertinent on an internet forum.

pinkshoes

rlm wrote: »

That's a good point. It looks very much like they have pressed it but it may have been the cleaning process that left it like that. If it's the latter, you would have thought they'd have warned me about the possibility of this happening before cleaning it. Something to check with them, I suppose..

I would maybe email the people who made the dress, or give them a call, and ask how it should be dry cleaned, and what process they would expect to be used, and then you can go armed with information to the dry cleaner.

Some dry cleaners refuse to clean some types of material due to risk of damage.

rlm wrote: »

Edited to say: I like the signature, pinkshoes! Particularly pertinent on an internet forum.

Merci! La plupart du temps c'est vrai!

Too many people judge on surface details without bothering to question deeper...

rlm_3

pinkshoes wrote: »

I would maybe email the people who made the dress, or give them a call, and ask how it should be dry cleaned, and what process they would expect to be used, and then you can go armed with information to the dry cleaner.

Good idea. Merci beaucoup!